Chapter IV

I had learned a second very important thing: that its original planet was scarcely larger than a house!

It could not surprise me much. I knew that besides the big planets like the Earth, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, which have been given names, there are hundreds of others that are sometimes so small that it is very hard for them To see the telescope. When an astronomer discovers one of them, he names it as a number. He calls it, for example, "the asteroid 325".

I have serious reasons to believe that the planet from which the little prince came is the asteroid B 612. This asteroid was seen only once in 1909 by a Turkish astronomer in the telescope.

He had then made a great demonstration of his discovery at an International Astronomy Congress. But nobody believed him because of his costume. Big people are like that.

Fortunately for the reputation of the asteroid B 612, a Turkish dictator imposed on his people, under penalty of death, to dress European. The astronomer resumed his demonstration in 1920, in a very elegant dress. And this time everyone was of his opinion.

If I have told you these details about the asteroid B 612 and if I have given you its number, it is because of the big people. Big people like the numbers. When you tell them about a new friend, they never question you about the basics. They never tell you, "What is the sound of his voice?" What games does he prefer? Does he collect butterflies? They ask, "How old is he?" How many brothers? How much does he weigh ? How much does his father earn? Then they only think they know him. If you say to the grown-ups: "I saw a beautiful pink brick house, with geraniums on the windows and doves on the roof ..." they can not imagine this house. We must say to them: "I have seen a house of one hundred thousand francs. Then they cried: "How pretty it is! "

So if you say to them: "The proof that the little prince existed is that he was delightful, that he laughed, and that he wanted a sheep. When you want a sheep, it is proof that you exist, "they will shrug their shoulders and treat you as a child! But if you tell them, "The planet where it came from is asteroid B 612" then they will be convinced, and they will leave you alone with their questions. They're like that. We must not blame them. Children should be very lenient towards adults.

But, of course, we who understand life, we make fun of the numbers! I would have liked to start this story like fairy tales. I would have liked to say:

"Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a planet hardly larger than himself, and who needed a friend ..." For those who understand life, it would have seemed much more true.

Because I do not like to read my book lightly. I feel so sorry to recount these memories. It's six years since my friend went away with his sheep. If I try to describe it here, it is so as not to forget it. It's sad to forget a friend. Not everyone has had a friend. And I can become like the grown-ups who are interested only in numbers. So that's why I bought a box of colors and pencils. It's hard to go back to drawing, at my age, when no other attempt has ever been made than that of a closed boa and that of an open boa at the age of six! I will try, of course, to make portraits as resembling as possible. But I'm not quite sure I'm going to succeed. One drawing goes, and the other does not look any more. I make some errors, also on the size. Here the little prince is too big. There he is too small. I also hesitate about the color of his costume. Then I fumbled like this and that, as best I could. At last I shall be mistaken about certain more important details. But that will have to be forgiven. My friend never gave an explanation. He thought I might be like him. But I, unfortunately, I do not know how to see the sheep through the crates. I may be a bit like grown-ups. I must have got older.