I found the well

at daybreak

it's strange, everything is ready

the pouly, the bucket, the rope

we drank with our eyes closed

it was as sweet as a feast

that water was more than really a drink

it was born of our walk beneath the starts, of the song of the poulie,

of the effort of my arms

is it the hard good? Like a present.

I could breathe easy now

Why did I also feel so sad?

-You must keep your promise!

-What promise?

-You know, a muzzle for my sheep.

-I'm responsible for this flower.

I drew a muzzle, and with a heavy heart I handed it to him

-You know my fall to Earth, tomorrow will be the first anniversary.

-I landed very near here.

-Then it wasn't by accident that I met you 8 days ago? You were returning to the place where you fell.

-You must get to work now, you must get back to your engine.

-I'll wait here, come back tomorrow night

But I wasn't reassured. I remembered the fox.

"You risk tears if you let yourself be tamed"

When I came back from my work the next evening I caught sight of my Little Prince from the distance.

He was sitting on top of an old stone wall,

legs dangling, and I heard him talking

-You sure won't make me suffer long?

I stopped short, my heart pounding but I still didn't understand

-Now go away, I want to get down from here

Then I looked down toward the foot of the wall

and gave a great start.

There, coiled in fron of the Little Prince, was one of those yellow snakes

that can kill you in 30 seconds.

At the noise I made the snake flowed over the sand like a trickling fountain.

I riched the wall just in time to catch my Little Prince in my arms

His face white as snow, he put his arms around my neck.

I felt his heart beating like a dying bird's

which has been shot.

-Little fellow you were frightened.

-I'll be much more fightened tonight.

-I'm glad you found what was the matter with your engine,

now you'll be able to fly again.

-How did you know?

-I'm leaving today too. It's much further and it's much more difficult.

Once again I felt chilled by the sense of something irreparable.

-I have your sheep and I have a crade for it, and a muzzle.

-Little fellow, it's a bad dream, isn't it? All this conversation with this snake

and the meeting place and the star

-Everyone eventually is consoled.

-At night you will look up at the stars.

It's too small where I live

to show you where my star is

it's better that way

my star will be one of the stars for you.

and when you are consoled you'll be glad you know me

You'll always be my friend

you'll feel like laughing with me

so you'll like looking at all of them

-Tonight don't come

- I won't leave you

That night I didn't see him leave.

He got away without making a sound.

When I managed to catch up with him, he was walking fast

with determination.

- Ah, you're here

You were wrong to come

You'll suffer. I'll look as if I'm dead and that won't be true.

I said nothing.

You understand? It's too far, I can't take this body with me, it's too heavy

I said nothing

but it will be like an old man in shell.

there's nothing about an old shell.

I said nothing

I'll be looking at the stars too.

All the stars will be wells with a rusty poulie.

All the stars will pour out water for me to drink,

I said nothing.

And he too said nothing

because he was weeping

Here's the place. Let me go on alone.

You know my flower? I am responsible for her.

she has four ridiculous thorns to defend her against the world.

he hesitated a little longer, then he stood up

he took a step, I couldn't move.

there was nothing but a yellow flash close to his ankle

he didn't cry out, he fell, gently, the way a tree falls

there wasn't even a sound because of the sand...

It's been six years already

I've never told the story before.

But I know he did get back to his planet because at daybreak I didn't find his body.

At night I love listening to the stars

It's like five hundred million little bells

but something extraordinary has happened

when I drew that muzzle for the Little Prince I forgot to put in the leather strap

and then I wonder what's happened there on his planet?

Maybe...maybe the sheep has eaten the flower.

Look up at the sky, you will see how everything changes

and no grown-up will ever understand how such a thing could be so important...

If you should travel to Africa some day in the desert

I beg you not to hurry past, wait, wait a litle just under the star,

then if a child comes to you, if he laughs, if he has golden hair

if he doesn't answer your questions

you'll know who he is

if this should happen, be kind, don't let me go on being so sad

send me a word immidiately that he's come back.