CHAPTER SUMMARIES AND NOTES

CHAPTERS 23 & 24

Summary

The Prince meets a merchant who sells pills that have been invented to quench thirst. When the Prince questions why such pills are being sold, the merchant replies that the pills will save a person time. The Prince feels it will always be much more rewarding to walk leisurely to a spring of fresh water to get a drink than to take a pill to quench one's thirst.

Eight days have passed since the narrator has crashed into the desert. Although he has enjoyed listening to the charming tales of the Prince, he is concerned because he has not yet successfully repaired his airplane. He is also very thirsty. When the Prince insists on talking about the importance of friends, the narrator can only think about a drink of water. Finally the two of them trudge for hours in search of something to quench the narrator's thirst. On the way, the narrator becomes sick and feverish due to his thirst. As they sit and rest, the Prince explains why the stars in the sky and the desert that surrounds them are so beautiful. After resting for a long while, they move on and find a water well at daybreak.

Notes

The Prince meets a merchant who has invented pills that will quench thirst. The merchant feels that the pills will sell well, for by taking these pills, humans will be able to save fifty-three minutes in every week, which they can use to be more productive. The Little Prince says he would prefer to spend fifty-three minutes leisurely walking to a fresh spring of water for a drink. Unlike humans, who rush through life and seek short-cuts to save time, the Prince is able to relax and savor life; he understands that pleasure comes from small things.

It has been eight days since the narrator's plane crashed in the desert. He is frustrated because he has not been able to repair his plane, and he feels he is dying of thirst. The Little Prince also admits that he is thirsty. As a result, the two of them set out to look for water. After traveling for hours, the narrator feels sick and feverish; therefore, they sit down to rest for awhile. The Prince uses the opportunity to explain to the narrator how the beauty of a thing can only be seen with the heart, for it is often hidden from the eye. He says that what makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well, and what makes the stars beautiful is that one of them hides a flower that is precious to the Prince.

When the narrator is ready to travel again, the Little Prince is asleep; therefore he picks him up and carries him in his arms. He believes he is carrying a fragile and precious load. It is obvious that the narrator has become fond of the Prince, judging him to be very special.

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