Starting the avalanche of sophisticated children´s books

With a bang so loud that it´s hard to top
The density of philosophical insights, innuendos, and connotations is so immense that one can´t find just one interpretation, but tons of them. It subjectively depends on what one´s ideology is to imagine what the different characters and actions could mean. Because besides the

Obvious criticism of the destruction of childhood imagination and creativity by indoctrination and conformity
One could put on a political, sociological, economic, ethical, psychological, etc hat and start guessing what snake, prince, pilot, child pilot flashback, different humans, the asteroid, etc. mean. Not just Saint Exupery delivered different options when talking about his work, but loads of wise people reading and reviewing it too.

Many other classics can widely be defined with one interpretation
but that´s definitively not the case here. One is left with a universe of possible ways to expand one´s thoughts, which is also the reason why this concept has been copied so many times in books and graphic novels. The seemingly trivial, short, and superficial works are so much more than they seem, they do the same service as very good satire. They

Enlighten kids even more and try to open the ossified minds of the adults
Because one has to face it. After reading, again, one more of these short stories, novellas, and sometimes even full novels, one goes into New Years´Eve good resolutions mode. „I´ll change my mindset, check my cognitive biases, be more objective towards my own beliefs, yada yada yada.“ What´s mostly left after days and weeks is that one is still the same, stubborn, bigoted adult scarred by nature and, by this work, perfectly owned and ridiculed nurture and education.

Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...

Why I chose to read/listen to this book:
1. although I recall seeing this book in my school's library when I was in grade school, I was never really drawn to it. I put it on my WTR list after reading so many favorable reviews; and,
2. it's "Classics Month" for me!

Positives:
This audiobook, narrated by Richard Gere and Haley Joel Osmet, with sound effects and background music, all added to the ambience of this story.

This is truly a subjective read!

I can understand why children would be moved by this story, especially if they watched a film version, as I am sure the visualization would be quite impactful.

As for adults, were you experiencing something powerful in your life that this story could bring on buckets of tears, or did it just leave you feeling confused, trying to figure out the possible symbolism?

As for me, I appreciated the message of seeing things "through the eyes of a child". Maybe someday, it will hit me like a ton of bricks.

This may have been said a thousand times, but I, too, will begin my review by saying that The Little Prince is an allegory. It penetrates deeply into many aspects of grownup human lives. The first and foremost is the grownups' inability to see what is essential in life. Further, they are narrow-minded and are only concerned about the outward picture. "You only truly see with your heart. What is essential is invisible to the eyes". Moreover, they have no imagination and thus, no ability to see the beauty of little things that make life worth living. Also, the lack of imagination makes these grownups less resourceful. It is this absence of essential human qualities in grownups that Antoine de Saint-Exupery explores through his story. Painful and humiliating as they may, Saint-Exupery shows that although the "adults" have foregone being truly human, children in every fiber of being are human in their innocent simplicity, in their imagination, and in their purity of heart which can see the beauty of the world.

The Little Prince is full of humerous events to demonstrate the human failings of adults. The little prince comes from asteroid B-612, and the narrator is keen to be exact in naming the planet because grownups like numbers. Then he provides an anecdote of how the Turkish astronomer who found it wasn't believed because he wore a native suit at the lecture he gave revealing his discovery. But later, when he gave the same lecture wearing an elegant European suit, he was believed. Little Prince visits several planets in his journey. He meets different people on each planet - a king who rules over no one, a businessman who collects stars, a lamplighter who keeps on lighting and putting off every minute, a geographer, etc. Each of them shows foolish actions in the adult world. The King displays the self-illusory nature of some humans who hope to impose authority on others. The businessman's conduct shows that the accumulation of unproductive wealth is useless both to the accumulator and the world. The lamplighter who faithfully follows orders and disregards the changed circumstances demonstrates the irrationality and irresponsibility of the bureaucracy towards progress, and the geographer is a fine example of the limitations of book learning without instilling practical experience. These are only a few examples. There are many to find in the story.

