１日３分 英語で星の王子さま Chapter 1～5

 The little prince Chapter 1  (１日３分　英語で星の王子さま)

　Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent picture in a book about the ancient forests called True Stories. It was a picture of a boa constrictor swallowing an animal. Here is a copy of the drawing：

   In the book, it said: "Boa constrictors swallow their prey whole, without chewing it. After that, they are not able to move anymore, and they go to sleep for the six months that they need for digestion."

  Afterward, I pondered deeply, then, over the adventures in the jungle. And after some work with a colored pencil, I succeeded in making my first drawing. My Drawing Number One. It looked like this:

     I showed my masterpiece to the grown−ups and asked them whether the drawing frightened them.

But they answered, "Frighten? Why would we be frightened by a hat?"

   My drawing was not a picture of a hat. It was a picture of a boa constrictor digesting an elephant. But since the grown−ups were not able to understand it, I made another drawing: I drew the inside of the boa constrictor so that the grown−ups could see it clearly. They always need to have things explained. My Drawing Number Two looked like this:

　The grown−ups' were to advise to give up my drawings of boa constrictors, whether from the inside or the outside, and devote myself instead to geography, history, arithmetic, and grammar. That is why, at the age of six, I gave up what might have been a magnificent career as a painter. I had been disheartened by the failure of my Drawing Number One and my Drawing Number Two. Grown−ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.

　So I had to choose another career and learned to pilot airplanes. I have flown all over the world; and geography has indeed been very useful to me. At a glance, I can distinguish China from Arizona. If one gets lost in the night, such knowledge is valuable.

　In the course of this life, I have had a great many encounters with a great many people who have been concerned with matters of consequence. I have lived a great

deal among grown−ups. I have seen them intimately, close at hand. And that hasn't much improved my opinion of them.

　Whenever I met one who seemed at all sensible, I tried the experiment of showing him my Drawing Number One, which I have always kept. I would try to find out, so, if this was a person of true understanding. But, whoever it was, he, or she, would always say:

"That is a hat." Then I would never talk to that person about boa constrictors, or virgin forests, or stars. I would bring myself down to his level. I would talk to him about the bridge, and golf, and politics, and neckties. And the grown−up would be very happy to have met such a sensible man.

The little prince Chapter 2  (１日３分　英語で星の王子さま)

    So I lived alone, without anyone that I could really talk to. Then, six years ago, my plane crashed in the Desert of Sahara. Something was broken in my engine. And as I had with me neither a mechanic nor any passengers, I set myself to attempt the difficult repairs all alone. It was a question of life or death for me: I had scarcely enough drinking water to last a week. The first night, then, I went to sleep on the sand, a thousand miles from any human habitation. I was more isolated than a shipwrecked sailor on a raft in the middle of the ocean. Thus you can imagine my amazement, at sunrise, when I was awakened by an odd little voice. It said:

"Please…draw me a sheep!"

"What!"

"Draw me a sheep!"

　I jumped to my feet as if I’d been struck by lightning. I rubbed my eyes hard. I looked carefully all around me. And I saw a most extraordinary small person, who stood there examining me with great seriousness. Here you may see the best portrait that, later, I was able to make of him. But my drawing is certainly very much less charming than its model.

That, however, is not my fault. The grown−ups discouraged me in my painter's career when I was six years old, and I never learned to draw anything, except boas from the outside and boas from the inside.

　I stared at this apparition with my eyes fairly starting out of my head in astonishment. Remember, I had crashed in the desert a thousand miles from any inhabited region. And yet my little man seemed neither to be straying uncertainly among the sands nor to be fainting from fatigue or hunger or thirst or fear. Nothing about him gave any suggestion of a child lost in the middle of the desert, a thousand miles from any human habitation. When at last I was able to speak, I said to him:

"But−− what are you doing here?"

　And in answer, he repeated, very slowly, as if it were a very important matter: "If you please−− draw me a sheep..."

When a mystery is too overpowering, one dare not disobey. Ridiculous as it might seem to me, a thousand miles from any inhabited place, and in danger of death, I took out of my pocket a sheet of paper and my pen. But then I remembered how my studies had been concentrated on geography, history, arithmetic, and grammar, and I told the little gentleman that I did not know how to draw. He answered me:

"That doesn't matter. Draw me a sheep..."

　Because I had never drawn a sheep, I drew for him one of the two pictures I had drawn so often. It was that of the boa constrictor from the outside. And I was astounded to hear the little fellow greet it with,

"No, no, no! I do not want an elephant inside a boa constrictor. A boa constrictor is very dangerous, and an elephant is very cumbersome. Where I come from, everything is very small. What I need is a sheep. Draw me a sheep."

　So then I made a drawing.

　He looked at it carefully, then he said:

"No. This sheep is already very sick. Make me another."

　So I made another drawing.

　My friend smiled kindly and indulgently.

"You see yourself," he said, "that this is not a sheep. This is a ram. It has horns."

