The Little Prince

When I was six years old,

I saw a magnificent picture

in a nature book

about the primeval forest.

It was a picture of a boa constrictor

swallowing an animal.

I'm trying to make a sketch of it

to show you.

Under this picture it said:

"Boa constrictors swallow

their prey whole without chewing it. "

There!

"And then remain stationary

for six months digesting it. "

I pondered that deeply.

And after some work, I succeeded

in making my first drawing.

I called it "Drawing Number One".

I showed my masterpiece

to the grown-ups.

I asked them if it frightened them.

Frighten us?

Why should we be frightened of a hat?

A hat?

It was a picture of a boa constrictor

digesting an elephant obviously.

Since the grown-ups couldn't

understand it, I made another,

showing the elephant

clearly inside the boa constrictor.

"Drawing Number Two".

I was told to stop wasting my time

drawing boa constrictors,

whether from the inside or the outside,

and attend to my studies, which I did.

And that is why, at the age of six,

I gave up a career as a painter.

As I grew up, whenever I met one

who seemed clear-sighted,

to find out if he was a person

of true understanding,

I would show him my first drawing.

- Whoever it was would say...

- # It's a hat, it's a sort of a kind of hat

# Painted poorly but it surely is a hat

# It's a hat, there's no doubt of it

It's a hat

# Top of Poppa is its proper habitat

# My, oh, my, look at that

Why, this dummy has drawn a hat

# It's a hat, it's a hat

If it's anything, it's a hat

# Why, it's nothing but a common

Himalayan mountain hat!

# It's a hat that looks like down upon

which someone must have sat

# Not Picasso or Corot

But a very nice chapeau

# Are you kidding?

It's a hat, you silly brat! #

# Every grown-up was the same

Uniformly they'd exclaim #

# It's a hat, it's a hat, it's a hat! #

# I could see it wasn't worth

Spending time with them on Earth

# There were fewer in the sky

I decided I would fly #

# It's a hat, it's a hat

It's a hat, it's a hat

# It's a hat, it's a hat, it's a hat #

# I need air

# Where only stars get in my hair

# And only eagles stop and stare

# I need air

# Oh, the world is mad

And I have had my share

# I need air

# I need air

# I need air

# One hour of mortal wear and tear

# Gives my morale morale-de-mer

# Any corner lot

that heaven's got to spare

# I need air

# I need air

# There's not a sign of life down there

# Just hats and grown-ups everywhere

# I need air

# Lots of cosy sky

that God and I can share

# I need air

# I need air #

I came to know many grown-ups,

and my opinion of them never improved.

I stopped showing my drawing and

never again mentioned boa constrictors,

elephants or stars.

Instead, I would talk about golf,

money, politics and neckties,

and everyone was pleased

with such a sensible man.

So, I lived my life alone

without anyone I could really talk to.

Until a short time ago.

I was testing a new plane, racing it

against the clock from Paris to India.

Paris calling Flight F-BDXY.

Come in, please. Over.

F- BDXY to Paris. Ground speed 190.

Running 10 minutes behind schedule.

Strong headwinds.

Trouble!

Losing altitude!

Paris calling Flight F-BDXY.

Detail location.

Detail location. Detail location.

Paris calling Flight F-BDXY.

Are you there, F-BDXY?

Where are you?

If you please, draw me a sheep.

Will you?

- Will I what?

- Will you draw me a sheep?

What?

What did you?

How did you?

How did you get here?

What are you doing here?

Waiting for you to draw me a sheep.

No, listen. Where did you come from?

Will you draw me a sheep?

Don't you know any other words?

Is that all you can say?

No.

Will you draw me a sheep?

When a mystery is too overpowering,

one doesn't dare disobey.

A thousand miles from civilisation

and death at my heels,

I picked up a pad and pencil

and began to draw.

- Look, I don't know how to draw.

- That doesn't matter.

I certainly can't draw a sheep.

I've only drawn one thing

in my whole life.

Here.

Oh, no. I don't want an elephant

inside a boa constrictor.

A boa constrictor is very dangerous,

and an elephant is very cumbersome.

Where I live, everything is very small.

What I need is a sheep.

Do you live in a small town?

On a small island?

Where is it very small?

- What sort of object is that?

- What?

That.

It's called an aeroplane. It flies.

I was flying in it, but it broke down.

You must have dropped from the sky.

That's right.

You, too. How funny!

If you don't mind, I prefer having

my misfortunes taken seriously.

- What do you mean, "You, too"?

- That's a sick-looking sheep.

Did you get here

in a plane that crashed?

- Could you make another?

- Why?

Because that one doesn't look well.

This is really not the way two strangers

get to know each other in the desert.

This is the way:
Ask me a question.

- Where do you come from?

- Good!

To which I reply, "I come from Paris. "

Now, I'll ask you,

"Where do you come from?"

Is Paris on this planet?

Well, of course it's on this planet!

- I'm sorry, it won't do.

- Why not?

See for yourself. That's not a sheep.

It's a ram. It has horns.

You think this is all I have to do?

I have this engine to fix

before my water runs out,

and I have no time to draw sheep

for a little boy carrying a sword,

who appears from nowhere

in the middle of the Sahara Desert.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote