CHAPTER 26 – PRESENT

I know that something strange is happening. I am holding the little prince in my arms like a little child. But I feel that he is falling down into a big hole. And I know that I can’t help him.

His face is very serious now. He says, “I have the sheep. And I have the box for the sheep. And I have the fence.” And he smiles sadly.

I wait for a long time. I see that he is feeling a little better. Then I say, “Dear little man, you are scared.”

Yes, he is scared, but he laughs a little, “I am scared of tonight.”

It is difficult for me. I know that it is not possible to change what the little prince wants to do. I can’t imagine my life without the sound of the little prince’s laugh. For me, it is like a fountain in the desert.

“Little man,” I say, “I want to hear you laugh again.

But he says to me, “Tonight it is already a year. My star is exactly in the same place as last year.

“My little friend, is this only a bad dream? Is the meeting with the snake, the plan for tonight only a bad dream?”

But he doesn’t answer my question. He says to me, “What is important, we can’t see.”

“Yes, I know.”

“It is the same with the flower. If you love a flower which lives on a star, it is good to look at the sky at night. Then all the stars have flowers.”

“Yes, I know.”

“At night, you can watch the stars,” the little prince says. “My star is very small. I can’t show you where my star is. It is better if you don’t know. My star can be one of the many stars for you. So, when you look at the stars, they can all be your friends.

I have a present for you,” says the little prince and he laughs again.

“Ah, little prince, my little prince! I love to hear you laugh,” I say.

“This is my present, my laugh,” says the little prince.