　So then I did my drawing over once more.

　But it was rejected too, just like the others.

"This one is too old. I want a sheep that will live for a long time."

　By this time my patience was exhausted, because I was in a hurry to start

 dismantling my engine. So I rapidly scribbled the drawing you see below.

　And I threw out an explanation with it.

"This is only his box. The sheep you wanted is inside."

　I was very surprised to see a light break over the face of my young judge:

"That is exactly how I want him! Do you think that this sheep will have to have a great deal of grass?"

"Why?"

"Because where I live everything is very small..."

"There will surely be enough grass for him," I said. "It is a very small sheep that I have given you."

　He bent his head over the drawing:

"Not so small that−− Look! He has gone to sleep..." And that is how I met the little prince.

The little prince Chapter 3  (１日３分　英語で星の王子さま)

　It took me a long time to understand where he came from. The little prince, who kept on asking me so many questions, never seemed to hear the ones I asked him. It was from words dropped by chance that, little by little, everything was revealed to me. The first time he saw my airplane, for instance (I shall not draw my airplane; that would be much too complicated for me), he asked me:

"What is that thing there?"

"That is not a thing. It flies. It is an airplane. It is my airplane."

　And I was proud to have him learn that I could fly.

　He cried out, then:

"What! You dropped down from the sky?"

"Yes," I answered, demurely.

 "Well! How very funny!"

 And the little prince broke into a charming peal of laughter,which irritated me very much. I like my misfortunes to be taken seriously.

Then he added:

  "So you, too, come from the sky! Which planet are you from?"

  At that moment I had a glimmer of understanding into the mystery of his presence here and I quizzed him sharply:

"So you come from another planet?"

  But he did not reply. He merely shook his head gently, looking all the while at my airplane.

"It is true that on that you can't have come from very far away..."

And he sank into a reverie, which lasted a long time. Then, taking my sheep out of his pocket, he buried himself in the contemplation of his treasure.

You can imagine how my curiosity was aroused by this half−confidence about the "other planets." I made a great effort, therefore, to find out more about this subject.

"My little man, where do you come from? What is this 'where I live,' of which you speak? Where do you want to take your sheep?"

　After a meditative silence he answered:

"The best thing about the box you have given me is that at night he can use it as his house."

  "Of course. And if you are good, I will give you a rope to tether him with during the day, and a post to tether him to." 

But the little prince seemed shocked by this proposal: 

 "Tether him! What an odd idea!" 

 "But if you don't tether him," I said, "he may go somewhere, and get lost."

My friend burst out laughing once more:

  "But where do you think he would go?"

  "Anywhere. Straight ahead of him." 

Then the little prince said, solemnly:

 "That doesn't matter. Where I come from, everything is so small!" 

 And, with perhaps a hint of sadness, he added:

 "Straight ahead of him, nobody can go very far..."

The little prince Chapter 4  (１日３分　英語で星の王子さま)

From this, I learned a second fact of great importance: this was that the planet

he came from was scarcely bigger than a house!

But that did not really surprise me much.

I knew very well that besides the great planets-- such as the Earth,

Jupiter, Mars, Venus-- to which we have given names, there are also hundreds

of others, some of which are so small that one has trouble seeing them

even though the telescope.

When an astronomer discovers one of these, he does not give it a name,

but only a number.

He might call it, for instance, "Asteroid 3251."

I have good reason to believe that the planet from which the little prince

came is the asteroid known as B612.

This asteroid has only once been seen through the telescope.

That was by a Turkish astronomer, in 1909. 

At the time, the astronomer made a grand presentation of his discovery

before the International Astronomical Congress.

But since he was in Turkish national costume, nobody would believe what he said.

 Grown-ups are like that... 

Fortunately, however, for the reputation of Asteroid B-612, a Turkish dictator

made a law that his subjects, on pain of death, should convert to European costume.

So in 1920, the astronomer gave his demonstration all over again, wearing an elegant evening dress.

And this time everybody accepted his proofs.

The reason I have told you these details about the asteroid B612, and Let you

know its number is because of the grownups.

Grownups love figures.

When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask you any

questions about essential matters.

They never say： "What does his voice sound like? What games does he love best?

Does he collect butterflies?"

Instead, they demand: "How old is he?

How many brothers does he have? How much does he weigh? How much money

does his father earn?"

Only from these figures, they feel they know anything about him.

 If you say to the grownups: "I have seen a beautiful house made of

pink brick, with geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof,"

they would not be able to picture such a house at all.

You must say to them: "I saw a house that cost three hundred thousand francs."

Then they cry out: "Oh, what a pretty house that is Just so, you might say to them:

"The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming,

that he laughed, and that he was looking for a sheep.

If someone wants a sheep, it is proof that he exists."

The grownups would merely shrug their shoulders,

and treat you like a child.

But if you tell them: "The planet he came from is Asteroid B612,"

then they would be convinced, and leave you in peace with their questions.

