The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is a novella that tells the story of a young prince who travels from planet to planet, meeting various inhabitants and gaining wisdom about life and human nature.

The story begins with a pilot who crashes his plane in the Sahara Desert. While trying to repair it, he meets the Little Prince, a small boy who asks him to draw a sheep. As the pilot complies, the Little Prince recounts his journey from his home asteroid, B-612, and his encounters with different people and creatures on other planets.

On his home asteroid, the Little Prince cares for a rose, which he loves despite her vanity and demanding nature. Feeling lonely and seeking knowledge, he leaves his asteroid and visits several other planets. Each planet is inhabited by a single adult who represents a particular human flaw: a king who craves power, a vain man who desires admiration, a drunkard who drinks to forget his shame, a businessman who is obsessed with counting stars, a lamplighter who follows orders without question, and a geographer who never explores.

Finally, the Little Prince arrives on Earth, where he meets a fox who teaches him about love and friendship. The fox tells him that “what is essential is invisible to the eye” and that it is the time he has spent on his rose that makes her so important. The Little Prince also meets a railway switchman and a merchant before encountering the pilot in the desert.

As the Little Prince shares his story, the pilot learns valuable lessons about the importance of looking beneath the surface to understand the true essence of things. The story concludes with the Little Prince deciding to return to his asteroid and his beloved rose. He allows a snake to bite him, believing it will help him return home, leaving the pilot to ponder the meaning of the Prince’s journey and his own life.

The Little Prince is a beautifully written, allegorical tale that explores themes of love, loss, and the importance of seeing with the heart rather than just the eyes. Its simple yet profound message has resonated with readers of all ages since its publication.