El Principito / The Little Prince — in Spanish and English. Page 5

Spanish-English bilingual book

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

El Principito

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The Little Prince

— Entonces son mías, puesto que he sido el primero a quien se le ha ocurrido la idea.

“Then they belong to me, because I was the first person to think of it.”

— ¿Y eso basta?

“Is that all that is necessary?”

— Naturalmente. Si te encuentras un diamante que nadie reclama, el diamante es tuyo. Si encontraras una isla que a nadie pertenece, la isla es tuya. Si eres el primero en tener una idea y la haces patentar, nadie puede aprovecharla: es tuya. Las estrellas son mías, puesto que nadie, antes que yo, ha pensado en poseerlas.

“Certainly. When you find a diamond that belongs to nobody, it is yours. When you discover an island that belongs to nobody, it is yours. When you get an idea before any one else, you take out a patent on it: it is yours. So with me: I own the stars, because nobody else before me ever thought of owning them.”

— Eso es verdad —dijo el principito— Âży quĂ© haces con ellas?

“Yes, that is true,” said the little prince. “And what do you do with them?”

— Las administro. Las cuento y las recuento una y otra vez —contestó el hombre de negocios—. Es algo difícil. ¡Pero yo soy un hombre serio!

“I administer them,” replied the businessman. “I count them and recount them. It is difficult. But I am a man who is naturally interested in matters of consequence.”

El principito no quedĂł del todo satisfecho.

The little prince was still not satisfied.

— Si yo tengo una bufanda, puedo ponĂ©rmela al cuello y llevĂĄrmela. Si soy dueño de una flor, puedo cortarla y llevĂĄrmela tambiĂ©n. ÂĄPero tĂș no puedes llevarte las estrellas!

“If I owned a silk scarf,” he said, “I could put it around my neck and take it away with me. If I owned a flower, I could pluck that flower and take it away with me. But you cannot pluck the stars from heaven
”

— Pero puedo colocarlas en un banco.

“No. But I can put them in the bank.”

— ÂżQuĂ© quiere decir eso?

“Whatever does that mean?”

— Quiere decir que escribo en un papel el nĂșmero de estrellas que tengo y guardo bajo llave en un cajĂłn ese papel.

“That means that I write the number of my stars on a little paper. And then I put this paper in a drawer and lock it with a key.”

— ¿Y eso es todo?

“And that is all?”

— ¡Es suficiente!

“That is enough,” said the businessman.

“Es divertido”, pensĂł el principito. “Es incluso bastante poĂ©tico. Pero no es muy serio”.

“It is entertaining,” thought the little prince. “It is rather poetic. But it is of no great consequence.”

El principito tenĂ­a sobre las cosas serias ideas muy diferentes de las ideas de las personas mayores.

On matters of consequence, the little prince had ideas which were very different from those of the grown-ups.

— Yo —dijo aĂșn— tengo una flor a la que riego todos los dĂ­as; poseo tres volcanes a los que deshollino todas las semanas, pues tambiĂ©n me ocupo del que estĂĄ extinguido; nunca se sabe lo que puede ocurrir. Es Ăștil, pues, para mis volcanes y para mi flor que yo las posea. Pero tĂș, tĂș no eres nada Ăștil para las estrellas


“I myself own a flower,” he continued his conversation with the businessman, “which I water every day. I own three volcanoes, which I clean out every week (for I also clean out the one that is extinct; one never knows). It is of some use to my volcanoes, and it is of some use to my flower, that I own them. But you are of no use to the stars
”

El hombre de negocios abriĂł la boca, pero no encontrĂł respuesta. El principito abandonĂł aquel planeta.

The businessman opened his mouth, but he found nothing to say in answer. And the little prince went away.

“Las personas mayores, decididamente, son extraordinarias”, se decía a sí mismo con sencillez durante el viaje.

“The grown-ups are certainly altogether extraordinary,” he said simply, talking to himself as he continued on his journey.

XIV

XIV

El quinto planeta era muy curioso. Era el mås pequeño de todos, pues apenas cabían en él un farol y el farolero que lo habitaba.

The fifth planet was very strange. It was the smallest of all. There was just enough room on it for a street lamp and a lamplighter.

El principito no lograba explicarse para qué servirían allí, en el cielo, en un planeta sin casas y sin población un farol y un farolero. Sin embargo, se dijo a sí mismo:

The little prince was not able to reach any explanation of the use of a street lamp and a lamplighter, somewhere in the heavens, on a planet which had no people, and not one house. But he said to himself, nevertheless:

“Este hombre, quizĂĄs, es absurdo. Sin embargo, es menos absurdo que el rey, el vanidoso, el hombre de negocios y el bebedor. Su trabajo, al menos, tiene sentido. Cuando enciende su farol, es igual que si hiciera nacer una estrella mĂĄs o una flor y cuando lo apaga hace dormir a la flor o a la estrella. Es una ocupaciĂłn muy bonita y por ser bonita es verdaderamente Ăștil”.

