Sara Crewe Quotes in The Little Princess (1939)

Sara Crewe: Daddy?

Captain Reginald Crewe: Sara...

Sara Crewe: Daddy! Oh, Daddy! It is you! I found you! I found you! They said you were dead, but I knew you weren't! I knew you'd come back! Oh, Daddy, hold me, hold me close. You won't ever go away again, will you? Will you, Daddy? What's the matter, Daddy? Why don't you talk to me?

Captain Reginald Crewe: Sara...

Sara Crewe: Don't you know me, Daddy? I'm Sara! I'm Sara!

Captain Reginald Crewe: Sara... Where is my daughter...

Sara Crewe: Oh, Daddy! Something's happened to you! Mr. Bertie! Mr. Bertie! Oh, Daddy, you've got to know me! Look at me! Look at me! Oh, Daddy...

[sobs]

Captain Reginald Crewe: You musn't cry. You musn't cry. We must be good soldiers, you know.

Sara Crewe: But, I have been a good soldier, Daddy! And you don't know me!

Captain Reginald Crewe: My little Sara never cries...

Sara Crewe: But, I'm Sara! I'm Sara!

Captain Reginald Crewe: Sara... Sara! My little... My darling...

Sara Crewe: Oh, Daddy! You know me! You know me!

Captain Reginald Crewe: Sara, my darling! My baby Sara! Sara! Poor Sara, darling!

Sara Crewe: I thought you said you didn't have any more rooms.

Amanda Minchin of Minchin Seminary for Girls: I didn't know then what a dear little girl was coming.

Sara Crewe: Why does that make more rooms, Daddy?

Amanda Minchin of Minchin Seminary for Girls: Sara, I shall expect an explanation of this.

Sara Crewe: Yes, Miss Minchin. As soon as I can think of one.

Captain Reginald Crewe: Let's pretend we're back in India, and I'm going away with the troops for a few days. We've fought this kind of battle before, haven't we? And you never cried once when I went away, remember?

Sara Crewe: Yes, Daddy.

Captain Reginald Crewe: Well, this is going to be our hardest battle. We'll be good soldiers, won't we?

Sara Crewe: Yes, Daddy.

Captain Reginald Crewe: Shall we say goodbye like we used to at home?

Sara Crewe: Yes, Daddy.

Sara Crewe: Please sir, were you with the troops at Mafeking?

Traumatized Young Soldier: Yes, of course I was. That's where I ran away, you know.

Sara Crewe: Did you know my father, Captain Crewe?

Traumatized Young Soldier: [cutting out a paper soldier] Yes, yes of course. That's a fine-looking officer, isn't he? He ought to do well.

Sara Crewe: But where did you see my father last? Where is he now?

Traumatized Young Soldier: Where is who?

Sara Crewe: My father!

Traumatized Young Soldier: Of course one soldier more or less doesn't make any difference, you know. That's why I'm making thousands and thousands of troops for England. See? Good strong fellows who won't be afraid as I was. I was afraid. That's why I ran away, you know.

Sara Crewe: Mr. Bertie, he says he knows my father, but he won't tell.

Hubert 'Bertie' Minchin: He's living in a dream, Sara. He doesn't know what he's saying.

Sara Crewe: Here she is, on the bookshelves.

Ram Dass, Lord Wickham's Indian Servant: Bookshelves.

Sara Crewe: Oh... I pretend they're bookshelves filled with beautiful sets of books.

Ram Dass, Lord Wickham's Indian Servant: Then I'd better remove her before she ruins your set of Dickens. This is your room, Miss?

Sara Crewe: Yes, it's so little and so high above everything that it's like a nest in a tree. I can lie on my soft sofa and look up at the sky through that little hole in the roof.

Ram Dass, Lord Wickham's Indian Servant: Sofa?

Sara Crewe: Well... it looks more like a sofa when it's made up, and I imagine it has warm blankets and lovely cushions to curl up on.

Ram Dass, Lord Wickham's Indian Servant: But there is a fire at night, of course?

Sara Crewe: Well... that is the hardest of all to imagine, especially at night, but it's lovely when I can.

Becky, Servant at Minchin Seminary: The cook wants you, and she's in an awful mood!

Sara Crewe: Excuse me, Ram Dass, I've got to go to the butcher's, and I'll get my ears boxed if I don't hurry!

Amanda Minchin of Minchin Seminary for Girls: Sara, where have you been? You've been out, haven't you?

Sara Crewe: Yes, Miss Minchin.

Amanda Minchin of Minchin Seminary for Girls: What do you mean by disobeying my orders?

Sara Crewe: I had to. I had to look for my father.

Amanda Minchin of Minchin Seminary for Girls: This ridiculous search for your father! All this making believe and refusing to face facts, it's indecent. I've had enough of it. You must realize once and for all that your father is dead.

