This was not the time to say “I don’t know.” The brothers had begging, hungry looks, like dogs waiting to be fed. They wanted an answer. It would be nice if it was the right answer, but if it couldn’t be, then any answer would do, because then we would stop being worried..and then his mind caught alight. That’s what the gods are! An answer that will do! Because there’s food to be caught and babies to be born and life to be lived and so there is no time for big, complicated, and worrying answers! Please give us a simple answer, so that we don’t have to think, because if we think, we might find answers that don’t fit the way we want the world to be. . Terry Pratchett
About This Quote

This quote is a beautiful example of a story that can be interpreted differently by different people. The story begins with a statement that doesn't really have any meaning, "This was not the time to say “I don’t know.” The brothers had begging, hungry looks, like dogs waiting to be fed." In this case it appears that the author is just talking about the brothers and that they have been asking for food since they woke up from their knock out. The tone of this sentence is not a very pleasant one as the author talks about how he has been answering their questions all day and how it's time to stop answering them. Interestingly, he then goes on to say that there isn't really a time to give an answer because there is always going to be something going on and there isn't really a time to take a break from everything because there isn't enough time in the world. In conclusion it seems as if the author has tried his best to answer all of their questions but now that they are angry he wants them to give him an answer that will satisfy them.

Source: Nation

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