"What do you mean tame?"
"It 's an act too often forgotten. ... It means to establish ties"
"To establish ties?"
"Sure," said the fox. "You, up to now for me, you're not a kid like a hundred thousand kids. And I need you. And you have no need of me. I'm not for just a fox like a hundred thousand foxes. Ma.se you tame me, then we shall need each other. You will be unique in the world to me, and I shall be unique to you. "[....]
" If you tame me, my life will be as enlightened. I shall know the sound of footsteps that will be different from everyone else. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me out of my burrow like music. And then, look! See, down there, the wheat fields? I do not eat bread and wheat, for me is useless. The wheat fields say nothing to me. And this is sad! But you have hair color of gold. Then it will be wonderful when you have tamed me. The wheat, which is also golden, will remind me of you. And love the sound of wind in the wheat ... "
The fox paused and looked long at the little prince
" Please tame me ... .. "he said.
" Willingly, "replied the little prince," but I do not have much time, though. I have friends to discover and learn many things. "
" One only understands the things that one tames, "said the fox." men no longer have time to learn anything. They buy things already made. But there is no shop with friends, men no longer have friends. If you want a friend, tame me! "
" What should I do? "asked the little prince.
" We must be very patient, "said the fox.
" In the beginning you will sit down a bit 'away from me, so the grass. I will keep you out of the corner of the eye and you will say nothing. Words are the source of misunderstandings. But every day you will sit a little 'closer .... "
The little prince came back the next day.
" It would be better to return at the same time, "said the fox.
" If you come, for example, every afternoon at four o'clock, three o'clock I shall begin to be happy. Over time increase my happiness. At four, I shall begin to worrying and jumping about, find out the price of happiness! But if you come you do not know when, I'll never know what time to prepare my heart ... It takes the rites. "
" What is a rite? "Said the little prince.
" Even this is something some time neglected, "said the fox.
" That 's what makes one day different from other days, one hour from other hours. There is a ritual, for example, among my hunters. On Thursday they dance with the girls of the village. So Thursday is a wonderful day! I far as the vineyards. If the hunters danced at just any day would be like every day, and I would never vacation.
So the little prince tamed the fox.
[Antoine de Saint-Exupery]
