Extended excerpt [Alexander conversation about how he became an author of fiction & fantasy books, and how he viewed the genre. Quoted excerpt begins at approx. 12:16 of 21:39 video. Transcript – Repeat Right.]:

“And here again, this is surprising – because you might have the impression that a fantasy – oh, it’s a lot of impossible things that happen and it doesn’t really mean anything. I don’t feel that way about it. From my point of view, fantasy is simply a form – a way of trying to express things about real people in the real world. So fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It’s a way of understanding it.”

Source link: A Visit with Lloyd Alexander (1994) online via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt9ZHQy2wAk

Extended excerpt [Fiction – character ‘Florian’ to ‘Theo’]:

“Men give up many things willingly: their fortunes, their loves, their dreams. Power, never. It must be taken. And you, youngster, will have to choose your side.” (p. 137)

Source: Library – Westmark (1981) International Standard Book Number (ISBN) 9780525423355

Extended excerpt [Fiction – Chapter X – character ‘Taliesin’ to ‘Gurgi’]:

“Taliesin put a hand on the creature’s shoulder. “Do you believe you have none?” he asked. “That is not true. Of wisdom there are as many patterns as a loom can weave. Yours is the wisdom of a good and kindly heart. Scarce it is, and its worth all the greater.” (p. 141)

Source link: Library – The High King: The Chronicles of Prydain (27 October 1968) online via Open Library [free subscription service]: https://archive.org/stream/highking00alex#page/140/mode/2up/search/as+many+patterns

Extended excerpt [First lines of essay about writing fantasy fiction]:

“The muse in charge of fantasy wears good, sensible shoes. No foam-born Aphrodite, she vaguely resembles my old piano teacher, who was keen on metronomes. She does not carry a soothing lyre for inspiration, but is more likely to shake you roughly awake at four in the morning and rattle a sheaf of subtle, sneaky questions under your nose. And you had better answer them. The Muse will stand for no nonsense (that is, non-sense).”

Source link: “The Flat-Heeled Muse” (1 April 1965) online via The Horn Book: https://www.hbook.com/1965/04/choosing-books/horn-book-magazine/flat-heeled-muse/#_

Extended excerpt  [Fiction – character ‘Adaon’ to friends]:

“He spoke quietly, but his voice held a tone of command as he turned his glance from Taran to Ellidyr. “We hold each other’s live in our open hands, not in clenched fists.” (p. 22)

“Taliesin put a hand on the creature’s shoulder. “Do you believe you have none?” he asked. “That is not true. Of wisdom there are as many patterns as a loom can weave. Yours is the wisdom of a good and kindly heart. Scarce it is, and its worth all the greater.” (p. 141)

Source note: The Black Cauldron is book two of Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain series.

Source link: The Black Cauldron (June 1965|1999 Henry Holt revised edition) online via Open Library: https://archive.org/stream/blackcauldron00alex_0?ref=ol#page/22/mode/2up/search/clenched+fists