Little
Prince Table of Contents
I had thus learned a second fact of great importance: this was
that the planet the little prince came from was scarcely any larger
than a house! But that did not really surprise me much. I knew
very well that in addition to the great planets, such as the Earth,
Jupiter, Mars, Venus, to which we have given names, there are
also hundreds of others, some of which are so small that one has
a hard time seeing them through the telescope.
When
an astronomer discovers one of these he does not give it a name,
but only a number. He might call it, for example, "Asteroid 325."
I
have serious reason to believe that the planet from which the
little prince came is the asteroid known as B-612. This asteroid
has only once been seen through the telescope. That was by a Turkish
astronomer, in 1909.
On
making his discovery, the astronomer had presented it to the International
Astronomical Congress, in a great demonstration. But he was in
Turkish costume, and so nobody would believe what he said. Grown-ups
are like that...
Fortunately,
however, for the reputation of Asteroid B-612, a Turkish dictator
made a law that his subjects, under pain of death, should change
to European costume. So in 1920 the astronomer gave his demonstration
all over again, dressed with impressive style and elegance. And
this time everybody accepted his report.
If
I have told you these details about the asteroid, and made a note
of its number for you, it is on account of the grown-ups and their
ways. When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they
never ask you any questions about essential matters. They
never say to you, "What does his voice sound like? What games
does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?" Instead, they
demand: "How old is he? How many brothers has he? How much does
he weigh? How much money does his father make?"
Only
from these figures do they think they have learned anything about
him.
If
you were to say to the grown-ups: "I saw a beautiful house made
of rosy brick, with geraniums in the windows and doves on the
roof," they would not be able to get any idea of that house at
all.
You
would have to say to them: "I saw a house that cost $ 20,000."
Then they would exclaim: "Oh, what a pretty house that is!" Just
so, you might say to them: "The proof that the little prince existed
is that he was charming, that he laughed, and that he was looking
for a sheep. If anybody wants a sheep, that is a proof that he
exists." And what good would it do to tell them that? They would
shrug their shoulders, and treat you like a child. But if you
said to them: "The planet he came from is Asteroid B-612," then
they would be convinced, and leave you in peace from their questions.
They are like that. One must not hold it against them. Children
should always show great forbearance toward grown-up people. But
certainly, for us who understand life, figures are a matter of
indifference.
I
should have liked to begin this story in the fashion of the fairy-tales.
I should have like to say: "Once upon a time there was a little
prince who lived on a planet that was scarcely any bigger than
himself, and who had need of a sheep..."
To
those who understand life, that would have given a much greater
air of truth to my story. For I do not want any one to read my
book carelessly. I have suffered too much grief in setting down
these memories. Six years have already passed since my friend
went away from me, with his sheep. If I try to describe him here,
it is to make sure that I shall not forget him. To forget a friend
is sad. Not every one has had a friend. And if I forget him, I
may become like the grown-ups who are no longer interested in
anything but figures... It is for that purpose, again, that I
have bought a box of paints and some pencils.
It
is hard to take up drawing again at my age, when I have never
made any pictures except those of the boa constrictor from the
outside and the boa constrictor from the inside, since I was six.
I shall certainly try to make my portraits as true to life as
possible. But I am not at all sure of success. One drawing goes
along all right, and another has no resemblance to its subject.
I make some errors, too, in the little prince's height: in one
place he is too tall and in another too short. And I feel some
doubts about the color of his costume. So I fumble along as best
I can, now good, now bad, and I hope generally fair-to-middling.
In certain more important details I shall make mistakes, also.
But that is something that will not be my fault. My friend never
explained anything to me. He thought, perhaps, that I was like
himself. But I, alas, do not know how to see sheep through the
walls of boxes. Perhaps I am a little like the grown-ups. I have
had to grow old.
Go
to Chapter 5