Sara Crewe: Don't you say that! He's not dead, he's not! And you can't stop me from looking for him, either.

Becky, Servant at Minchin Seminary: Do you see what I do?

Sara Crewe: I don't know what you see, but I don't think I believe what I'm seeing.

Becky, Servant at Minchin Seminary: Well I never.

Sara Crewe: Do you feel that?

Becky, Servant at Minchin Seminary: Yes, Miss.

Sara Crewe: What do you see?

Becky, Servant at Minchin Seminary: I see a fire, Miss.

Sara Crewe: And a table with food on it, and a rug and a lamp, and slippers.

Becky, Servant at Minchin Seminary: I do indeed, Miss. How did it all get here? Did you pretend it into happening?

Sara Crewe: I don't know. I've never pretended as good as this before. Look at these.

Amanda Minchin of Minchin Seminary for Girls: What happened to this room?

Sara Crewe: That's what we would like to know. I woke up this morning, and here everything was, even to the food and the fire.

Amanda Minchin of Minchin Seminary for Girls: Where did you get these things?

Sara Crewe: I don't know. It must be because I dreamed such a beautiful dream last night that it came true.

Amanda Minchin of Minchin Seminary for Girls: These things are rare and costly. You stole them!

Sara Crewe: No, Miss Minchin, I didn't steal these things!

Amanda Minchin of Minchin Seminary for Girls: I'll give you one more chance to tell me the truth!

Sara Crewe: But I am telling you the truth! They just - came!

Amanda Minchin of Minchin Seminary for Girls: This is a matter for the police!

Queen Victoria: What is it, child?

Sara Crewe: My father, they said he died at Mafeking. But I don't believe it! He may be here with the new wounded men, but they won't let me look! If they don't, I may never have another chance. Can you make them let me look?

Queen Victoria: Colonel, will you please see that this child is escorted through the wards?

Colonel Gordon: With permission, I shall accompany her personally, Your Majesty.

Sara Crewe: What... what's your name?

Queen Victoria: Victoria. What's yours?

Sara Crewe: Sara... oh Your Majesty!

[kneels and kisses the Queen's hand]

Captain Reginald Crewe: You learning me by heart little Sara?

Sara Crewe: No daddy, I know you by heart. You're inside my heart.

Sara Crewe: Mr. Bertie, will it be all right if I come again tomorrow?

Hubert 'Bertie' Minchin: I shouldn't run away too often, princess. You might get punished, you know. I'll keep a sharp look out whenever the wounded come in.

Sara Crewe: You don't really believe he'll ever come, do you?

Hubert 'Bertie' Minchin: Yes, yes, of course I do. I told you missing men often turn up.

Sara Crewe: Then I'd better come. You might not know if he's very much changed.

Hubert 'Bertie' Minchin: All right, dear. You come.

Sara Crewe: Goodbye Mr. Bertie.

Hubert 'Bertie' Minchin: Goodbye dear.

[last lines]

Sara Crewe: Your Majesty. My Dad.

[Sara comes in Lavinia's room to clean out the fireplace where]

Lavinia: I hear you're being punished.

Lavinia: [to Jessie] Do you think we ought to offer her a chocolate?

Jessie: You might let her smell them.

Lavinia: Miss Minchin surely couldn't object to that. Would you care to?

Sara Crewe: I don't want to smell them and I don't want to eat them, thank you.

Lavinia: You don't? Why not?

Sara Crewe: I've had much nicer things than chocolate this morning.

Lavinia: [giggles at this] Listen to the princess, pretending again.

Sara Crewe: I'm not pretending. I had the most wonderful things to eat that anyone ever had.

Lavinia: [frowns] Why you little liar! You haven't even had breakfast!

Sara Crewe: Pardon me, but I really have; and if you'll excuse me for saying so, it isn't polite to call people liars.

Lavinia: How dare you talk back to me!

Sara Crewe: [sarcastically] Tsk, tsk, tsk. Was I doing that? My goodness!

[Sara dumps ashes all over Lavinia and Jessie as they scream]

Sara Crewe: [runs off laughing] So sorry!

Lavinia: [shouts and sobs] YOU WAIT TILL I TELL MISS MINCHIN ON YOU!

Ram Dass, Lord Wickham's Indian Servant: Missy Sahib speaks Hindustani?

Sara Crewe: I've lived in India all my life.

Ram Dass, Lord Wickham's Indian Servant: Missy Sahib is going to live in England now?

Sara Crewe: Only until my father gets through making those Boers behave.

Ram Dass, Lord Wickham's Indian Servant: Missy Sahib has been a soldier?

