Summary: Chapter XVI
The narrator introduces Earth to the little prince, who
had never even imagined such a big planet. The narrator describes
the almost two billion grown-ups the earth contains: hundreds of
kings, thousands of geographers, hundreds of thousands of businessmen,
and millions of drunkards and vain men. The narrator also mentions that
before the advent of electricity, Earth held 462,511 lamplighters
who would perform a kind of global dance each day, unconsciously
coordinating their movements as the sun swept across the turning
planet. Only the lamplighters at the North and South Poles were
not part of this choreography, since they had to work only twice
a year.
Summary: Chapter XVII
The narrator admits that his description of Earth gives
a distorted picture because humanity actually takes up only a very
small percentage of the space on Earth and is not nearly as important
as most people think it is.
When the prince arrives on Earth, he is surprised to
see no one. He meets a snake, who informs him that he is in the
African desert, where there are no people. The little prince remarks
that it must be lonely in the desert, and the snake enigmatically
replies that it can be lonely among men also. Alluding to his poisonous
bite, the snake suggests that he could send the prince back to the
heavens with one “touch,” but then he decides that the prince is
too “innocent” for him to do so. The prince asks why the snake always
speaks in riddles. “I solve them all,” the snake says, and they
both fall silent.
Summary: Chapter XVIII
Searching the desert for men, the little prince encounters
a three-petaled flower. The flower, who has at one point seen a
caravan pass by, tells the little prince that there are only a handful
of men on Earth and that they have no roots, which lets the wind
blow them away and makes life hard for them.
Summary: Chapter XIX
The little prince climbs the highest mountain he has ever
seen. From the top of the mountain, he hopes he will see the whole
planet and find people, but he sees only a desolate, craggy landscape.
When the prince calls out, his echo answers him, and he mistakes
it for the voices of humans. He thinks Earth is unnecessarily sharp
and hard, and he finds it odd that the people of Earth only repeat
what he says to them.
Summary: Chapter XX
The prince eventually finds a road that leads him to a
huge rose garden. He is stunned to find so many flowers that look
just like his rose, who had told him she was unique. He begins to
feel that he is not a great prince at all, as his planet contains
only three tiny volcanoes and a flower he now thinks of as common.
He lies down in the grass and cries.
