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fresh water in the desert。
〃Little man；〃 I said； 〃I want to hear you laugh again。〃
But he said to me：
〃Tonight； it will be a year。。。 my star； then； can be found right above the place where I came to the Earth； a year ago。。。〃
〃Little man；〃 I said； 〃tell me that it is only a bad dream this affair of the snake； and the meetingplace； and the star。。。〃
But he did not answer my plea。 He said to me； instead： 〃The thing that is important is the thing that is not seen。。。〃
〃Yes； I know。。。〃
〃It is just as it is with the flower。 If you love a flower that lives on a star； it is sweet to look at the sky at night。 All the stars are abloom with flowers。。。〃
〃Yes； I know。。。〃
〃It is just as it is with the water。 Because of the pulley； and the rope； what you gave me to drink was like music。 You remember how good it was。〃
〃Yes； I know。。。〃
〃And at night you will look up at the stars。 Where I live everything is so small that I cannot show you where my star is to be found。 It is better； like that。 My star will just be one of the stars； for you。 And so you will love to watch all the stars in the heavens。。。 they will all be your friends。 And； besides； I am going to make you a present。。。〃
He laughed again。
〃Ah； little prince； dear little prince！ I love to hear that laughter！〃
〃That is my present。 Just that。 It will be as it was when we drank the water。。。〃
〃What are you trying to say？〃
〃All men have the stars；〃 he answered； 〃but they are not the same things for different people。 For some； who are travelers； the stars are guides。 For others they are no more than little lights in the sky。 For others； who are scholars； they are problems 。 For my businessman they were wealth。 But all these stars are silent。 You you alone will have the stars as no one else has them〃
〃What are you trying to say？〃
〃In one of the stars I shall be living。 In one of them I shall be laughing。 And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing； when you look at the sky at night。。。 you only you will have stars that can laugh！〃
And he laughed again。
〃And when your sorrow is forted （time soothes all sorrows） you will be content that you have known me。 You will always be my friend。 You will want to laugh with me。 And you will sometimes open your window； so； for that pleasure。。。 and your friends w ill be properly astonished to see you laughing as you look up at the sky！ Then you will say to them； ‘Yes； the stars always make me laugh！‘ And they will think you are crazy。 It will be a very shabby trick that I shall have played on you。。。〃
And he laughed again。
〃It will be as if； in place of the stars； I had given you a great number of little bells that knew how to laugh。。。〃
And he laughed again。 Then he quickly became serious：
〃Tonight you know。。。 do not e；〃 said the little prince。
〃I shall not leave you；〃 I said。
〃I shall look as if I were suffering。 I shall look a little as if I were dying。 It is like that。 Do not e to see that。 It is not worth the trouble。。。〃
〃I shall not leave you。〃
But he was worried。
〃I tell you it is also because of the snake。 He must not bite you。 Snakes they are malicious creatures。 This one might bite you just for fun。。。〃
〃I shall not leave you。〃
But a thought came to reassure him：
〃It is true that they have no more poison for a second bite。〃
That night I did not see him set out on his way。 He got away from me without making a sound。 When I succeeded in catching up with him he was walking along with a quick and resolute step。 He said to me merely：
〃Ah！ You are there。。。〃
And he took me by the hand。 But he was still worrying。
〃It was wrong of you to e。 You will suffer。 I shall look as if I were dead； and that will not be true。。。〃
I said nothing。
〃You understand。。。 it is too far。 I cannot carry this body with me。 It is too heavy。〃
I said nothing。
〃But it will be like an old abandoned shell。 There is nothing sad about old shells。。。〃
I said nothing。
He was a little discouraged。 But he made one more effort：
〃You know； it will be very nice。 I； too； shall look at the stars。 All the stars will be wells with a rusty pulley。 All the stars will pour out fresh water for me to drink。。。〃
I said nothing。
〃That will be so amusing！ You will have five hundred million little bells； and I shall have five hundred million springs of fresh water。。。〃
And he too said nothing more； becuase he was crying。。。
〃Here it is。 Let me go on by myself。〃
And he sat down； because he was afraid。 Then he said； again：
〃You know my flower。。。 I am responsible for her。 And she is so weak！ She is so naive！ She has four thorns； of no use at all； to protect herself against all the world。。。〃
I too sat down； because I was not able to stand up any longer。
〃There now that is all。。。〃
He still hesitated a little； then he got up。 He took one step。 I could not move。
There was nothing but a flash of yellow close to his ankle。 He remained motionless for an instant。 He did not cry out。 He fell as gently as a tree falls。 There was not even any sound； because of the sand。
＇ Chapter 27 ＇
the narrator‘s afterthoughts
It was then that the fox appeared。
And now six years have already gone by。。。
I have never yet told this story。 The panions who met me on my return were well content to see me alive。 I was sad； but I told them： 〃I am tired。〃
Now my sorrow is forted a little。 That is to say not entirely。 But I know that he did go back to his pla； because I did not find his body at daybreak。 It was not such a heavy body。。。 and at night I love to listen to the stars。 It is like five hundred million little bells。。。
But there is one extraordinary thing。。。 when I drew the muzzle for the little prince； I fot to add the leather strap to it。 He will never have been able to fasten it on his sheep。 So now I keep wondering： what is happening on his pla？ Perhaps the sheep has eaten the flower。。。
At one time I say to myself： 〃Surely not！ The little prince shuts his flower under her glass globe every night； and he watches over his sheep very carefully。。。〃 Then I am happy。 And there is sweetness in the laughter of all the stars。
But at another time I say to myself： 〃At some moment or other one is absentminded； and that is enough！ On some one evening he fot the glass globe； or the sheep got out； without making any noise； in the night。。。〃 And then the little bells are changed to tears。。。
Here； then； is a great mystery。 For you who also love the little prince； and for me； nothing in the universe can be the same if somewhere； we do not know where； a sheep that we never saw has yes or no？ eaten a rose。。。
Look up at the sky。 Ask yourselves： is it yes or no？ Has the sheep eaten the flower？ And you will see how everything changes。。。
And no grownup will ever understand that this is a matter of so much importance！
This is； to me； the loveliest and saddest landscape in the world。 It is the same as that on the preceding page； but I have drawn it again to impress it on your memory。 It is here that the little prince appeared on Earth； and disappeared。
Look at it carefully so that you will be sure to recognise it in case you travel some day to the African desert。 And； if you should e