chapterilittleprincetoleonwerthiaskchildrentoforgivemefordedicatingthisbooktoagrown-up.ihaveaseriou*cuse：thisgrown-upisthebestfriendihaveintheworld.ihaveanotherexcuse：thisgrown-upcanunderstandseverything,evenbooksforchildren.ihaveathirdexcuse：helivesinfrancewhereheishungryandcold.heneedstobecomforted.ifalltheseexcusearenotenough,theniwanttodedicatethisbooktothechildwhomthisgrown-uponcewas.allgrown-upswerechildrenfirst.（butfewofthemrememberit.）soicorrectmydedication：toleonwerthwhenhewasalittleboyoncewheniwassixyearsoldisawamagnifcentpictureinabookaboutthejungle,calledtruestories，.itedofaboaconstrictorawildbeast.hereisacopyofthepicture.inthebookitsaid："boaconstrictorsswallowtheirprey,withoutchewing,afterwardtheyarenolongerabletomove,andtheysleepthroughthesixmonthsoftheirdigestion."inthosedaysithoughtalotaboutjungleadventures,andeventuallymanagedtomakemyfirstdrawing,usingacoloredpencile.mydrawingnumberonelookedlikethis：iedthegrown-up*ymasterpiece,andiaskedthemifmydrawingscaredthem.theyanswered："whybescaredofahat?"mydrawingwasnotapictureofahat.itwasapictureofaboaconstrictordigestinganelephant.thenidrawtheinsideoftheboaconstrictor,sothegrown-upscouldunderstand.theyalwaysneedtoexplaintions.mydrawingnumbertwolookedlikethis：thegrown-upsadvisemetoputawaymydrawingsofboaconstrictors,insideoroutside,andapplymyselfinsteadtogeography,history,arithmeticandgrammar.thatiswhyiabandoned,attheageofsix,amagnifcentcareerasaartist.ihadbeendiscourgedbythefailureofmydrawingnumberoneandmydrawingnumbertwo.grown-upsneverunderstandanythingbythemselves,anditi*haustingforchildrentobeprovideexplanationsoverandoveragain.sothenihavetochooseanothercareer,andlearnedtopilotairplanes.ihaveflownamosteverywhereintheworld,and,asamatteroffact,geographyhasbeenverybighelptome.icantellchinafromarizonaatfrstglance.whichisveryusefulifyougetlostduringthenight.soihavehad,inthecourseofmylife,lotsofencounterswithlotsofseriouspeople.ihavespendlotsoftimewithgrown-ups.ihavesennthematcloserange……whichhasn'tmuchimprovedmyopinionofthem.4wheneveriencounteragrown-upswhoseemdedtomeatallenlightened,iwouledexperimetonhimwithmydrawingnumberone,whichihavealwaysanswer，”at'sahat.”theniwouldn'ttalkaoutboaconstrictors,orprimevalforests,orstars.iwouldputmyselfonhislevel.iwouldtalktohimaboutbridge,andgolf,andpolitics,andneckties.andmygrown-upwasgladtoknowsuchareasonableperson.chapteriisoilivedalone,withoutanyonethaticouldreallytalkto,untilihadanaccidentwithmyplaneinthedesertofsahara,sixyearsago.somethingwasbrokeninmyengine.andasihadwithmeneitheramechanicnoranypassengers,isetmyselftoattemptthediffcultrepairsallalone.itwasaquestionoflifeordeathforme：ihadscarcelyenoughdrinkingwaterforeightdays.thefirstnight,then,iwenttosleeponthesand,athousandmilesfromanyhumanhabitation.iwa*oreisolatedthanashipwreckedsailoronaraftinthemiddleoftheocean.soyoucanimaginemysurprisewheniwasawakenedatdaybreakbyafunnylittlevoicesaying，"ifyouplease—drawmeasheep！""what！""drawmeasheep！"ijumpedtomyfeet,completelythunderstruck.iblinkedmyeyeshard.ilookedcarefullyallaroundme.andisawamostextraordinary*allperson,whostoodthereexaminingmewithgreatseriousness.hereyoumayseethebestportraitthat,later,iwasabletomakeofhim.butmydrawingiscertainlyverymuchlesscharmingthanit*odel.that,however,isnotmyfault.thegrown-upsdiscouragedmeinmypainter'scareerwheniwassixyearsold,andineverlearnedtodrawanything,exceptboasfromtheoutsideandboasfromtheinside.nowistaredatthissuddenapparitionwithmyeyesfairlystartingoutofmyheadinastonishment.remember,ihadcrashedinthedesertathousandmilesfromanyinhabitedregion.andyetmylittlemanseemedneithertobestrayinguncertainlyamongthesands,nortobefaintingfromfatigueorhungerorthirstorfear.nothingabouthimgaveanysuggestionofachildlostinthemiddleofthedesert,athousandmilesfromanyhumanhabitation.whenatlastiwasabletospeak,isaidtohim："but—whatareyoudoinghere?"andinanswerherepeated,veryslowly,asifhewerespeakingofamatterofgreatconsequence："ifyouplease—drawmeasheep……"whenamysteryistoooverpowering,onedarenotdisobey.absurdasitmightseemtome,athousandmilesfromanyhumanhabitationandindangerofdeath,itookoutofmypocketasheetofpaperandmyfountain-pen.butthenirememberedhowmystudieshadbeenconcentratedongeography,history,arithmetic,andgrammar,anditoldthelittlechap（alittlecrossly,too）thatididnotknowhowtodraw.heansweredme："thatdoesn'tmatter.drawmeasheep……"butihadneverdrawnasheep.soidrewforhimoneofthetwopicturesihaddrawnsooften.itwasthatoftheboaconstrictorfromtheoutside.andiwasastoundedtohearthelittlefellowgreetitwith，"no,no,no！idonotwantanelephantinsideaboaconstrictor.aboaconstrictorisaverydangerouscreature,andanelephantisverycumbersome.whereilive,everythingisvery*all.whatineedisasheep.drawmeasheep."sothenimadeadrawing.helookedatitcarefully,thenhesaid："no.thissheepisalreadyverysickly.makemeanother."soimadeanotherdrawing.myfriend*iledgentlyandindulgently."youseeyourself，"hesaid，"thatthisisnotasheep.thisisaram.ithashorns."sothenididmydrawingoveroncemore.butitwasrejectedtoo,justliketheothers."thisoneistooold.iwantasheepthatwilllivealongtime."bythistimemypatiencewa*hausted,becauseiwasinahurrytostarttakingmyengineapart.soitossedoffthisdrawing.andithrewoutanexplanationwithit."thisisonlyhisbox.thesheepyouaskedforisinside."iwasverysurprisedtoseealightbreakoverthefaceofmyyoungjudge："thati*actlythewayiwantedit！doyouthinkthatthissheepwillhavetohaveagreatdealofgrass?""why?""becausewhereiliveeverythingisvery*all……""therewillsurelybeenoughgrassforhim，"isaid."itisavery*allsheepthatihavegivenyou."hebenthisheadoverthedrawing："notso*allthat—look！hehasgonetosleep……"andthatiimadetheacquaintanceofthelittleprince.chapterⅲittookmealongtimetolearnwherehecamefrom.thelittleprince,whoaskedmesomanyquestions,neverseemedtoheartheonesiaskedhim.itwasthingshesaidquiteatrandomthat,bitbybit,explainedeverything.forinstance,whenhefrstcaughtsightofmyairplane（iwon'tdrawmyairplane；thatwouldbemuchtoocomplicatedforme）heasked："whatisthatobject?""thatisnotanobject.itfies.itisanairplane.iti*yairplane."andiwasproudtohavehimlearnthaticouldfy.hecriedout,then："what！youdroppeddownfromthesky?""yes，"ianswered,modestly."oh！thatisfunny！"andthelittleprincebrokeintoalovelypealoflaughter,whichirritatedmeverymuch.ilikemymisfortunestobetakenseriously.thenheadded："soyou,too,comefromthesky！whichisyourplanet?"atthatmomenticaughtagleamoflightintheimpenetrablemysteryofhispresence；andidemanded,abruptly："doyoucomefromanotherplanet?"buthedidnotreply.hetossedhisheadgently,withouttakinghiseyesfrommyplane："itistruethatonthatyoucan‘thavecomefromveryfaraway……"andhesankintoareverie,whichlastedalongtime.then,takingmysheepoutofhispocket,heburiedhimselfinthecontemplationofhistreasure.youcanimaginehowmycuriositywasarousedbythishalf-confdenceaboutthe"otherplanets."imadeagreateffort,therefore,tofndoutmoreonthissubject."mylittleman,wheredoyoucomefrom?whatisthis‘whereilive，'ofwhichyouspeak?wheredoyouwanttotakeyoursheep?"afterarefectivesilenceheanswered："thethingthatissogoodabouttheboxyouhavegivenmeisthatatnighthecanuseitashishouse.""thatisso.andifyouaregoodiwillgiveyouastring,too,sothatyoucantiehimduringtheday,andaposttotiehimto."butthelittleprinceseemedshockedbythisoffer："tiehim！whataqueeridea！""butifyoudon‘ttiehim，"isaid，"hewillwanderoffsomewhere,andgetlost."myfriendbrokeintoanotherpealoflaughter："butwheredoyouthinkhewouldgo?""anywhere.straightaheadofhim."thenthelittleprincesaid,earnestly："thatdoesn‘tmatter.whereilive,everythingisso*all！"and,withperhapsahintofsadness,headded："straightaheadofhim,nobodycangoveryfar……"chapterivihadthuslearnedasecondfactofgreatimportance：thiswasthattheplanetthelittleprincecamefromwasscarcelyanylargerthanahouse！butthatdidnotreallysurprisememuch.iknewverywellthatinadditiontothegreatplanets—suchastheearth,jupiter,mars,venus—towhichwehavegivennames,therearealsohundredsofothers,someofwhichareso*allthatonehasahardtimeseeingthemthroughthetelescope.whenanastronomerdiscoversoneofthesehedoesnotgiveitaname,butonlyanumber.hemightcallit,forexample，"asteroid325."ihaveseriousreasontobelievethattheplanetfromwhichthelittleprincecameistheasteroidknownasb-612.thisasteroidhasonlyoncebeenseenthroughthetelescope.thatwasbyaturkishastronomer,in1909.onmakinghisdiscovery,theastronomerhadpresentedittotheinternationalastronomicalcongress,inagreatdemonstration.buthewasinturkishcostume,andsonobodywouldbelievewhathesaid.grown-upsarelikethat……fortunately,however,forthereputationofasteroidb-612，aturkishdictatormadealawthathissubjects,underpainofdeath,shouldchangetoeuropeancostume.soin1920theastronomergavehisdemonstrationalloveragain,dressedwithimpressivestyleandelegance.andthistimeeverybodyacceptedhisreport.ifihavetoldyouthesedetailsabouttheasteroid,andmadeanoteofitsnumberforyou,itisonaccountofthegrown-upsandtheirways.whenyoutellthemthatyouhavemadeanewfriend,theyneveraskyouanyquestionsaboutessentialmatters.theyneversaytoyou，"whatdoeshisvoicesoundlike?whatgamesdoeshelovebest?doeshecollectbutterfies?"instead,theydemand："howoldishe?howmanybrothershashe?howmuchdoesheweigh?howmuchmoneydoeshisfathermake?"onlyfromthesefguresdotheythinktheyhavelearnedanythingabouthim.ifyouweretosaytothegrown-ups："isawabeautifulhousemadeofrosybrick,withgeraniumsinthewindowsanddovesontheroof，"theywouldnotbeabletogetanyideaofthathouseatall.youwouldhavetosaytothem："isawahousethatcost$20，000."thentheywouldexclaim："oh,whataprettyhousethatis！"justso,youmightsaytothem："theproofthatthelittleprinceexistedisthathewascharming,thathelaughed,andthathewaslookingforasheep.ifanybodywantsasheep,thatisaproofthatheexists."andwhatgoodwoulditdototellthemthat?theywouldshrugtheirshoulders,andtreatyoulikeachild.butifyousaidtothem："theplanethecamefromisasteroidb-612，"thentheywouldbeconvinced,andleaveyouinpeacefromtheirquestions.theyarelikethat.onemustnotholditagainstthem.childrenshouldalwaysgreatforbearancetowardgrown-uppeople.butcertainly,foruswhounderstandlife,fguresareamatterofindifference.ishouldhavelikedtobeginthisstoryinthefashionofthefairy-tales.ishouldhaveliketosay："onceuponatimetherewasalittleprincewholivedonaplanetthatwasscarcelyanybiggerthanhimself,andwhohadneedofasheep……"tothosewhounderstandlife,thatwouldhavegivenamuchgreaterairoftruthtomystory.foridonotwantanyonetoreadmybookcarelessly.ihavesufferedtoomuchgriefinsettingdownthesememories.sixyearshavealreadypassedsincemyfriendwentawayfromme,withhissheep.ifitrytodescribehimhere,itistomakesurethatishallnotforgethim.toforgetafriendissad.noteveryonehashadafriend.andififorgethim,imaybecomelikethegrown-upswhoarenolongerinterestedinanythingbutfgures……itisforthatpurpose,again,thatihaveboughtaboxofpaintsandsomepencils.itishardtotakeupdrawingagainatmyage,whenihavenevermadeanypicture*ceptthoseoftheboaconstrictorfromtheoutsideandtheboaconstrictorfromtheinside,sinceiwassix.ishallcertainlytrytomakemyportraitsastruetolifeaspossible.butiamnotatallsureofsuccess.onedrawinggoesalongallright,andanotherhasnoresemblancetoitssubject.imakesomeerrors,too,inthelittleprince'sheight：inoneplaceheistootallandinanothertooshort.andifeelsomedoubtsaboutthecolorofhiscostume.soifumblealongasbestican,nowgood,nowbad,andihopegenerallyfair-to-middling.incertainmoreimportantdetailsishallmakemistakes,also.butthatissomethingthatwillnotbemyfault.myfriendneverexplainedanythingtome.hethought,perhaps,thatiwaslikehimself.buti,alas,donotknowhowtoseesheepthroughthewallsofboxes.perhapsiamalittlelikethegrown-ups.ihavehadtogrowold.chaptervaseachdaypassediwouldlearn,inourtalk,somethingaboutthelittleprince'splanet,hisdeparturefromit,hisjourney.theinformationwouldcomeveryslowly,asitmightchancetofallfromhisthoughts.itwasinthiswaythatiheard,onthethirdday,aboutthecatastropheofthebaobabs.thistime,oncemore,ihadthesheeptothankforit.forthelittleprinceaskedmeabruptly—asifseizedbyagravedoubt—"itistrue,isn‘tit,thatsheepeatlittlebushes?""yes,thatistrue.""ah！iamglad！"ididnotunderstandwhyitwassoimportantthatsheepshouldeatlittlebushes.butthelittleprinceadded："thenitfollowsthattheyalsoeatbaobabs?"ipointedouttothelittleprincethatbaobabswerenotlittlebushes,but,onthecontrary,treesasbigascastles；andthatevenifhetookawholeherdofelephantsawaywithhim,theherdwouldnoteatuponesinglebaobab.theideaoftheherdofelephant*adethelittleprincelaugh."wewouldhavetoputthemoneontopoftheother，"hesaid.buthemadeawisecomment："beforetheygrowsobig,thebaobabsstartoutbybeinglittle.""thatisstrictlycorrect，"isaid."butwhydoyouwantthesheeptoeatthelittlebaobabs?"heansweredmeatonce，"oh,come,come！"，asifhewerespeakingofsomethingthatwasself-evident.andiwasobligedtomakeagreatmentalefforttosolvethisproblem,withoutanyassistance.indeed,asilearned,therewereontheplanetwherethelittleprincelived—asonallplanets—goodplantsandbadplants.inconsequence,thereweregoodseedsfromgoodplants,andbadseedsfrombadplants.butseedsareinvisible.theysleepdeepintheheartoftheearth'sdarkness,untilsomeoneamongthemisseizedwiththedesiretoawaken.thenthislittleseedwillstretchitselfandbegin—timidlyatfrst—topushacharminglittlespriginoffensivelyupwardtowardthesun.ifitisonlyasproutofradishorthesprigofarose-bush,onewouldletitgrowwhereveritmightwish.butwhenitisabadplant,onemustdestroyitassoonaspossible,theveryfrstinstantthatonerecognizesit.nowthereweresometerribleseedsontheplanetthatwasthehomeofthelittleprince；andtheseweretheseedsofthebaobab.thesoilofthatplanetwasinfestedwiththem.abaobabissomethingyouwillnever,neverbeabletogetridofifyouattendtoittoolate.itspreadsovertheentireplanet.itboresclearth