Saint-Exupery has many valuable lessons to impart through his story. The first is the significance of listening to and understanding a child. The story begins with the narrator's recount of how he gave up drawing at the age of six. Unappreciation and lack of encouragement can kill many budding passions of a child. He also expresses the importance of forming ties, caring for others, and being responsible. The fox teaches this lesson to the little prince who understands his error in leaving the rose that he took care of. Finally, Saint-Exupery addresses loss and grief. The little prince lost his rose when he left his planet. He didn't quite understand the extent of his grief until he realized how dear his rose had become to him. Similarly, the little prince becomes dear to the narrator who grieves at his death.

The story has many autobiographical elements and strongly reflects the voice of the author. It was written while Saint-Exupery was living in exile in America during the Second World War. He was shocked by how easily French was fooled and seized by the Nazi regime. Saint-Exupery felt it was the fault of the French for being unimaginative. They weren't resourceful and lacked practical understanding.

The Little Prince explores the slow decline of human values. The story conveys a deeper message to the human world. This little book is classified as a children's book, but it is much more suited for adults who have quite forgotten that they were once children.

More of my reviews can be found at http://piyangiejay.com/

C’est tellement mystérieux, le pays des larmes.
It is such a secret place, the land of tears.

The first time that I read this treasure of a book was in English. At the time I found it to be one of the profoundest, one of the saddest books ever written.
And now that i have read it in its original language, French, I am able to reaffirm my previous judgement.

On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.
It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a planet that was scarcely any bigger than himself. It was there that he fell in love with a beautiful, fragile but self-absorbed Rose. Upon realizing that the Rose is taking advantage of his love, he decides to leave her and his planet and explore the other planets.

Ce qui embellit le désert c’est qu’il cache un puits quelque part…
What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well . . .

Beautiful

n  Beautiful reading!n


n  WHEN A ROSE IS NOT A ROSEn

n  It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.n

I plan to read The Little Prince since many time ago, and I was aware that it was a quick reading, but still I hadn’t do it yet, until now.

I went to the cinema theaters and I watched the new animated film about it, and while I hadn’t read the book, I watched the film and I loved it. I was aware that it wasn’t an exact adaptation per se, and then I knew that it was about time to read the book.

It was a quick reading, it took me like a couple of hours. Wonderful book.
The Little Prince is a metaphorical and surrealist journey where a rose isn’t necessarily a rose, a fox isn’t always a fox, a small planet isn’t a small planet all the time...

All those things and more that you can find in the book, they will be whatever you need to be. You just need to recognize what will be the rose, what will be the fox, what will be the small planet...

And then, and only then you will be able to realice the power behind of this cute little book.


n  HIDDEN THINGSn

n  What makes the desert beautiful,... ...,is that somewhere it hides a well...n

Also, a hidden wonder about this book is that you not only need to realice what things in your own life to interchange with the ones in the Little Prince’s journey, but moreover, you need to “see” with your heart and being able to find the “well” in every “desert”.

Sometimes isn’t easy, and I guess that there will be moments when those deserts are truly dry, maybe there was a well some time ago, but it’s long gone. But only you, if you are careful and “observant” with your heart, you will be able to make the difference.

At plain sight, your eyes can deceive you about what it’s in front of you, but if you learn to “watch” with your heart, rarely you will be fooled about it.

So, not matter if you are in a desert or a little planet (most likely an asteroid), be prepared to take flight and be ready with paper and a pencil, since who knows? Maybe the Little Prince will need you to draw something beyond the evident...

People who already know English, French, German and Latin should only need a few days to learn the basics of Esperanto, and it's so much fun! Last week, I read Teach Yourself Esperanto; when I'd finished, I looked around for the Esperanto edition of Le petit prince, which you'll find here. If, like me, you are a fan of this book, you'll find it very easy to read as soon as you've mastered Esperanto's extraordinarily ingenious system of prefixes and suffixes.

Here, let me show you with one of the King's little speeches. I'll first give you the Esperanto as it's presented in the book, then broken down into units, then glossed in English, and then translated:

"Se mi ordonus al iu generalo aliformiĝi en marbirdon kaj se tiu generalo ne obeus, la kulpo ne estus lia," li kutumis diri, "la kulpo estus mia."

