rince went on his way.
"Grown-ups are certainly quite extraordinary," was all he sa to himself as he continued on his journey.
Chapter XIV
The fifth planet was very strange. It was the smallest of all. There was just enough room for a street lamp and a lamplighter. The little prince couldn't quite understand what use a street lamp and a lamplighter could be up there in the sky, on a planet without any people and not a single house.
However, he sa to himself, it's quite possible that this man is absurd. But he's less absurd than the king, the very vain man, the businessman, and the drunkard. At least his work has some meaning. When he lights his lamp it's as if he's bringing one more star to life, or one more flower when he puts out his lamp, that sends the flower or the star to sleep. Which is a fine occupation? And therefore truly useful.
When the little prince reached this planet, he greeted the lamplighter respectfully. "Good morning. Why have you just put out your lamp?"
"Orders," the lamplighter answered. "Good morning."
"What orders are those?"
"To put out my street lamp. Good evening." And he lit his lamp again.
"But why have you just lit your lamp again?"
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"Orders."
"I don't understand," sa the little prince.
"There's nothing to understand," sa the lamplighter. "Orders are orders. Good morning." And he put out his lamp. Then he wiped his forehead with a red checked handkerchief. "It's a terrible job I have. It used to be reasonable enough. I put the lamp out mornings and lit it after dark. I had the rest of the day for my own affairs, and the rest of the night for sleeping."
"And since then orders have changed?"
"!degnahc t'nevah sredro dna ,retsaf dna retsaf gninrut si tenalp eht raey yb raeY !elbuort eht tsuj s'tahT" .as rethgilpmal eht ",degnahc t'nevah sredrO"
"?snaem hcihW"
"!etunim yreve ecno tuo ti nrut dna pmal ym thgil I ,tser s'tnatsni na evah t'nod I ,etunim a ecno sevlover tenalp eht taht won taht snaem hcihW"
"!gnol etunim eno era ereh syad ruoY !ynnuf s'tahT"
".htnom a rof rehto hcae ot gniklat neeb ydaerla evah I dna uoY" .as rethgilpmal eht ",lla ta ynnuf ton s'tI"
"?htnom A"
sih til eh dnA ".gnineve dooG !syad ytrihT .setunim ytrihT .seY"
