Oh the words every girl (and I am sure plenty of boys) really wants to hear "As you wish" and if you know where that quote came from, then you can be my friend :-) The quote comes from the book (and later epic movie) The Princess Bride by William Goldman.
I have to admit, this is an instance where I saw the movie several times before I picked up the book, mostly 'cause I started watching the movie at like age 0 and didn't know there was a book until I was in college. After reading the book I was amazed how closely the movie followed it until I did a little digging and realized that the author William Goldman actually worte the screenplay for the movie as well (which should be done a lot more often in book to movie adaptions). The book itself has a lot of interesting side notes, the author writes
as though he is abridging the story from a very long and detailed history of the country of Florin by S. Morgenstern and to this affect there are many asides and footnotes about little tidbits that were "removed" to make the book more readable. Mr. Goldman also makes up a ficticious backstory for himself as well, telling the reader that he has a son (the author really had two daughters who he told this to as a bedtime story, hence the silly names like Humperdink and Buttercup), his wife is a psychiatrist (not really) and his father was actually from the country of Florin (not a real country) interspersed with actual facts about his life. I got lucky enough to get a 25th annaversary edition of the book which includes a chapter on a not written sequal called Buttercup's Baby to which he asks the readers to write to the publishing company to try and get it into print.
as though he is abridging the story from a very long and detailed history of the country of Florin by S. Morgenstern and to this affect there are many asides and footnotes about little tidbits that were "removed" to make the book more readable. Mr. Goldman also makes up a ficticious backstory for himself as well, telling the reader that he has a son (the author really had two daughters who he told this to as a bedtime story, hence the silly names like Humperdink and Buttercup), his wife is a psychiatrist (not really) and his father was actually from the country of Florin (not a real country) interspersed with actual facts about his life. I got lucky enough to get a 25th annaversary edition of the book which includes a chapter on a not written sequal called Buttercup's Baby to which he asks the readers to write to the publishing company to try and get it into print. 
Mr. Goldman puts in his "notes" that he wanted to abridge this book as well, but after the way he supposadly butchered Mr. Morgenstern's first book, they wanted Stephen King to do it teehee. Keeping in mind the whole thing is fictional and S. Morgenstern does not even exist. He got his publishers to play along by sending letters detailing the "legal issues" they are haveing with Morgensern's estate :-)
Most people know the plot of The Princess Bride, as it is one of the few movies that everybody seems to love, I have yet to meet a person who will not voluntarly watch it with me (of course now that I have said that, I will get a flood of comments from people who just can't stand that silly little movie) Like I said earlier the movie does follow the book very very closley. Buttercup and her farm boy Westly fall in love after she realizes the words he always says to her "as you wish" really mean "I love you". He goes of to sea to make his fortune and is captured by the Dread Pirate Roberts who is notorius for killing his captives. In despair 
Buttercup agrees to marry Prince Humperdink (I am so getting a goldfish and naming it Humperdink!). She is kidnapped by a motley crew lead by the Sicilian Vizzini (Inconceviable), his Turkish giant Fezzik, and his Spanish sword man Inigo Montoya. After a couple of misadvetures, they realized they are being follwed by a man in a black mask. They head for the Cliffs of Insanity (say isn't that where I work?) to try and lose him, but he is a persistant little bugger. The Sicillian leaves Inigo to kill the man in black while he and Fezzik continue on with Buttercup. Inigo Montoya is an honorable man and allows the mysterious man in black to rest while he tells his sad story of the six fingered man who killed his father and left him scarred. His goal in life is to find the man and get his revenge. The Spainard and Man in Black fight and Inigo is bested but not killed. Fezzik is next sent to deal with the nusciance, but he too is unfatally bested. The Sicillian finally challenges him to a contest of wits, resulting in his death and the Man in Black is able to rescue Buttercup. She finds out that her savior is not other then the Dread Pirate Roberts, and promptly pushes him down a steep hill. As he falls he calls out that famouse line "aaassss yoooou wiiiishhhhh) Buttercup follow him and learns the story of how he came back to her. They travel through the Fire Swamp, and contend with the ROUS's (Rats of Unusual Size) only to be stopped by Prince Humperdink and his six fingered man Count Tyrone Rugen. Buttercup bargains with Humperdink to spare
Buttercup agrees to marry Prince Humperdink (I am so getting a goldfish and naming it Humperdink!). She is kidnapped by a motley crew lead by the Sicilian Vizzini (Inconceviable), his Turkish giant Fezzik, and his Spanish sword man Inigo Montoya. After a couple of misadvetures, they realized they are being follwed by a man in a black mask. They head for the Cliffs of Insanity (say isn't that where I work?) to try and lose him, but he is a persistant little bugger. The Sicillian leaves Inigo to kill the man in black while he and Fezzik continue on with Buttercup. Inigo Montoya is an honorable man and allows the mysterious man in black to rest while he tells his sad story of the six fingered man who killed his father and left him scarred. His goal in life is to find the man and get his revenge. The Spainard and Man in Black fight and Inigo is bested but not killed. Fezzik is next sent to deal with the nusciance, but he too is unfatally bested. The Sicillian finally challenges him to a contest of wits, resulting in his death and the Man in Black is able to rescue Buttercup. She finds out that her savior is not other then the Dread Pirate Roberts, and promptly pushes him down a steep hill. As he falls he calls out that famouse line "aaassss yoooou wiiiishhhhh) Buttercup follow him and learns the story of how he came back to her. They travel through the Fire Swamp, and contend with the ROUS's (Rats of Unusual Size) only to be stopped by Prince Humperdink and his six fingered man Count Tyrone Rugen. Buttercup bargains with Humperdink to spare 
Westly if she goes back and marries him. He agrees, but betrays them when he tells Tyrone to take him to the Zoo of Death. At the Zoo of Death, Westly is tortured to death, while Buttercup has horrible nightmares about wedding Humperdink. The prince agrees to send out four ships in four directions to find Westly and if they return without finding him Buttercup will marry him. Meanwhile, Fezzik and Inigo hunt down Westly to get his help to breach the castle walls. They find him in the Zoo of Death and bring him to Mad Max the miracle man who declares Westly not completly dead, just mostly dead and revives him, but with the side effect of paralasyis that will hopefully wear off. Back at casa de Humperdink, Buttercup has discovered his deception and decides to kill herself (this is pretty dark for a supposed childrens fairy tale!). Westly and crew arrive just in time to stop her and Inigo finds his six fingered man, quoting the other famouse line "My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father,
prepare to die". Crazy swordplay ensues and Inigo gets his revenge. In Buttercups room Prince Humperdink arrives to discover Westly alive and challanges him to a duel, but since he is still fairly weak from being mostley dead, he tricks Humperdink into letting them go. Fezzik appears below the window with horses for all and the merry band ride off into the moonlight to hopefully live happily ever after.
I really liked reading this book, and all the extra little comments, asides, maps and footnotes really gave it a fun spin, I give it 100 "as you wishes" and read it all the time. (again spell check not working so sorry about the spelling) ((And yes I know all the pictures are from the movie, but it was a really long post, pictures keep my attention, and there are no good not movie pictures so there!))
What is your favorite quote from The Princess Bride? Are you one of the few haters? Do you wish all books were adapted this well to the big screen? Should there be an international "as you wish" day?
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