Three thorns are not a lot of things.
Thirteen thorns are more things.
Thirty thorns are even more things.
A thousand thorns are lots and lots of thorns.
 
Three can be compared to thirteen and thirty.
Three is less than thirteen and thirty.
Thirty is more than three.
Thirteen is more than three.
Thirteen is less than thirty.
Thirty is less than a thousand.
A thousand is more than three or thirteen or thirty!