 That is how they are.

You must not hold it against them.

Children have to be very indulgent towards grownups.

Of course, for we who understand life, numbers are quite unimportant.

I would have liked to begin this story like a fairy tale.

I wanted to say:

“Once upon a time, there was a little prince lived on a planet scarcely bigger

than himself, and he needed a friend…” To those who understand about life,

this would have seemed more convincing.

For you see, I don’t want my story to be taken so lightly.

I have suffered so much grief setting down these memories.

Six years have already passed since my friend went away with his sheep.

If I try to write about him here, it is so as not to forget him.

It’s sad to forget a friend. Not everyone has had a friend.

And if I forget him, I might become like the grownups who no longer

care for anything except numbers.

For this reason, I have bought a paintbox and some pencils.

It is difficult to take up drawing again at my age when the only attempts I have made are boa constrictors seen from the inside and the outside, at the age of six.

I am going to try to make my portraits as true as possible.

But I’m not at all sure I’ll succeed.

Some drawing works and others look nothing like what it is.

Sometimes my proportions are wrong.

The little prince is too big in one and another too little.

And I am not sure of the color of his clothes.

So I struggle, doing my best. I will probably make mistakes over some of the most important details.

But you must forgive me.

You see my little fellow never gave me explanations.

Perhaps he thought that I was like him.

But unfortunately, I can not see sheep inside boxes.

Perhaps I am a bit of a grownup.

I had to grow up.

The little prince Chapter 5  (１日３分　英語で星の王子さま)

Each day I learned something about the little prince’s planet, the reasons why he left, and about his journey.

The details came very slowly, by chance, as we talked.

So it was, on the third day, that I learned about terrible baobabs.

This time, once again, I learned about them because of the sheep.

For, suddenly as if he was feeling doubtful, the little prince demanded:

 ‘It is true, isn’t it, that sheep eat small bushes?

‘Yes, it is true.’

‘Good. I am glad.’

I could not understand why it was so important that sheep should eat small grass.

But the little prince asked:

‘Then does that mean that they also eat baobabs?’

I told the little prince that baobabs were not small bushes but trees the size of churches.

Even if he took many elephants with him, they would not succeed in eating up a single baobab.

 The idea of a lot of elephants made the little prince laugh.

‘They would have to put them on top of each other.’

Then he told me, wisely enough:

‘Baobabs, before they grow big, start off small.’

‘That is true. But why do you want your sheep to eat up the baby baobabs?’

He replied: ‘Well, let me explain,’ as if it went without saying.

And I had to make a great mental effort to understand what he said next.

In effect, on the little prince’s planet, as on every planet, there were good plants and bad plants.

And that means that there were good seeds from good plants and bad seeds from bad plants. But seeds, as everyone knows, are invisible.

They sleep in the ground until one of them suddenly decides to wake up.

Then it stretches itself and, timidly at first, extends towards the sun a ravishing, innocent little shoot.

If this happens to be a sprig of radish or the beginnings of a rose bush, you can leave it alone wherever it wishes.

But if it turns out to be a bad plant, you must pull it up as soon as possible.

Now there were some terrible bad seeds on the little prince’s planet – it is called baobab.

The soil of the planet was infested with them.

And if you wait too long to pull it up, you can never get rid of it afterward.

It destroys everything.

It will bore right through a planet with its roots.

And if the planet is so small, and if the baobabs are so numerous, they will make the planet explode in the end.

‘It’s important to take care of it every day,’ the little prince informed me later.　

‘When you finish washing and dressing each morning, you have to take care of your planet each morning.　

You must force yourself to pull up the little baobabs regularly, as soon as they can be distinguished from the young rose plants. – which they resemble very much in early youth.

It is very boring to do, but you can do it easily.

And one day he asked that I should make a beautiful picture, to help children from my planet.

‘Then, if one day they travel,’　

he told me,　’ that will be of use to them.

Sometimes you can put off and do your work later.

But in the case of baobabs, it always ends in disaster.

I knew a planet where a lazy fellow lived.

He ignored three little bushes and guess happened…’

So following the little prince’s directions, I have made a drawing of that planet.

I don’t much like to tell people what they should do.

But the dangers of baobabs are not well-known, and the risks run by anyone who gets lost on an asteroid are so considerable, that this one time I will break my rule, and say

 categorically:

‘Children! Watch out for baobabs!’

It is to warn friends of a danger they have skirted unknowingly for a long time.

I have worked so hard on this picture.

The lesson I wanted to teach was worth the trouble I took to draw it.

Perhaps you may ask:

why are there no other pictures in this book as good as the baobab picture?

The answer is quite simple: I tried my best but did not succeed.

When I drew the baobabs, I was inspired by a sense of urgency.

Ah, little prince! So it was, gradually, that I came to understand your sadness for your little life!

For a long time, your only pleasure had been to watch the beauty of the sunset.

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