English
thelittleprincemakestheacquaintanceofthesnake
Whenonewishestoplaythewit,hesometimeswandersalittlefromthetruth.IhavenotbeenaltogetherhonestinwhatIhavetoldyouaboutthelamplighters.AndIrealizethatIruntheriskofgivingafalseideaofourplanettothosewhodonotknowit.MenoccupyaverysmallplaceupontheEarth.Ifthetwobillioninhabitantswhopeopleitssurfacewerealltostanduprightandsomewhatcrowdedtogether,astheydoforsomebigpublicassembly,theycouldeasilybeputintoonepublicsquaretwentymileslongandtwentymileswide.AllhumanitycouldbepileduponasmallPacificislet.
Thegrown-ups,tobesure,willnotbelieveyouwhenyoutellthemthat.Theyimaginethattheyfillagreatdealofspace.Theyfancythemselvesasimportantasthebaobabs.Youshouldadvisethem,then,tomaketheirowncalculations.Theyadorefigures,andthatwillpleasethem.Butdonotwasteyourtimeonthisextratask.Itisunnecessary.Youhave,Iknow,confidenceinme.
WhenthelittleprincearrivedontheEarth,hewasverymuchsurprisednottoseeanypeople.Hewasbeginningtobeafraidhehadcometothewrongplanet,whenacoilofgold,thecolorofthemoonlight,flashedacrossthesand.
"Goodevening,"saidthelittleprincecourteously.
"Goodevening,"saidthesnake.
"WhatplanetisthisonwhichIhavecomedown?"askedthelittleprince.
"ThisistheEarth;thisisAfrica,"thesnakeanswered.
"Ah!ThentherearenopeopleontheEarth?"
"Thisisthedesert.Therearenopeopleinthedesert.TheEarthislarge,"saidthesnake.
Thelittleprincesatdownonastone,andraisedhiseyestowardthesky.
"Iwonder,"hesaid,"whetherthestarsaresetalightinheavensothatonedayeachoneofusmayfindhisownagain...Lookatmyplanet.Itisrightthereaboveus.Buthowfarawayitis!"
"Itisbeautiful,"thesnakesaid."Whathasbroughtyouhere?"
"Ihavebeenhavingsometroublewithaflower,"saidthelittleprince.
"Ah!"saidthesnake.
Andtheywerebothsilent.
"Wherearethemen?"thelittleprinceatlasttookuptheconversationagain."Itisalittlelonelyinthedesert..."
"Itisalsolonelyamongmen,"thesnakesaid.
Thelittleprincegazedathimforalongtime.
"Youareafunnyanimal,"hesaidatlast."Youarenothickerthanafinger..."
"ButIammorepowerfulthanthefingerofaking,"saidthesnake.
Thelittleprincesmiled.
"Youarenotverypowerful.Youhaven'tevenanyfeet.Youcannoteventravel..."
"Icancarryyoufartherthananyshipcouldtakeyou,"saidthesnake.
Hetwinedhimselfaroundthelittleprince'sankle,likeagoldenbracelet.
"WhomeverItouch,Isendbacktotheearthfromwhencehecame,"thesnakespokeagain."Butyouareinnocentandtrue,andyoucomefromastar..."
Thelittleprincemadenoreply.
"Youmovemetopity--youaresoweakonthisEarthmadeofgranite,"thesnakesaid."Icanhelpyou,someday,ifyougrowtoohomesickforyourownplanet.Ican--"
"Oh!Iunderstandyouverywell,"saidthelittleprince."Butwhydoyoualwaysspeakinriddles?"
"Isolvethemall,"saidthesnake.
Andtheywerebothsilent.
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