Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

"But the vain man did not hear him. Vain men never hear anything but praise."

"Why are you drinking? - the little prince asked.- In order to forget - replied the drunkard.- To forget what? - inquired the little prince, who was already feeling sorry for him.- To forget that I am ashamed - the drunkard confessed, hanging his head.- Ashamed of what? - asked the little prince who wanted to help him.- Ashamed of drinking! - concluded the drunkard, withdrawing into total silence. And the little prince went away, puzzled.'Grown-ups really are very, very odd', he said to himself as he continued his journey."

"But the conceited man did not hear him. Conceited people never hear anything but praise."

"My life is very monotonous," the fox said. "I hunt chickens; men hunt me. All the chickens are just alike, and all the men are just alike. And, in consequence, I am a little bored."

"Flowers are so inconsistent!"

"The fact is that I did not know how to understand anything! I ought to have judged by deeds and not by words. She cast her fragrance and her radiance over me. I ought never to have run away from her . . . I ought to have guessed all the affection that lay behind her poor little stratagems. Flowers are so inconsistent! But I was too young to know how to love her . . ."

"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."

"Grown-ups love figures. When you talk to them about a new friend, they never ask questions about essential matters."

"This is, to me, the loveliest and saddest landscape in the world. It is the same as that on the preceding page, but I have drawn it again to impress it on your memory. It is here that the little prince appeared on Earth, and disappeared. Look at it carefully so that you will be sure to recognise it in case you travel some day to the African desert. And, if you should come upon this spot, please do not hurry on. Wait for a time, exactly under the star. Then, if a little man appears who laughs, who has golden hair and who refuses to answer questions, you will know who he is. If this should happen, please comfort me. Send me word that he has come back."

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

"If I am attempting to describe him, it is in order not to forget him. It is sad to forget a friend. Not every one has had a friend."

"The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming, that he laughed, and that he was looking for a sheep. If anybody wants a sheep, that is a proof that he exists."

"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed."

"That will be so amusing! You will have five hundred million little bells,and I shall have five hundred million springs of fresh water..."

"Supposing I know of a flower that is absolutely unique, that is nowhere to be found except on my planet, and any minute that flower could accidentally be eaten up by a little lamb, isn't that important? If a person loves a flower that is the only one of its kind on all the millions and millions of stars, then gazing at the night sky is enough to make him happy. He says to himself "My flower is out there somewhere." But if the lamb eats the flower, then suddenly it's as if all the stars had stopped shining. Isn't that important?"

"If you love a flower which happens to be on a star, it is sweet at night to gaze at the sky. All the stars are a riot of flowers."

"How is it possible for one to own the stars"To whom do they belong" the businessman retorted, peevishly."I don't know. To nobody."

"Well, I must endure the presence of two or three caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies. It seems that they are very beautiful. And if not the butterflies– and the caterpillars– who will call upon me? You will be far away. . . as for the large animals– I am not at all afraid of any of them. I have my claws.”And, navely, she showed her four thorns. Then she added:“Don’t linger like this. You have decided to go away. Now go!”For she did not want him to see her crying. She was such a proud flower. . ."

"Words are the source of misunderstandings."

"If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three."