"Se mi ordon-us al iu general-o ali-form-iĝ-i en mar-bird-o-n kaj se tiu generalo ne obe-us, la kulp-o ne est-us li-a," li kutum-is dir-i, "la kulp-o est-us mi-a."

"If I order-HYPOTHETICAL to some general-NOUN other-form-make-INFINITIVE sea-bird-NOUN-ACCUSATIVE and if that general-NOUN not obey-HYPOTHETICAL, the fault-NOUN not be-HYPOTHETICAL he-ADJECTIVE," he custom-PAST say-INFINITIVE, "the fault-NOUN be-HYPOTHETICAL I-ADJECTIVE."

If I ordered a general to turn into a sea-bird, and the general did not obey, the fault would not be his," he had the habit of saying, "the fault would be mine." 

See what I mean?
______________

I have been talking with ChatGPT-4o, who turns out to be quite good at Esperanto, and we have put together a C-LARA version of the first chapter, here. The text is divided into component morphemes as in the example above. Try hovering over/clicking on things, and you'll soon appreciate what an ingenious language it is! I particularly liked the following:

travivitaj = tra-viv-it-a-j = through-life-PARTICIPLE-ADJECTIVE-PLURAL = "taken-from-life"

miavice = mi-a-vic-e = I-ADJECTIVE-turn-ADVERB = "in my turn"

senkuraĝiĝi = sen-kuraĝ-iĝ-i = without-courage-CAUSE-INFINITIVE = "discourage"

vojeraras = voj-erar-as = way-mistake-PRESENT = "get lost"

We are working on developing better ways for the AI to annotate Esperanto - I had to do a fair amount of cleaning up here. Hopefully more about that soon...

The Little Prince is a classic philosophical tale masquerading as a children’s story. A child could enjoy the fantasy. A young adult may grasp some of the philosophy about how children understand the world more deeply than adults. But it is the adult who will gain the true lessons about the meaning of life from this novella.

Each person or animal or plant the little prince meets teaches him an important aspect about people and how to love one’s life. His rose teaches him about love. The king teaches him about those who wish to have and exert power. The business man teaches him about the pointlessness of materialism. The vain man teaches him about the dangers of living for the adoration of others. The drunk man teaches him about the cycle of substance abuse. The little prince meets a host of creatures and people on Earth. It is the pilot/narrator who engages the most with the little prince. The pilot learns that once “tamed,” his heart will forever be changed by the little prince. This is what it means to be truly loved and to love. You belong to one another. Love means tears and laughter. Love means giving up things for another. Love means having to say goodbye and only relying on a memory to remind you of that love.

While so many claim it is a classic, I didn’t really want to like it. I can’t explain why. I just wanted to fight it. As I thought more and more of how it could be better, I realized you can’t make this one better. It’s perfect as is...a sweet tale about life.

Review After Re-Reading - February 9, 2012

Rating: 3 stars!

Although I still liked it, I have to lower the rating by two stars because:

1. The book is really intended for children as it is very whimsical and illogical. We husbands cannot give an empty wallet to our wives and tell them that there is our salary inside and expect them to be happy. Honey, here is my wallet, what is essential is invisible to your eyes!

2. Saint-Ex contradicted himself so several times via his characters. For example, he left his small planet because he was unhappy with his rose. So, why did he not go back right away since he was able to do so via the migratory birds. Why did he have to let the snake bite him for his soul to go back to his planet? (Ok. This is just my interpretation).

3. This just cannot be in the same rank together with my other top favorite books like Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude, Doris Lessing's The Golden Notebook or Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. Although I admire Saint-Ex, his works (I read two including this) cannot hold candle to the works of these 3 favorite authors of mine. I know this is debatable but it's just a matter of preference.

However, this is still my favorite children's book along with E. B. White's Charlotte's Web.

To took me so long to figure this for myself: sometimes we love books not because they are really good but because of the memories associated with them. I think that's the main reason why I rated this 5 stars when I joined Goodreads.

Don't get me wrong. While re-reading, this book still put a smile on my face. I just figured today that the reason was the memories. Had this been my first time to read this, I would have rated this, for whatever it's worth, also with 3-stars (I like this!)


