English
thelittleprinceleaveshisplanet
Ibelievethatforhisescapehetookadvantageofthemigrationofaflockofwildbirds.Onthemorningofhisdepartureheputhisplanetinperfectorder.Hecarefullycleanedouthisactivevolcanoes.Hepossessedtwoactivevolcanoes;andtheywereveryconvenientforheatinghisbreakfastinthemorning.Healsohadonevolcanothatwasextinct.But,ashesaid,"Oneneverknows!"Sohecleanedouttheextinctvolcano,too.Iftheyarewellcleanedout,volcanoesburnslowlyandsteadily,withoutanyeruptions.Volcaniceruptionsarelikefiresinachimney.
Onourearthweareobviouslymuchtoosmalltocleanoutourvolcanoes.Thatiswhytheybringnoendoftroubleuponus.
Thelittleprincealsopulledup,withacertainsenseofdejection,thelastlittleshootsofthebaobabs.Hebelievedthathewouldneverwanttoreturn.Butonthislastmorningallthesefamiliartasksseemedveryprecioustohim.Andwhenhewateredtheflowerforthelasttime,andpreparedtoplaceherundertheshelterofherglassglobe,herealisedthathewasveryclosetotears.
"Goodbye,"hesaidtotheflower.
Butshemadenoanswer.
"Goodbye,"hesaidagain.
Theflowercoughed.Butitwasnotbecauseshehadacold.
"Ihavebeensilly,"shesaidtohim,atlast."Iaskyourforgiveness.Trytobehappy..."
Hewassurprisedbythisabsenceofreproaches.Hestoodthereallbewildered,theglassglobeheldarrestedinmid-air.Hedidnotunderstandthisquietsweetness.
"OfcourseIloveyou,"theflowersaidtohim."Itismyfaultthatyouhavenotknownitallthewhile.Thatisofnoimportance.Butyou--youhavebeenjustasfoolishasI.Trytobehappy...lettheglassglobebe.Idon'twantitanymore."
"Butthewind--"
"Mycoldisnotsobadasallthat...thecoolnightairwilldomegood.Iamaflower."
"Buttheanimals--"
"Well,ImustendurethepresenceoftwoorthreecaterpillarsifIwishtobecomeacquaintedwiththebutterflies.Itseemsthattheyareverybeautiful.Andifnotthebutterflies--andthecaterpillars--whowillcalluponme?Youwillbefaraway...asforthelargeanimals--Iamnotatallafraidofanyofthem.Ihavemyclaws."
And,naively,sheshowedherfourthorns.Thensheadded:
"Don'tlingerlikethis.Youhavedecidedtogoaway.Nowgo!"
Forshedidnotwanthimtoseehercrying.Shewassuchaproudflower...
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