English
thelittleprincevisitsthelamplighter
Thefifthplanetwasverystrange.Itwasthesmallestofall.Therewasjustenoughroomonitforastreetlampandalamplighter.Thelittleprincewasnotabletoreachanyexplanationoftheuseofastreetlampandalamplighter,somewhereintheheavens,onaplanetwhichhadnopeople,andnotonehouse.Buthesaidtohimself,nevertheless:
"Itmaywellbethatthismanisabsurd.Butheisnotsoabsurdastheking,theconceitedman,thebusinessman,andthetippler.Foratleasthisworkhassomemeaning.Whenhelightshisstreetlamp,itisasifhebroughtonemorestartolife,oroneflower.Whenheputsouthislamp,hesendstheflower,orthestar,tosleep.Thatisabeautifuloccupation.Andsinceitisbeautiful,itistrulyuseful."
Whenhearrivedontheplanetherespectfullysalutedthelamplighter.
"Goodmorning.Whyhaveyoujustputoutyourlamp?"
"Thosearetheorders,"repliedthelamplighter."Goodmorning."
"Whataretheorders?"
"TheordersarethatIputoutmylamp.Goodevening."
Andhelightedhislampagain.
"Butwhyhaveyoujustlighteditagain?"
"Thosearetheorders,"repliedthelamplighter.
"Idonotunderstand,"saidthelittleprince.
"Thereisnothingtounderstand,"saidthelamplighter."Ordersareorders.Goodmorning."
Andheputouthislamp.
Thenhemoppedhisforeheadwithahandkerchiefdecoratedwithredsquares.
"Ifollowaterribleprofession.Intheolddaysitwasreasonable.Iputthelampoutinthemorning,andintheeveningIlighteditagain.Ihadtherestofthedayforrelaxationandtherestofthenightforsleep."
"Andtheordershavebeenchangedsincethattime?"
"Theordershavenotbeenchanged,"saidthelamplighter."Thatisthetragedy!Fromyeartoyeartheplanethasturnedmorerapidlyandtheordershavenotbeenchanged!"
"Thenwhat?"askedthelittleprince.
"Then--theplanetnowmakesacompleteturneveryminute,andInolongerhaveasinglesecondforrepose.OnceeveryminuteIhavetolightmylampandputitout!"
"Thatisveryfunny!Adaylastsonlyoneminute,herewhereyoulive!"
"Itisnotfunnyatall!"saidthelamplighter."Whilewehavebeentalkingtogetheramonthhasgoneby."
"Amonth?"
"Yes,amonth.Thirtyminutes.Thirtydays.Goodevening."
Andhelightedhislampagain.
Asthelittleprincewatchedhim,hefeltthathelovedthislamplighterwhowassofaithfultohisorders.Herememberedthesunsetswhichhehimselfhadgonetoseek,inotherdays,merelybypullinguphischair;andhewantedtohelphisfriend.
"Youknow,"hesaid,"Icantellyouawayyoucanrestwheneveryouwantto..."
"Ialwayswanttorest,"saidthelamplighter.
Foritispossibleforamantobefaithfulandlazyatthesametime.
Thelittleprincewentonwithhisexplanation:
"Yourplanetissosmallthatthreestrideswilltakeyouallthewayaroundit.Tobealwaysinthesunshine,youneedonlywalkalongratherslowly.Whenyouwanttorest,youwillwalk--andthedaywilllastaslongasyoulike."
"Thatdoesn'tdomemuchgood,"saidthelamplighter."TheonethingIloveinlifeistosleep."
"Thenyou'reunlucky,"saidthelittleprince.
"Iamunlucky,"saidthelamplighter."Goodmorning."
Andheputouthislamp.
"Thatman,"saidthelittleprincetohimself,ashecontinuedfartheronhisjourney,"thatmanwouldbescornedbyalltheothers:bytheking,bytheconceitedman,bythetippler,bythebusinessman.Neverthelessheistheonlyoneofthemallwhodoesnotseemtomeridiculous.Perhapsthatisbecauseheisthinkingofsomethingelsebesideshimself."
Hebreathedasighofregret,andsaidtohimself,again:
"ThatmanistheonlyoneofthemallwhomIcouldhavemademyfriend.Buthisplanetisindeedtoosmall.Thereisnoroomonitfortwopeople..."
Whatthelittleprincedidnotdareconfesswasthathewassorrymostofalltoleavethisplanet,becauseitwasblesteverydaywith1440sunsets!
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