Original Review in March 2009 when I joined Goodreads

Rating: 5 stars!

n  First read in full sometime in 1992 when I was in collegen

I will not be ashamed to admit that this is my favorite novel of them all. I read this when I was young and I can still recall the detail of each encounter or planet where he went. Who can also forget the famous line: "What is essential is invisible to the eye"? Even Ruffa Gutierrez quoted this line when she competed in Miss World beauty pageant a couple of decades ago. For all its ethereal beauty, meaningful lines and timeless messages, this novel is one that I will read again before I die and I hope Jillian will encourage her kids in the future to read this too.

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

I remember, when I was little, I had this round CD case and it contained an audiobook. Now as a child I loved audiobooks, or someone reading stories to me. Still do today, actually. Anyway, the audiobook was titled The Little Prince, and I listened to it quite often. That, however, was at least 10 years ago, possibly more. So I decided that it was time for a reread. (I'm sorry to say that I cannot find the CD anywhere. Maybe my mom gave it away.)

Rereading this brought up nostalgia and melancholia. This is a very cute, very sad book, and I don't like the ending very much. I don't understand why the Prince couldn't just fly back to his planet. You know, instead of dying. Or did he die? Didn't he? I think he just left his body behind and returned anyway. But still...why make it so sad when it was already sad enough?

This is a beautiful tale of childhood, love and friendship. One that I wouldn't have wanted to miss.

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2 Stars

I know this is a much loved children's classic that has been published in pretty much every language there is. As such, I'm not pretentious enough to think my thoughts on it matter, so I'll keep this short.

I have challenged myself to read one classic a month this year, and so far, I am failing miserably. MISERABLY, you guys. It's July (almost August, but I'm throwing myself a bone so I feel like less of a loser) and I have only read two. This one and Peter Pan (of which I also completely missed the plot). And yes, I chose both of them because they are short. And geared for children. So I figured they would be easy to read.

Wrong.

I finished Alice in Wonderland on December 28th of 2017 (which I ALSO didn't love), after reading it over the course of almost a full month. If only I had really let my loser truly shine and work for me for once and waited three more days to finish it. Then I would at least be three for seven.

But I digress.

I'm starting to think children's classics might not be for me. At least not these whimsical, nonsensical, fable/allegory-style classics for which I am obviously too uncouth and unintelligent. Or whatever the case may be. Regardless, I am just finding them to be very boring and I just can't get into them.

I'm gonna try Dorian Gray next though. NOT a children's classic. So hopefully I have more luck.

Fingers crossed.

(Book 574 from 1001 Books) - Le Petit Prince = The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Little Prince, first published in 1943, is a novella, the most famous work of French aristocrat, writer, poet, and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

The Little Prince is a poetic tale, with watercolor illustrations by the author, in which a pilot stranded in the desert meets a young prince visiting Earth from a tiny asteroid.

The story is philosophical and includes social criticism of the adult world. It was written during a period when Saint-Expiry fled to North America subsequent to the Fall of France during the Second World War, witnessed first hand by the author and captured in his memoir Flight to Arras.

I haven't read anything like this before. This book is very intelligently written.

عنوانهای چاپ شده در ایران: «شازده کوچولو»؛ «مسافر کوچولو»، «شهریار کوچولو» و عنوانهای دیگر - آنتوان دو سنت اگزوپری (امیرکبیر و ...) ادبیات؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش در ماه می سال 1982میلادی، سال 1994میلادی؛ و سال 2001میلادی و ماه نوامبر سال 2006میلادی

