A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Why is the county of Kildare like the leg of a fellow’s breeches?

felt sorry for him that he was not a magistrate like the other boys’ fathers

Then why was he sent to that place with them? But his father had told him that he would be no stranger there because his granduncle had presented an address to the Liberator there fifty years before.

Because there is a thigh in it, he said. Do you see the joke? Athy is the town in the county Kildare and a thigh is the other thigh.

He was a fellow out of the third of grammar and, while Stephen was undressing, he asked Brother Michael to bring him a round of buttered toast.

kind of look. Was he not holy enough or why could he not catch up on the others?

It was queer too that you could not call him sir because he was a brother and had a different kind of look.

It was queer that he would always be a brother.

The prefect spoke to Brother Michael and Brother Michael answered and called the prefect sir.

Quick march! Hayfoot! Strawfoot!