Who said “Grown men may learn from very little children, for the hearts of little children are…”?

Verified

Black Elk. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceThe Sacred Pipe (1953)

Find The Sacred Pipe on Amazon · paid link

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Authors A–Z
“Grown men may learn from very little children, for the hearts of little children are pure, and, therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them many things which older people miss.”
— Black Elk
VerifiedThe Sacred Pipe (1953) · evidenceChildren

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: The Sacred Pipe (1953).

APA

Elk, B. (n.d.). Grown men may learn from very little children, for the hearts of little children are pure, and, therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them many things which older people miss. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9811-grown-men-may-learn-from-very-little-children/

MLA

Elk, Black. “Grown men may learn from very little children, for the hearts of little children are pure, and, therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them many things which older people miss.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9811-grown-men-may-learn-from-very-little-children/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Elk, Black. “Grown men may learn from very little children, for the hearts of little children are pure, and, therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them many things which older people miss.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9811-grown-men-may-learn-from-very-little-children/.

Related quotes

More quotes by Black Elk

“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells Wakan-Tanka , and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us. This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this. The second peace is that which is made between two individuals, and the third is that which is made between two nations. But above all you should understand that there can never be peace between nations until there is known that true peace, which, as I have often said, is within the souls of men.”
VerifiedThe Sacred Pipe (1953) · evidenceDetails & citePeace
All 2 Black Elk quotes →