با این عنوانها چاپ شده است: «شازاده‌ بچکۆله‌ - مهتاب حسینی در 100ص»؛ «ش‍ازاده‌ چ‍ک‍ول‍ه‌ - کردی مترجم مصطفی ایلخانی زاده در 154ص»؛ با همین عنوان ترجمه «آرش امجدی در 136ص»؛ با همین عنوان «وهاب جیهانی در 119ص»؛ «شازده وه شله» - کردی با ترجمه کورش امینی در 96ص؛ «شازایه توچگه» - کردی ترجمه محسن امینی در 127ص؛ «شازده چکول» - کردی میلاد ملایی در 54ص؛ با عنوان «شازده کوچولو» مترجمها: شورا پیرزاده در 99ص؛ محمد قاضی در 113ص بیش از شصت چاپ دارد؛ ابوالحسن نجفی در 117ص؛ بابک اندیشه در 106ص؛ احمد شاملو در 103ص بارها چاپ شده؛ فریده مهدوی دامغانی در 316ص؛ مصطفی رحماندوست در 127ص ده بار چاپ شده؛ اصغر رستگار در 101ص؛ دل آرا قهرمان در 96ص؛ حسین جاوید در 120ص؛ ایرج انور در 140ص؛ سحر جعفری صرافی در 160ص؛ مهرداد انتظاری در 87ص؛ کاوه میرعباسی در 112ص؛ رضا خاکیانی در 110ص؛ فرزام حبیبی اصفهانی در 112ص؛ مرتضی سعیدی در 120ص؛ مجتبی پایدار در 119ص؛ رضا زارع در 120ص؛ پرویز شهدی در 128ص؛ محمدرضا صامتی در 112ص؛ محمدعلی اخوان در 105ص؛ جمشید بهرامیان در 148ص؛ هانیه فهیمی در 120ص؛ رامسس بصیر در 104ص؛ سمانه رضائیان در 104ص؛ غلامرضا یاسی پور در 96ص؛ مریم صبوری در 192ص؛ حسین غیوری در 170ص؛ مهسا حمیدیان در 51ص؛ میلاد یداللهی در 102ص؛ مهری محمدی مقدم در 96ص؛ زهرا تیرانی در 103ص؛ لیلاسادات محمودی در 164ص؛ محمدجواد انتظاری در 120ص؛ غزاله ابراهیمی در 128ص؛ مریم خرازیان در 120ص؛ مدیا کاشیگر در 136ص؛ محمدعلی عزیزی در 152ص؛ الهام ذوالقدر در 189ص؛ فاطمه نظرآهاری در 136ص؛ زهره مستی در 128ص؛ حمیدرضا غیوری در 98ص؛ اسدالله غفوری ثانی در 116ص؛ شادی ابطحی در 152ص؛ محمدتقی بهرامی حران در 104ص؛ محمدرضا صامتی در 176ص؛ محمدرضا محمدحسینی در 112ص؛ فهیمه شهرابی فراهانی در 131ص؛ بهاره عزیزی در 120ص؛ مولود محمدی در 143ص؛ شهناز مجیدی در 184ص؛ هانیه حق نبی مطلق در 111ص؛ سعید هاشمی در 96ص؛ سمانه فلاح در 96ص؛ حمیدرضا زین الدین در 120ص؛ شبنم اقبال زاده در 88ص؛ رضا طاهری در 72ص؛ فاطمه امینی در 220ص؛ محمد مجلسی 142ص؛ بهزاد بیگی در 112ص؛ با عنوان «شاهزاده سرزمین عشق»، چیستا یثربی در 54ص؛ با عنوان: «شاهزاده کوچک» مریم شریف در 112ص؛ هرمز ریاحی در 99ص؛ با عنوان: «شاهزاده کوچولو»؛ شاهین فولادی در 120ص؛ علی شکرالهی در 148ص؛ با عنوان: «شهریار کوچولو» احمد شاملو در 103ص؛ با عنوان «مسافر کوچولو» فائزه سرمدی در 58ص؛ علی محمدپور در 12ص؛ با عنوان: «نمایشنامه شازده کوچولو» عباس جوانمرد در 97ص؛ با عنوان: «شازا بووچکه‌ له» ترجمه‏‫: رضوان متوسل؛

موسسه انتشارات نگاه، چاپ دوم این اثر را با عنوان: «شهریار کوچولو» و برگردان روانشاد: احمد شاملو در سال 1373هجری خورشیدی منتشر کرده است

