Chapter 4
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 t ime 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. T hey 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 th at? 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 i nside, 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 littl
e 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 t he walls of boxes. Perhaps I am
a little like the grown-ups. I have had to grow old.
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