Sara Crewe: Yes, my father's a captain. Captain Crewe.

Sara Crewe: It's getting harder every day to pretend my father is safe.

Geoffrey Hamilton: I'll let you in on a little secret. I enlisted today, but while I don't want Miss Rose to know quite yet, I'll be going over there shortly.

Sara Crewe: To Mafeking? Then perhaps you can help my father.

Geoffrey Hamilton: We'll get him out.

Colonel Gordon: Bertie, what do you think has happened? The princess found her father!

Hubert 'Bertie' Minchin: She found him!

Amanda Minchin of Minchin Seminary for Girls: Captain Crewe is alive?

Hubert 'Bertie' Minchin: Of course he's alive! How could she have found him if he wasn't alive?

Sara Crewe: Oh, Mr. Bertie, I've found my father!

Hubert 'Bertie' Minchin: Darling, I'm so glad!

[first lines]

Sara Crewe: Why are they sending so many soldiers, daddy, if it's only going to be a little war?

Captain Reginald Crewe: To make those stubborn Boers take us seriously this time, my darling. When they realize Her Majesty intends to put a stop to their nonsense, they'll quiet down.

Sara Crewe: They'd better. Anyhow, when you get there, you'll stop them. Won't you, daddy?

Captain Reginald Crewe: I'll do my best, dear.

Miss Minchin: [after ordering the girls out and punishing Becky, to Sara] And you will perform all here chores in addition to your own without breakfast, lunch, OR dinner! It's time you learn, Sara Crewe, that real life has nothing to do with your little fantasy games. It's a cruel, nasty world out there and it's our duty to make the best of it - not to indulge in ridiculous dreams, but to be productive and useful! Do you understand what I'm saying?

Sara Crewe: Yes, ma'am.

Miss Minchin: Good!

[she leaves]

Sara Crewe: But I don't believe in it.

[miss Minchin goes awestruck]

Miss Minchin: Don't tell me you still fancy yourself a princess!

[laughs]

Miss Minchin: Good God, child, look around you! Or better yet, look in the mirror!

[after a long pause]

Sara Crewe: [confidentially] I am a princess.

Miss Minchin: [in disbelief] Oh!

Sara Crewe: All girls are! Even if they live in tiny old attics, even if they dress in rags, even if they aren't pretty, or smart, or young, they're still princesses - all of us! Didn't your father ever tell you that? Didn't he?

Miss Minchin: [furiously, in tears] If I find you up here with any of the girls again, I WILL THROW YOU OUT INTO THE STREET!

[Sara is tracing her father's face with her finger]

Capt. Crewe: What are you doing? Memorizing me by heart?

Sara Crewe: No... I already know you by heart.

Sara Crewe: Papa? Maya told me that all girls are princesses.

Capt. Crewe: Maya... is a very wise woman.

Sara Crewe: Then it's true?

Capt. Crewe: You can be anything you want to be, my love, as long as you believe.

Sara Crewe: What do you believe?

Capt. Crewe: I believe that you are... and always will be... my little princess.

[Sara just met her new doll, Emily]

Capt. Crewe: You know, dolls make the very best friends. Just because they can't speak doesn't mean they don't listen. And did you know that when we leave them alone in our room, they come to life?

Sara Crewe: They do?

Capt. Crewe: Yes! But before we walk in and catch them, they return to their place as quick as lightning!

Sara Crewe: Why don't they come to life in front of us so we can see them?

Capt. Crewe: Because it's magic. Magic has to be believed. It's the only way it's real.

[the amnesiac Capt. Crewe comes across Sara crying in a corner of a darkened room in Randolph's house]

Capt. Crewe: What is it? Why are you crying? Please tell me. I won't hurt you. Won't you tell me your name?

Sara Crewe: [sobbing] Sara.

Capt. Crewe: 'Sara'... that's such a pretty name. Sara...

Sara Crewe: [there is a flash of lightening, and the lights suddenly come back on] Papa...

[she rises, and stares at Crewe in shock]

Sara Crewe: Papa...

Capt. Crewe: What did you say?

Sara Crewe: [she runs to him, and he tries to hold her away] Papa...

Capt. Crewe: I'm sorry...

Sara Crewe: Papa, it's me! It's Sara!

Capt. Crewe: Sara, do you know me?

Sara Crewe: Oh, God, papa, don't you remember me?

Miss Minchin: [faintly] She must be in here!

Sara Crewe: Papa, please! You've got to know me! It's Sara, remember? Remember India and Maya? Remember the Ramayana... and Emily? And the locket with Mama's picture in it?

Capt. Crewe: [still struggling to push her away] No...

Sara Crewe: Oh, God, papa, please!

Miss Minchin: [entering the room with the policemen and Randolph] Sara!

