Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Meindert DeJong

Quote by Meindert DeJong

“Until the longing came again, like the longing that you hear in the whistle of a train that is going far away. But the longing isn't really in the whistle, the longing is in you—for the wonder and the loveliness that is in the world, and everywhere.”

Quote by Meindert DeJong

Work

The Little Cow and the Turtle

Browse quotes and source details for this work. more

Author

Meindert DeJong
Meindert DeJong

Meindert DeJong was a renowned Dutch children's writer, recognized for his imaginative and nature-themed stories. Born on March 4, 1906, in the Netherlands, he dedicated his life to crafting tales that enchanted young readers. DeJong's works, rich in natural settings and themes, reflect his deep appreciation for the outdoors. He passed away on July 16, 1991. more

You May Also Like

“البَابُ مَا قَرَعَتْهُ غَيْرُ الرِّيحِ في اللَّيْلِ العَمِيقْ البَابُ مَا قَرَعَتْهُ كَفُّكِ . أَيْنَ كَفُّكِ وَالطَّرِيقْ نَاءٍ ؟ بِحَارٌ بَيْنَنَا ، مُدُنٌ ، صَحَارَى مِنْ ظَلاَمْ الرِّيحُ تَحْمِلُ لِي صَدَى القُبْلاَتِ مِنْهَا كَالْحَرِيقْ مِنْ نَخْلَةٍ يَعْدُو إِلَى أُخْرَى وَيَزْهُو في الغَمَامْ”

“We're a lukewarm people for all our feast days and hard work. Not much touches us, but we long to be touched. We lie awake at night willing the darkness to part and show us a vision. Our children frighten us in their intimacy, but we make sure they grow up like us. Lukewarm like us. On a night like this, hands and faces hot, we can believe that tomorrow will show us angels in jars and that the well-known woods will suddenly reveal another path. Last time we had a bonfire, a neighbour tried to pull down the boards of his house. [...] I sometimes wonder why none of us tried to stop him. I think we wanted him to do it, to do it for us. To tear down our long-houred lives and let us start again. Clean and simple with open hands.”