Chapter 3

It took me a long time to discover where he came from. The little prince, who asked me so many questions, seemed never to hear the ones I asked him. It was from chance words, dropped here and there, that all was revealed to me. For instance, when he noticed my aeroplane for the first time (I am not going to draw my aeroplane; it would be far too complicated for me), he said:

'What is that thing over there?'

'That is not a thing. It flies. It's an aeroplane. It's my aeroplane.'

And I was proud to have him know that I could fly. At which he cried out:

'What! So you fell from the sky?'

'Yes,' I answered demurely.

'Well! How very funny...'

And the little prince broke into a charming peal of laugh¬ter, which I found greatly irritating. For I like my misfor¬tunes to be taken seriously. Then he added:

'You too, then, come from the sky! Which planet are you from?'

Suddenly I had a glimmer of understanding into the mystery of his presence here, and I quizzed him sharply:

'So you come from another planet?'

But he made no reply. He merely shook his head gently, looking all the while at my aeroplane.

'No, you can't have come very far on that thing ...'

And he fell into a long reverie. Then, taking my drawing out of his pocket, he became absorbed in the contemplation of his treasure.

You can imagine how intrigued I was by this half-confi¬dence about 'other planets'. I did my utmost, therefore, to find out more.

'Where are you from, then, little fellow? Where is this “where I live” that you mention? Where do you want to take my sheep?'

After a reflective silence, he answered:

'The best thing about the box you've given me is that at night he can use it as his house.'

'Of course. And if you are good, I will give you a rope to tether him with during the day. And a post to tether him to.'

This proposal seemed to shock the little prince.

'Tether him? What an odd idea!'

'But if you don't tether him, he may go anywhere and end up lost.'

And my friend burst out laughing once more.

'But where do you imagine he would go?'

'Anywhere. Straight ahead of him.'

At which the little prince remarked solemnly:

'That won't matter; where I come from it's so very small!'

Then, with perhaps a hint of sadness, he added:

'Straight ahead does not take anyone very far ...'