نقل از متن: (...؛ اما سرانجام، پس از مدت­ها راه ­رفتن در میان ریگ­ها و صخره ها و برف­ها، به جاده­ ای برخورد؛ و هر جاده ­ای یکراست می­رود سراغ آدم­ها.؛ گفت: سلام.؛ و مخاطبش: گلستان پر گلی بود.؛ گل­ها گفتند: سلام.؛ شهریار کوچولو رفت تو بحرشان.؛ همه ­شان عین گل خودش بودند.؛ حیرت­زده، ازشان پرسید: شماها کی هستید؟ گفتند: ما گل سرخیم.؛ آهی کشید و سخت احساس شوربختی کرد.؛ گل­ش به او گفته بود که از نوع او، تو تمام عالم تنها همان یکی هست، و حالا پنج­هزارتا گل، همه مثل هم، فقط در یک گلستان.؛ فکر کرد: اگر گل من این را می­دید، بدجوری از رو می­رفت، پشت سر هم بنا می­کرد سرفه کردن، و برای این­که از هو شدن فرار کند، خودش را به مردن می­زد.؛ و من هم مجبور می­شدم وانمود کنم به پرستاریش، وگرنه برای سرشکسته کردن من هم که شده بود، راستی راستی می­مر؛د. و باز تو دلش گفت: مرا باش که با یک گل، خودم را دولتمند عالم خیال می­کردم، در صورتی­که آنچه دارم، یک گل معمولی ست.؛ با آن گل، و آن سه تا آتشفشانی که تا سر زانوم هستند، و شاید هم یکی­شان تا ابد خاموش بماند، شهریار چندان پرشوکتی به حساب نمی­آیم.؛

افتاد رو سبزه­ ها، و زد زیر گریه.؛ آن وقت بود، که سر و کله ­ی روباه پیدا شد.؛ روباه گفت: سلام.؛ شهریار کوچولو برگشت، اما کسی را ندید.؛ با وجود این با ادب تمام گفت: سلام.؛ صدا گفت: من اینجام، زیر درخت سیب.؛ شهریار کوچولو گفت: کی هستی تو؟ عجب خوشگلی.؛ روباه گفت یک روباهم من؛ شهریار کوچولو گفت: بیا با من بازی کن.؛ نمی­دانی چقدر دلم گرفته.؛ روباه گفت: نمی­توانم بات بازی کنم.؛ هنوز اهلی­ ام نکرده ­اند آخر.؛ شهریار کوچولو آهی کشید و گفت: معذرت می­خواهم.؛

اما فکری کرد و پرسید: اهلی کردن یعنی چه؟ روباه گفت: تو اهل اینجا نیستی.؛ پی چی می­گردی؟ شهریار کوچولو گفت: پی آدم­ها می­گردم.؛ نگفتی اهلی کردن یعنی چه؟ روباه گفت: آدم­ها تفنگ دارند، و شکار می­کنند.؛ اینش اسباب دلخوری است.؛ اما مرغ و ماکیان هم پرورش می­دهند، و خیرشان فقط همین است.؛ تو پی مرغ می­گردی؟ شهریار کوچولو گفت: نه، پی دوست می­گردم.؛

اهلی کردن یعنی چه؟ روباه گفت چیزیست، که پاک فراموش شده.؛ معنی­ اش ایجاد علاقه کردن است.؛ ایجاد علاقه کردن؟ روباه گفت: معلوم است.؛ تو الان واسه من یک پسربچه ­ای، مثل صدهزار پسربچه ­ی دیگر.؛ نه من، هیچ احتیاجی به تو دارم، نه تو هیچ احتیاجی به من.؛ من هم برای تو یک روباهم، مثل صدهزار روباه دیگر.؛ اما اگر منو اهلی کردی، هر دوتامان به هم احتیاج پیدا می­کنیم.؛ تو برای من، میان همه­ ی عالم، موجود یگانه ­ای می­شوی، و من برای تو.؛
شهریار کوچولو گفت: کم ­کم دارد دستگیرم می­شود.؛ یک گلی هست، که گمانم مرا اهلی کرده باشد.؛

روباه گفت: بعید نیست.؛ رو این کره ی زمین، هزار جور چیز می­شود دید.؛ شهریار کوچولو گفت: اوه نه.؛ آن گل روی کره ی زمین نیست.؛ روباه انگار، حسابی حیرت کرده بود، و گفت: رو یک سیاره ی دیگر است؟ _ آره.؛ _ تو آن سیاره شکارچی هم هست؟ _ نه.؛ _ محشر است، مرغ و ماکیان چطور؟ _نه.؛