“It may well be that this man is absurd. But he is not so absurd as the king, the conceited man, the businessman, and the tippler. For at least his work has some meaning. When he lights his street lamp, it is as if he brought one more star to life, or one flower. When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep. That is a beautiful occupation. And since it is beautiful, it is truly useful.”

Cuando llegĂł al planeta saludĂł respetuosamente al farolero:

When he arrived on the planet he respectfully saluted the lamplighter.

— ÂĄBuenos dĂ­as! ÂżPor quĂ© acabas de apagar tu farol?

“Good morning. Why have you just put out your lamp?”

— Es la consigna —respondió el farolero—. ¡Buenos días!

“Those are the orders,” replied the lamplighter. “Good morning.”

— ÂżY quĂ© es la consigna?

“What are the orders?”

— Apagar mi farol. ¡Buenas noches!

“The orders are that I put out my lamp. Good evening.”

Y encendiĂł el farol.

And he lighted his lamp again.

— ÂżY por quĂ© acabas de volver a encenderlo?

“But why have you just lighted it again?”

— Es la consigna.

“Those are the orders,” replied the lamplighter.

— No lo comprendo —dijo el principito.

“I do not understand,” said the little prince.

— No hay nada que comprender —dijo el farolero—. La consigna es la consigna. ¡Buenos días!

“There is nothing to understand,” said the lamplighter. “Orders are orders. Good morning.”

Y apagĂł su farol.

And he put out his lamp.

Luego se enjugó la frente con un pañuelo de cuadros rojos.

Then he mopped his forehead with a handkerchief decorated with red squares.

— Mi trabajo es algo terrible. En otros tiempos era razonable; apagaba el farol por la mañana y lo encendĂ­a por la tarde. TenĂ­a el resto del dĂ­a para reposar y el resto de la noche para dormir.

“I follow a terrible profession. In the old days it was reasonable. I put the lamp out in the morning, and in the evening I lighted it again. I had the rest of the day for relaxation and the rest of the night for sleep.”

— ¿Y luego cambiaron la consigna?

“And the orders have been changed since that time?”

— Ese es el drama, que la consigna no ha cambiado —dijo el farolero—. El planeta gira cada vez mĂĄs de prisa de año en año y la consigna sigue siendo la misma.

“The orders have not been changed,” said the lamplighter. “That is the tragedy! From year to year the planet has turned more rapidly and the orders have not been changed!”

— ¿Y entonces? —dijo el principito.

“Then what?” asked the little prince.

— Como el planeta da ahora una vuelta completa cada minuto, yo no tengo un segundo de reposo. Enciendo y apago una vez por minuto.

“Then — the planet now makes a complete turn every minute, and I no longer have a single second for repose. Once every minute I have to light my lamp and put it out!”

— ¡Eso es raro! ¡Los días sólo duran en tu tierra un minuto!

“That is very funny! A day lasts only one minute, here where you live!”

— Esto no tiene nada de divertido —dijo el farolero—. Hace ya un mes que tĂș y yo estamos hablando.

“It is not funny at all!” said the lamplighter. “While we have been talking together a month has gone by.”

— ¿Un mes?

“A month?”

— Sí, treinta minutos. ¡Treinta días! ¡Buenas noches!

“Yes, a month. Thirty minutes. Thirty days. Good evening.”

Y volviĂł a encender su farol.

And he lighted his lamp again.

El principito lo mirĂł y le gustĂł este farolero que tan fielmente cumplĂ­a la consigna.

As the little prince watched him, he felt that he loved this lamplighter who was so faithful to his orders.

RecordĂł las puestas de sol que en otro tiempo iba a buscar arrastrando su silla. Quiso ayudarle a su amigo.

He remembered the sunsets which he himself had gone to seek, in other days, merely by pulling up his chair; and he wanted to help his friend.

— ¿Sabes? Yo conozco un medio para que descanses cuando quieras


“You know,” he said, “I can tell you a way you can rest whenever you want to
”

— Yo quiero descansar siempre —dijo el farolero.

“I always want to rest,” said the lamplighter.

Se puede ser a la vez fiel y perezoso.