Sara Crewe: Papa, please!

Charles Randolph: Do you know this man?

Sara Crewe: Papa, tell them!

Miss Minchin: [recognizes Captain Crewe] This child has no father. Take her away!

Sara Crewe: [a policeman tears Sara away and carries her, kicking and screaming, from the room] No! No! Papa!

Capt. Crewe: I'm so sorry...

[at Sara's birthday party, Sara blows out the candles on her cake]

Lottie: [happily jumping up and down] I want a big piece!

Lavinia: [sarcastically] Oh hush up, Lottie! I'm sure Princess Sara will give everyone a fair share. Right, Princess?

Lottie: [to Sara] I told her that's what you were.

Sara Crewe: Well, not just me, all girls are princesses. Even snotty, two-face bullies like you, Lavinia!

[Captain Crewe has just presented his young daughter with a doll named Emily]

Capt. Crewe: Whenever you're afraid, or miss me terribly... just tell Emily. And she'll get the message to me, wherever I am. And I'll send one back right away... so that when you hug her... you'll really be getting a hug from me.

Sara Crewe: ...It's alright, Papa. I'm going to be fine.

Sara Crewe: Don't cry, Becky.

Becky: I'm scared. If Minchin throws me out, I got no place to go.

Sara Crewe: That's not true. I'm here with you. I've always thought of us as sisters.

Becky: You have?

Sara Crewe: Let's make a promise right now: to always look out for each other.

Becky: It's a promise.

[they embrace]

Becky: Sara... why don't you tell your stories anymore?

Sara Crewe: They're just make-believe. They don't mean anything.

Becky: Oh, but they've always meant something to me. There were days I thought I would die, until I heard you talk about the magic.

Sara Crewe: There is no magic, Becky.

Miss Minchin: Sara, this is Monsieur Dufarge. You will begin French lessons with him this afternoon.

Sara Crewe: Do I have to?

Miss Minchin: Sara! You most certainly do! Now apologize to Monsieur this instant for your rudeness!

Sara Crewe: But I didn't mean to be rude.

Miss Minchin: [shouts] Now!

[Sara says three sentences entirely in French. Monsieur Dufarge looks at her through his monicle impressed]

Monsieur Dufarge: This child doesn't need to learn French, she practically *is* French! Says she learned it from her father.

Miss Minchin: I understood perfectly well what she said, Monsieur.

Sara Crewe: I'm sorry, but we tried to tell you.

Monsieur Dufarge: Well, perhaps she can tutor the younger children, and she might just be able to help you with your pronunciation, Miss Minchin.

[sniffs deeply]

Monsieur Dufarge: Are those sausages I smell? Oh...

[the girls have awoken to find the attic beautifully redecorated and a breakfast of sausages, muffins, and fruit awaiting them]

Sara Crewe: Look! Just what we ordered!

Becky: I'm a little scared about all of this.

Sara Crewe: Me, too. Do you think we shouldn't eat it?

Becky: I'm not that scared!

Sara Crewe: One knock means, "I'm here." Two knocks means, "All is well." Three knocks means, "The coast is clear - the demon Minchinweed is asleep."

Miss Minchin: [after Sara makes up her own ending for the class's bedtime story] What are you doing?

Sara Crewe: I couldn't bare to see Charlotte marry that awful man, so I imagined a different ending.

Miss Minchin: You imagined it?

Sara Crewe: [nodding] Don't you ever do that, Miss Minchin? Believe in something just to make it seem real?

Miss Minchin: I suppose that's rather easy for a child who has everything.

[announcing to the rest of the class]

Miss Minchin: And now from now on, there will be no more 'make believe' at this school during reading hour or at any other time. Is that understood?

Girls: [in unison] Yes, Miss Minchin.

Miss Minchin: Now all of you go to your beds this instant.

Sara Crewe: What are you doing here?

Ermengarde: We brought you something.

[the five girls stand in line, then curtsy one at a time]

Ermengarde: Princess Sara, we'd like to present you with something we rescued.

Betsy: In a most dangerous adventure.

Gertrude: Our very own crusade.

Rosemary: Risking all our lives.

Lottie: And mine too.

[Lottie hands her the locket Miss Minchin confiscated]

Sara Crewe: I - I don't know what to say. You all are the best friends anyone could ever ask for!

Sara Crewe: [as Becky serves her breakfast] Thank you.

Miss Minchin: Sara, there's no talking at the table.

Sara Crewe: Doesn't seem natural.

[the other girls stare at her in shock]

Miss Minchin: [staring at Sara coldly] I won't say it again.

Becky: [after she and Sara place a board stretching across to Randolph's house] Sara, you'll fall!

Sara Crewe: I can do it. I'll come back for you. I promise.

[they embrace]