Le Petit Prince

par Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

So the other night I decided to go back and reread one of my favorite books of all time, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. In high school I originally read it in French, and to get the full effect of the imagery and humor, that's how it should be read. In the essence of time, however, I decided to read through the English translation and look up my favorite quotes in French.

The main idea of the story revolves around the author's encounter with a young prince who lives by himself on an asteroid, but has gone exploring. Through this encounter as well as flashbacks to the author's youth, the book illustrates the ridiculousness of what adults consider "matters of consequence." Rather the little prince teaches the author the value of a single rose who depends on you, and the responsibility you have for that which you have tamed. Tu deviens responsable pour toujours de ce que tu as apprivoisé.

So, if anyone ever shows you a picture of what appears to be a hat, ignore your eyes and try to see the boa eating an elephant. If you are shown a picture of a box, remember the little sheep inside. Il est très simple : on ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.

 And finally, I close with a warning: Enfants! Faîtes attention aux baobabs!


Note: Illustrations are originals from Le Petit Prince and obtained from the online text.