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Sun 10 Nov, 2002 10:54 am
And since he was feeling rather sad on account of remembering his own little planet, which he had forsaken, he ventured to ask a favor of the king: "I'd like to see a sunset... Do me a favor, your majesty... Command the sun to set..."
"If I commanded a general to fly from one flower to the next like a butterfly, or to write a tragedy, or to turn into a seagull, and if the general did not carry out my command, which of us would be in the wrong, the general or me?"
"You would be," said the little prince, quite firmly.
"Exactly. One must command from each what each can perform," the king went on. "Authority is based first of all upon reason. If you command your subjects to jump in the ocean, there will be a revolution. I am entitled to command obedience because my orders are reasonable."
"Then my sunset?" insisted the little prince, who never let go of a question once he had asked it.
"You shall have your sunset. I shall command it. But I shall wait, according to my science of government, until conditions are favorable."
"And when will that be?" inquired the little prince.
"Well, well!" replied the king, first consulting a large calendar. "Well, well! That will be around... around... that will be tonight around seven-forty! And you'll see how well I am obeyed."
"The Little Prince" Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
( Translated by Richard Howard )
Now THAT is Children's Literature!
What a great book... and it's not just for kids! Many adults would do well to reread it (if they can understand it).
Me again. I should have added to my above post "...if they're not too busy with matters of consequence!"
I personally like the snake who swallowed the elephant best . . .
'Twas a Boa Constrictor, that snake! And it looked like a hat when drawn sans x-ray vision.....
When I first read that book I was so little that I kept looking for the connection between the baobab trees and the boa constrictor....
I particularaly liked this part:
"I like my misfortunes to be taken
very seriously by others"
(I hope my memory is holding up)
I really believe that this is one of the few books, which ARE to be read by children and adults - and which can be read by them differently.
The original French version is even more pleasure.
I dislike,however, all the commercialism around this book, since it isn't Mickey Mouse nor Harry Potter.
I agree with you Walter.
I'm trying to think of a few others that
also fit in the same category. That would
be, of course, if this were agreeable
with you, Debacle?
This is such a beautiful book and such a lovely post that it needed reviving.
I can't remember ever seeing this book promoted and didn't know that this book existed until I picked it up in France. His illustrations and artwork is also very beautiful and charming.
Well, I suppose, the most promotion was back in the 40's of last century: seven printings in the USA between 1943 and 1947 :wink:
I just read this book last week, for the first time. I loved it! I sure wish I had this book read to me when I was young, that's why I immediately bought another copy for my one-year-old nephew.
"S'il te plait! Dessine moi un mouton!"
One f the most beautiful and poetic french books. I take so much pleasure each time I read it!
I didn't read this until recently, and I must admit there are few childrens books which have been as touching or as insightful. I've been meaning to read some of his other books, I must get around to that soon.
Perhaps it's the time of one's life when one reads a book that makes it all the more more meaningful.
With that in mind, may I also add Richard Bach's "Illusions" as a consideration.
my favorite part is about the rose....
And now here is my secret, a very simple secret:
It is only with the heart that one can see rightly;
what is essential is invisible to the eye."
"What is essential is invisible to the eye,"
the little prince repeated,
so that he would be sure to remember.
"It is the time you have wasted for your rose
that makes your rose so important.
"It is the time I have wasted for my rose-
"said the little prince
so he would be sure to remember.
"Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox.
"But you must not forget it.
You become responsible, forever,
for what you have tamed.
You are responsible for your rose. . ."
"I am responsible for my rose,"
the little prince repeated,
so that he would be sure to remember.
I know I'm a minority opinion here, but when I read The Little Prince for the first time (as a college sophomore on the ardent recommendation of several friends who were Little Prince Cultists) I found it rather squirm-making.
I've re-read it several times since and still find The Message a bit belabored.
Noddy24 wrote:I know I'm a minority opinion here, but when I read The Little Prince for the first time (as a college sophomore on the ardent recommendation of several friends who were Little Prince Cultists) I found it rather squirm-making.
I've re-read it several times since and still find The Message a bit belabored.
It isn't deeply profound, I agree, but it's profoundly beautiful. Two weeks ago two friends bought me presents, in retrospect, the presents sucked. Yet, for the two weeks I didn't open the presents, they were amazing. This is
Le Petit Prince's message: curiosity is more important than knowledge. Curiosity, that is.
Repeat: it isn't deeply profound, but you gotta love it.
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