روباه آه کشان گفت: همیشه ی خدا یک پای بساط لنگ است.؛ اما پی حرفش را گرفت، و گفت: زندگی یکنواختی دارم.؛ من مرغ­ها را شکار می­کنم، آدم­ها مرا.؛ همه ­ی مرغ­ها عین هم اند، همه ی آدم­ها هم عین هم اند.؛ این وضع یک­خرده خلقم را تنگ می­کند.؛ اما اگر تو منو اهلی کنی، انگار که زندگیم را چراغان کرده باشی.؛ آنوقت صدای پایی را می­شناسم، که با هر صدای پای دیگری، فرق داشته می­کند.؛ صدای پای دیگران مرا وادار می­کند، تو هفت تا سوراخ قایم بشوم، اما صدای پای تو، مثل نغمه­ ای مرا از لانه ­ام می­کشد بیرون.؛

تازه، نگاه کن آنجا، گندمزار را می­بینی؟ برای من که نان نمی­خورم، گندم چیز بی­فایده ­ای است؛ پس گندمزار هم مرا یاد چیزی نمی­اندازد.؛ اسباب تأسف است.؛ اما تو، موهایت رنگ طلا است.؛ پس وقتی اهلی­ ام کردی، محشر می­شود.؛ گندم که طلایی رنگ است، مرا به یاد تو می­اندازد، و صدای باد را هم، که تو گندمزار می­پیچد، دوست خواهم داشت.؛ خاموش شد، و مدت درازی شهریار کوچولو را نگاه کرد.؛

آن وقت گفت: اگر دلت می­خواهد منو اهلی کن.؛ شهریار کوچولو جواب داد: دلم که خیلی می­خواهد، اما وقت چندانی ندارم.؛ باید بروم دوستانی پیدا کنم، و از کلی چیزها سر درآرم.؛ روباه گفت: آدم فقط از چیزهایی که اهلی می­کند می­تواند سر درمیآرد.؛ آدم­ها دیگر برای سر درآوردن از چیزها وقت ندارند؛ همه چیز را همین جوری حاضر آماده، از دکان می­خرند.؛ اما چون دکانی نیست که دوست معامله کند، آدم­ها مانده ­اند بیدوست.؛ تو اگر دوست می­خواهی، خب منو اهلی کن.؛

شهریار کوچولو پرسید: راهش چیست؟ روباه جواب داد: باید خیلی خیلی صبور باشی، اولش یک­خرده دورتر از من می­گیری اینجوری میان علف­ها مینشینی. من زیرچشمی نگاهت می­کنم، و تو لام تا کام، هیچی نمی­گویی، چون سرچشمه ی همه ی سوء ­تفاهم­ها زیر سر زبان است.؛ عوضش می­توانی هر روز، یک خرده نزدیک­تر بنشینی.؛ فردای آنروز دوباره شهریار کوچولو آمد پیش روباه.؛

روباه گفت: کاش سر همان ساعت دیروز آمده بودی.؛ اگر مثلا سر ساعت چهار بعد از ظهر بیایی، من از ساعت سه، تو دلم قند آب می­شود، و هرچه ساعت جلوتر برود، بیشتر احساس شادی و خوشبختی می­کنم.؛ ساعت چهار که شد، دلم بنا می­کند شورزدن، و نگران شدن.؛ آنوقت است که قدر خوشبختی را می­فهمم.؛ اما اگر تو هر وقت­ و بی­وقت بیایی، من از کجا بدانم چه ساعتی باید دلم را برای دیدارت آماده کنم؟ هر چیزی برای خودش رسم و رسومی دارد.؛

