How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"Minds hold more than they know," the tall man said. "Particularly yours. And what else have you to say?" (3.21)
Brains are strange and wonderful things, but in Will's case, his mind knows an entire language and facts from history that he doesn't even know he knows yet. The Old Ones value knowledge immensely; the more they know about the world, the better their chances at defeating the Dark.
Quote #2
And with Will beside him he strode long-legged round the hall, holding the candle aloft again and again beside each of the hanging tapestries on the walls. Each time, as if he had commanded it, one bright image shone for an instant out of each glowing embroidered square, as bright and deep as a sunlit picture seen through a window-frame. And Will saw. (3.64)
The Old Ones show something of themselves to Will, and he knows who they are instantly. Even though he's only just learned about his magical powers, he's able to use them right away. It's like he already knows or something.
Quote #3
"It is the third Sign, Will. The Sign of Wood. We call it sometimes the Sign of Learning. This is the time for remaking the Sign. In every century since the beginning, Will, every hundred years, the Sign of Wood must be renewed, for it is the only one of the six that cannot keep its nature unchanged." (6.6)
The Lady tells him that the wood has to be renewed from century to century, which is interesting since it's also the Sign of learning. It's no coincidence that the two of these are combined. Think about it: Learning is something that also has to be renewed and replenished from time to time to keep the skill active. Use it or lose it.
Quote #4
"None of them, of course, had a thing to do with the Old Ones, for nearly every tale that men tell of magic and witches and such is born out of foolishness and ignorance and sickness of mind—or is a way of explaining things they do not understand. The one thing of which they know nothing, most of them, is what we are about." (6.60)
Ouch, dude. Merriman explains just how foolish humans are, and the assessment stings a little. The guy's point is that real knowledge comes from facts or experience, not from tall-tales you find in fantasy novels. And since this is one such novel, here the book is poking fun at itself.
Quote #5
"The moment you came into your power on your birthday, you could speak as an Old One. And did, not knowing that you were doing so. That was how the Rider knew you, when you met him on the road—you greeted John Smith in the Old Speech, and he therefore had to answer you in the same, and risk being marked as an Old One himself even though the craft of a smith is outside allegiance." (6.76)
Merriman explains to Will how everyone knew he was an Old One: He was speaking their language, whether he knew it or not. Will's ability to go bilingual without even trying shows the type of knowledge that his brain holds as an Old One. Head on over to the "Language and Communication" theme to learn more about his mother tongue.
Quote #6
Will was never able afterwards to tell how long he spent with the Book of Gramarye. So much went into him from its pages and changed him that the reading might have taken a year; yet so totally did it absorb his mind that when he came to an end he felt that he had only that moment begun. It was indeed not a book like other books. (7.1)
If only there were a book that contained the answers to everything in our world. For Will, that book is the Book of Gramarye, and once he reads it, he knows everything it contains. The answers he's looking for are complex and lengthy, but somehow the book manages to explain everything to him. Can we get a copy?
Quote #7
He swung round in consternation, but as soon as he met Merriman's eyes he saw that he already knew. There was no surprise in the hawk-nosed face, but only the beginnings of a kind of pain. "Yes," he said wearily. "The witch-girl is here. And I think you should stay beside me, Will Stanton, for this next while, and watch with me, for I do not greatly care to watch alone." (7.54)
Hawkin betrays them and Merriman already knows what's about to happen. While this is partly because of the whole time-traveling thing, it's also because of just how much wisdom Merriman has. He knows he can't stop what's happening, so he doesn't try to, no matter how much it bugs him.
Quote #8
He had three of the Signs of Power now. He had, too, the knowledge to use the Gift of Gramarye: a long lifetime of discovery and wisdom, given to him in a moment of suspended time. He was not the same Will Stanton that he had been a very few days before. (7.143)
Will has grown a lot over the course of his mission, and he definitely has more wisdom now. Sure, he's learned a lot about the Old Ones, but where he's really made strides is in his ability to think for himself and problem-solve. Plus he helped saved the world from the Dark. That should count for something.
Quote #9
It was an antler, like and yet not like the antler of a deer. Will paused suddenly. A strong and totally unexpected feeling had leapt out at him when he touched the antler. It was not a feeling he had ever had in the presence of the family before; it was the mixture of excitement, security, and delight that came over him whenever he was with one of the Old Ones. (8.6)
Will knows the carnival mask is from an Old One even before he opens it—he can sense it. That's the type of knowledge that really comes only from experience. There's no label or instruction manual that informs Will what he's holding. He simply gets it from being around Old Ones for a while.
Quote #10
"Come now, these are small things. I know all the questions. You will have all of the answers, when you are once at home, and in any case really you know them already." (13.74)
At the end, Merriman tells Will that he doesn't need to ask so many questions anymore. Why? He already has all the answers. Will's brain is so amazing that if he stops and thinks about it, he'll figure out everything that's happened. Must be nice.