The Little Prince - стр. 5
“It’s very painstaking work”, the Little Prince added. “But it is very easy.”
Once he said to me.
“You should draw a beautiful picture so children where you live can recognise what my planet really looks like. It would be useful for them if they decide to go on a journey.”
He added.
“Sometimes there is nothing wrong in putting off some of the work for the next day. But when it comes to baobabs it always leads to a catastrophe. I used to know a planet where a lazy man lived. He neglected three small bushes…”
I did a painting of the planet according to the description of the Little Prince. I don’t want to lecture but the danger from baobabs is not fully realized, and it can be very harmful to someone who gets lost on the asteroid, so I have to explain properly.
“Children, be aware of baobabs! My friends like me, have been avoiding this problem for a long time without realising it. So for their sake, I tried hard while drawing this picture.”
The lesson I learned was worth the effort. You may ask me, “Why are there no other such beautiful pictures as of baobabs in this book?” The answer is easy. I tried. But I wasn’t so lucky with others. When I was drawing baobabs I excelled myself due to the inspiration and realisation of its importance.
Chapter VI
Oh, Little Prince. Step by step, I begin to understand the secrets of your sad little life… For a long time, you have only entertained yourself by watching the sunset.
I learned this detail on the morning of the fourth day. You told me.
“I love sunsets a lot. Let’s go and watch the sunset now.
“But we have to wait”, I said.
“Wait for what?”
“For the sunset. We need to wait for the right time.”
At first, you seemed to be surprised. Then you started laughing at yourself. You said to me.
“I keep thinking I am at home!”
That’s right. Everyone knows when it’s midday in the United States of America it’s time for the sunset in France. If you could reach France in a minute you would catch the sunset right from the midday. Unfortunately, France is too far. My Little Prince, all you need to do on your tiny planet is to move a chair further. You can see the end of the day and the twilight whenever you wish…
“Once I watched the sunset forty-four times”, you said to me.
And then you added.
“You know, people like sunsets when they are sad…”
“Were you very sad when you watched the sunset forty-four times?”
But the Little Prince didn’t reply.
Chapter VII
On the fifth day, again thanks to the lamb I discovered a secret from the Little Prince’s life.
Unexpectedly, without any introduction and as if the question appeared as a result of a long and silent meditation, he asked.
“If a lamb eats small bushes he eats flowers as well, doesn’t he?”
“Lambs eat everything they can reach”, I replied.
“Even flowers with thorns?”
“Yes, even flowers with thorns.”
“What’s the point of thorns then?”
I didn’t know.
I was very busy unbolting my engine at that moment. I was very nervous as it had become obvious that the damage to my plane was serious. And I had so little water I expected the worst.
“What’s the point of thorns then?”
I didn’t know.
The Little Prince had never left the question he asked. As for me, I was very upset because of the bolt. I replied the first thing I could think of.