He will know someday who is little, and who is great. Are you the strongest of all men, so strong that you can be merciful to me, a weak woman? Here is the undoing of your strength: I am not a weak woman. I am not a little queen. And your mercy will be your undoing. You will regret leaving me alive, and someday you will remember possessing me, and yearn to possess me again
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A weak person may turn out to be strong, and mercy shown to them can be their undoing.
- In plain terms
- Do not underestimate a weak person, or your mercy will backfire.
- What can you take from it?
- Never judge someone by their apparent weakness.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who have you underestimated?
- Does mercy always lead to weakness?
Another view
It presents mercy as a strategic mistake rather than a moral good.
More from Orson Scott Card
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