شهریار کوچولو گفت: رسم و رسوم یعنی چه؟ روباه گفت: این هم از آن چیزهایی است، که پاک از خاطره ها رفته.؛ این همان چیزیست که باعث می­شود، فلان روز با باقی روزها، و فلان ساعت، با باقی ساعت­ها، فرق کند.؛ مثلا شکارچی­های ما، میانِ خودشان رسمی دارند، و آن اینست که پنجشنبه ها را، با دخترهای ده می­روند رقص.؛ پس پنجشنبه ها، بره کشان من است.؛ برای خودم گردش­ کنان می­روم تا دم موستان.؛ حالا اگر شکارچی­ها وقت و بی­وقت میرفتند رقص، همه ی روزها شبیه هم می­شد، و من بیچاره، دیگر فرصت و فراغتی نداشتم.؛

به این ترتیب، شهریار کوچولو روباه را اهلی کرد.؛ لحظه ی جدایی که نزدیک شد، روباه گفت: آخ.؛ نمی­توانم جلو اشکم را بگیرم.؛ شهریار کوچولو گفت: تقصیر خودت است.؛ من که بدت را نخواستم، خودت خواستی اهلیت کنم.؛ روباه گفت: همین طور است.؛ شهریار کوچولو گفت: آخر اشکت دارد سرازیر می­شود.؛ روباه گفت: همین طور است.؛ شهریار کوچولو گفت: پس این ماجرا فایده ای به حال تو نداشته.؛ روباه گفت: چرا، برای خاطر رنگ گندم.؛ بعد گفت: برو یکبار دیگر گل­ها را ببین، تا بفهمی که گل تو، تو عالم تک است.؛ برگشتنا با هم وداع می­کنیم، و من به عنوان هدیه، رازی را به تو می­گویم؛

شهریار کوچولو، بار دیگر به تماشای گل­ها رفت، و به آن­ها گفت: شما سر سوزنی به گل من نمی­مانید، و هنوز هیچی نیستید.؛ نه کسی شما را اهلی کرده، نه شما کسی را.؛ درست همان جوری هستید، که روباه من بود: روباهی بود مثل صدهزار روباه دیگر.؛ او را دوست خودم کردم، و حالا تو همه ی عالم تک است.؛ گل­ها حسابی از رو رفتند.؛ شهریار کوچولو، دوباره درآمد که: خوشگلید، اما خالی هستید.؛ برایتان نمی­شود مرد.؛ گفت ­و گو ندارد، که گل مرا هم فلان رهگذر، گلی می­بیند مثل شما.؛ اما او، به تنهایی از همه ی شما سر است، چون فقط اوست که آبش داده ام، چون فقط اوست که زیر حبابش گذاشته ام، چون فقط اوست که با تجیر برایش حفاظ درست کرده ام، چون فقط اوست که حشراتش را کشته ام (جز دو سه تایی که می­بایست پروانه بشوند)، چون فقط اوست، که پای گله گذاری­ها و خودنمایی­ها، و حتا گاهی بغ­ کردن، و هیچی نگفتن­هایش نشسته ام، چون او گل من است.؛ و برگشت پیش روباه.؛ گفت: خدانگهدار.؛ روباه گفت: خدانگهدار.؛ و اما رازی که گفتم خیلی ساده است.؛ جز با چشم دل، هیچی را چنانکه باید نمی­شود دید.؛ نهاد و گوهر را، چشم سر نمی­بیند.؛ شهریار کوچولو، برای آن که یادش بماند، تکرار کرد: نهاد و گوهر را چشم سر نمی­بیند.؛ روباه گفت: ارزش گل تو، به قدری است، که پاش صرف کرده ای.؛ شهریار کوچولو، برای آنکه یادش بماند، تکرار کرد: ...؛ به قدر عمری است که پاش صرف کرده ام.؛ روباه گفت: آدم­ها این حقیقت را فراموش کرده اند، اما تو نباید فراموشش کنی.؛ تو تا زنده ای، نسبت به آنیکه اهلی کرده ای، مسئولی.؛ تو مسئول گلتی.؛ شهریار کوچولو برای آنکه یادش بماند، تکرار کرد: من مسئول گلمم.)؛ پایان نقل

کنایه از: سیارک کوچک اگزوپری شاید همان خانه ی ایشان باشد و کنایه از گل سرخش در سیارک، همان همسر مهربانش، که در خانه بوده است

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 20/05/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 04/05/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی