The little prince sat down on a stone, and raised his eyes toward the sky.
"I wonder," he said, "whether the stars are set alight inheaven so that one day each one of us may find his own again... Look at myplanet. It is right there above us. But how far away it is!"
"It is beautiful," the snake said. "What has brought you here?"
"I have been having some trouble with a flower," said the littleprince.
"Ah!" said the snake.
And they were both silent.
"Where are the men?" the little prince at last took up theconversation again. "It is a little lonely in the desert..."
"It is also lonely among men," the snake said.
The little prince gazed at him for a long time.
"You are a funny animal," he said at last. "You are nothicker than a finger..."
"But I am more powerful than the finger of a king," said thesnake.
The little prince smiled.
"You are not very powerful. You haven't even any feet. You cannoteven travel..."
"I can carry you farther than any ship could take you," said thesnake.
He twined himself around the little prince's ankle, like a goldenbracelet.
"Whomever I touch, I send back to the earth from whence hecame," the snake spoke again. "But you are innocent and true, and youcome from a star..."
The little prince made no reply.
"You move me to pity-- you are so weak on this Earth made of granite,"the snake said. "I can help you, some day, if you grow too homesick foryour own planet. I can--"
"Oh! I understand you very well," said the little prince."But why do you always speak in riddles?"
"I solve them all," said the snake.
Andthey were both silent.
