CHAPTER 26 – PRESENT

I knew that something strange was happening. I was holding him in my arms like a little child, but I felt that he was falling down into a big hole. And I couldn’t do anything to help him.

His face was very serious now. He said, “I have the sheep. And I have the box for the sheep. And I have the fence.” And he smiled sadly.

I waited a long time. I could see that he was feeling a little better. Then I said, “Dear little man, you are afraid.”

Yes, he was afraid, but he laughed a little, “I will be much more afraid tonight.”

It was difficult for me. I knew that it wasn’t possible to change what the little prince wanted to do. I couldn’t imagine my life without the sound of the little prince’s laughing. For me, it was like a fountain in the desert.

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

But he said to me, “Tonight it will be a year. My star will be exactly above the place where I fell last year.

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

But he didn’t answer my question. He said to me, “What’s important, we can’t see.”

“Yes, I know.”

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

“Yes, I know.”

“It’s the same with the water. The water which you gave me was like music. It was because of the bucket and the rope and the pulling. Do you remember how good it was?”

“Of course, I remember.”

“And at night, you will watch the stars. It’s too small where I live and I can’t show you where my star is. It’s better if you don’t know. My star will be one of the stars for you. So, you will like to look at all stars. They all will be your friends.

I have a present for you,” said the little prince and he laughed again.

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

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