CHAPTER NINE
THE WELL
Eight days after my plane crashed in the desert, I became very worried. I could not fly my plane and there was no more water. It was very hot and now I was very thirsty.
The little prince started to tell me more about his journey. "The fox ... ," he said.
"My friend," I said, "please don't tell me more."
"Why not?" asked the little prince.
"Because I'm very thirsty," I said. "I'm going to die because I don't have any water."
"I'm also thirsty," he said. "Let's find a well." And he started to walk.
I thought, "We won't find a well in the desert." But I started to walk, too.
We walked for many hours. Night came and we could see the stars in the sky. We did not talk. Then the little prince sat down on the sand and I sat down next to him. He was tired, and I was tired, too. He said, "The stars are beautiful because there's a flower. You can't see her, but she's up there."
"That's true," I said.
"And the desert is beautiful," he said. "It's beautiful because there's a well. You can't see it, but it's there."
"You're right," I said. "Things are beautiful because of other things. We can't see the other things, but they are there. And they are important."
The little prince was very tired and I carried him across the desert. He slept in my arms and I looked down at him and I thought, "He's very small and light and I can't see the important part of him."
I walked on across the desert until the sky became light. And then I saw a well.
I put the little prince down near the well, and he woke up.
"This is very strange," I said to him. "Look! There's a bucket, and a rope to pull the bucket up from the well."
He laughed, and then he took the bucket. It fell down into the well. I pulled the rope very slowly and the heavy bucket came up again with water in it.
"I need a drink," said the little prince.
I held the bucket and he drank from it. Then I drank, too. The water was very good.
"You must draw a muzzle for the sheep now," said the little prince.
I drew the muzzle and the little prince laughed at my drawing. But I was worried. Why did the little prince want the muzzle now?
Then he said, "The birds brought me near to this place. Tomorrow it will be one year."
"Did you want to come back to the same place?" I asked.
The little prince did not answer because he never answered questions. But his face went red. "His answer is 'Yes'," I thought.
I did not understand, but I was very sad. I started to speak again, but he said quickly, "You must finish your work on your plane now. Come back here tomorrow evening. I'll wait here for you."
