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He answered me at once； 〃Oh； e； e！〃； as if he were speaking of something that was selfevident。 And I was obliged to make a great mental effort to solve this problem； without any assistance。
Indeed； as I learned； there were on the pla where the little prince lived as on all plas good plants and bad plants。 In consequence； there were good seeds from good plants； and bad seeds from bad plants。 But seeds are invisible。 They sleep deep in the heart of the earth‘s darkness； until some one among them is seized with the desire to awaken。 Then this little seed will stretch itself and begin timidly at first to push a charming little sprig inoffensively upward toward the sun。 If it is only a sprout of radish or the sprig of a rosebush； one would let it grow wherever it might wish。 But when it is a bad plant； one must destroy it as soon as possible； the very first instant that one recognizes it。
Now there were some terrible seeds on the pla that was the home of the little prince； and these were the seeds of the baobab。 The soil of that pla was infested with them。 A baobab is something you will never； never be able to get rid of if you attend to it too late。 It spreads over the entire pla。 It bores clear through it with its roots。 And if the pla is too small； and the baobabs are too many； they split it in pieces。。。
〃It is a question of discipline；〃 the little prince said to me later on。 〃When you‘ve finished your own toilet in the morning； then it is time to attend to the toilet of your pla； just so； with the greatest care。 You must see to it that you pull up regularly all the baobabs； at the very first moment when they can be distinguished from the rosebushes which they resemble so closely in their earliest youth。 It is very tedious work；〃 the little prince added； 〃but very easy。〃
And one day he said to me： 〃You ought to make a beautiful drawing； so that the children where you live can see exactly how all this is。 That would be very useful to them if they were to travel some day。 Sometimes；〃 he added； 〃there is no harm in putting off a piece of work until another day。 But when it is a matter of baobabs； that always means a catastrophe。 I knew a pla that was inhabited by a lazy man。 He neglected three little bushes。。。〃
So； as the little prince described it to me； I have made a drawing of that pla。 I do not much like to take the tone of a moralist。 But the danger of the baobabs is so little understood； and such considerable risks would be run by anyone who might get lost on an asteroid； that for once I am breaking through my reserve。 〃Children；〃 I say plainly； 〃watch out for the baobabs！〃
My friends； like myself； have been skirting this danger for a long time； without ever knowing it； and so it is for them that I have worked so hard over this drawing。 The lesson which I pass on by this means is worth all the trouble it has cost me。
Perhaps you will ask me； 〃Why are there no other drawing in this book as magnificent and impressive as this drawing of the baobabs？〃
The reply is simple。 I have tried。 But with the others I have not been successful。 When I made the drawing of the baobabs I was carried beyond myself by the inspiring force of urgent necessity。
＇ Chapter 6 ＇
the little prince and the narrator talk about sunsets
Oh； little prince！ Bit by bit I came to understand the secrets of your sad little life。。。 For a long time you had found your only entertainment in the quiet pleasure of looking at the sunset。 I learned that new detail on the morning of the fourth day； when you said to me： 〃I am very fond of sunsets。 e； let us go look at a sunset now。〃
〃But we must wait；〃 I said。
〃Wait？ For what？〃
〃For the sunset。 We must wait until it is time。〃
At first you seemed to be very much surprised。 And then you laughed to yourself。 You said to me：
〃I am always thinking that I am at home！〃
Just so。 Everybody knows that when it is noon in the United States the sun is setting over France。
If you could fly to France in one minute； you could go straight into the sunset； right from noon。 Unfortunately； France is too far away for that。 But on your tiny pla； my little prince； all you need do is move your chair a few steps。 You can see the day end and the twilight falling whenever you like。。。
〃One day；〃 you said to me； 〃I saw the sunset fortyfour times！〃
And a little later you added：
〃You know one loves the sunset； when one is so sad。。。〃
〃Were you so sad； then？〃 I asked； 〃on the day of the fortyfour sunsets？〃
But the little prince made no reply。
＇ Chapter 7 ＇
the narrator learns about the secret of the little prince‘s life
On the fifth day again； as always； it was thanks to the sheep the secret of the little prince‘s life was revealed to me。 Abruptly； without anything to lead up to it； and as if the question had been born of long and silent meditation on his problem； he demanded：
〃A sheep if it eats little bushes； does it eat flowers； too？〃
〃A sheep；〃 I answered； 〃eats anything it finds in its reach。〃
〃Even flowers that have thorns？〃
〃Yes； even flowers that have thorns。〃
〃Then the thorns what use are they？〃
I did not know。 At that moment I was very busy trying to unscrew a bolt that had got stuck in my engine。 I was very much worried； for it was being clear to me that the breakdown of my plane was extremely serious。 And I had so little drinkingwater left that I had to fear for the worst。
〃The thorns what use are they？〃
The little prince never let go of a question； once he had asked it。 As for me； I was upset over that bolt。 And I answered with the first thing that came into my head：
〃The thorns are of no use at all。 Flowers have thorns just for spite！〃
〃Oh！〃
There was a moment of plete silence。 Then the little prince flashed back at me； with a kind of resentfulness：
〃I don‘t believe you！ Flowers are weak creatures。 They are name。 They reassure themselves as best they can。 They believe that their thorns are terrible weapons。。。〃
I did not answer。 At that instant I was saying to myself： 〃If this bolt still won‘t turn； I am going to knock it out with the hammer。〃 Again the little prince disturbed my thoughts。
〃And you actually believe that the flowers〃
〃Oh； no！〃 I cried。 〃No； no no！ I don‘t believe anything。 I answered you with the first thing that came into my head。 Don‘t you see I am very busy with matters of consequence！〃
He stared at me； thunderstruck。
〃Matters of consequence！〃
He looked at me there； with my hammer in my hand； my fingers black with enginegrease； bending down over an object which seemed to him extremely ugly。。。
〃You talk just like the grownups！〃
That made me a little ashamed。 But he went on； relentlessly：
〃You mix everything up together。。。 You confuse everything。。。〃
He was really very angry。 He tossed his golden curls in the breeze。
〃I know a pla where there is a certain redfaced gentleman。 He has never smelled a flower。 He has never looked at a star。 He has never loved any one。 He has never done anything in his life but add up figures。 And all day he says over and over； just like you： ‘I am busy akes him swell up with pride。 But he is not a man he is a mushroom！〃
〃A what？〃
〃A mushroom！〃
The little prince was now white with rage。
〃The flowers have been growing thorns for millions of years。 For millions of years the sheep have been eating them just the same。 And is it not a matter of consequence to try to understand why the flowers go to so much trouble to grow thorns which are never of any use to them？ Is the warfare between the sheep and the flowers not important？ Is this not of more consequence than a fat redfaced gentleman‘s sums？ And if I know I； myself one flower which is unique in the world； which grows nowhere but on my pla； but which one little sheep can destroy in a single bite some morning； without even noticing what he is doing Oh！ You think that is not important！〃
His face turned from white to red as he continued：
〃If some one loves a flower； of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars； it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars。 He can say to himself； ‘Somewhere； my flower is there。。。‘ But if the sheep eats the flower；