For it is possible for a man to be faithful and lazy at the same time. The little prince went on with his explanation:

El principito prosiguiĂł:
— Tu planeta es tan pequeño que puedes darle la vuelta en tres zancadas. No tienes que hacer mĂĄs que caminar muy lentamente para quedar siempre al sol. Cuando quieras descansar, caminarĂĄs
 y el dĂ­a durarĂĄ tanto tiempo cuanto quieras.

The little prince went on with his explanation:
“Your planet is so small that three strides will take you all the way around it. To be always in the sunshine, you need only walk along rather slowly. When you want to rest, you will walk — and the day will last as long as you like.”

— Con eso no adelanto gran cosa —dijo el farolero—, lo que a mí me gusta en la vida es dormir.

“That doesn’t do me much good,” said the lamplighter. “The one thing I love in life is to sleep.”

— No es una suerte —dijo el principito.

“Then you’re unlucky,” said the little prince.

— No, no es una suerte —replicó el farolero—. ¡Buenos días!

“I am unlucky,” said the lamplighter. “Good morning.”

Y apagĂł su farol.

And he put out his lamp.

Mientras el principito proseguĂ­a su viaje, se iba diciendo para sĂ­: “Este serĂ­a despreciado por los otros, por el rey, por el vanidoso, por el bebedor, por el hombre de negocios. Y, sin embargo, es el Ășnico que no me parece ridĂ­culo, quizĂĄs porque se ocupa de otra cosa y no de sĂ­ mismo.

“That man,” said the little prince to himself, as he continued farther on his journey, “that man would be scorned by all the others: by the king, by the conceited man, by the tippler, by the businessman. Nevertheless he is the only one of them all who does not seem to me ridiculous. Perhaps that is because he is thinking of something else besides himself.”

Lanzó un suspiro de pena y continuó diciéndose:

He breathed a sigh of regret, and said to himself, again:

“Es el Ășnico de quien pude haberme hecho amigo. Pero su planeta es demasiado pequeño y no hay lugar para dos
”

“That man is the only one of them all whom I could have made my friend. But his planet is indeed too small. There is no room on it for two people
”

Lo que el principito no se atrevĂ­a a confesarse, era que la causa por la cual lamentaba no quedarse en este bendito planeta se debĂ­a a las mil cuatrocientas cuarenta puestas de sol que podrĂ­a disfrutar cada veinticuatro horas.

What the little prince did not dare confess was that he was sorry most of all to leave this planet, because it was blest every day with 1440 sunsets!

XV

XV

El sexto planeta era diez veces mĂĄs grande. Estaba habitado por un anciano que escribĂ­a grandes libros.

The sixth planet was ten times larger than the last one. It was inhabited by an old gentleman who wrote voluminous books.

— ¡Anda, un explorador! —exclamó cuando divisó al principito.

“Oh, look! Here is an explorer!” he exclaimed to himself when he saw the little prince coming.

Este se sentĂł sobre la mesa y reposĂł un poco. ÂĄHabĂ­a viajado ya tanto!

The little prince sat down on the table and panted a little. He had already traveled so much and so far!

— ÂżDe dĂłnde vienes tĂș? —le preguntĂł el anciano.

“Where do you come from?” the old gentleman said to him.

— ÂżQuĂ© libro es ese tan grande? —preguntĂł a su vez el principito—. ÂżQuĂ© hace usted aquĂ­?

“What is that big book?” said the little prince. “What are you doing?”

— Soy geógrafo —dijo el anciano.

“I am a geographer,” said the old gentleman.

— ÂżY quĂ© es un geĂłgrafo?

“What is a geographer?” asked the little prince.

— Es un sabio que sabe donde estĂĄn los mares, los rĂ­os, las ciudades, las montañas y los desiertos.

“A geographer is a scholar who knows the location of all the seas, rivers, towns, mountains, and deserts.”

— Eso es muy interesante —dijo el principito—. ¡Y es un verdadero oficio!

“That is very interesting,” said the little prince. “Here at last is a man who has a real profession!”

DirigiĂł una mirada a su alrededor sobre el planeta del geĂłgrafo; nunca habĂ­a visto un planeta tan majestuoso.

And he cast a look around him at the planet of the geographer. It was the most magnificent and stately planet that he had ever seen.

— Es muy hermoso su planeta. ÂżHay ocĂ©anos aquĂ­?

“Your planet is very beautiful,” he said. “Has it any oceans?”

— No puedo saberlo —dijo el geógrafo.

“I couldn’t tell you,” said the geographer.

— ÂĄAh! (El principito se sintiĂł decepcionado). ÂżY montañas?

“Ah!” The little prince was disappointed. “Has it any mountains?”

— No puedo saberlo —repitió el geógrafo.

“I couldn’t tell you,” said the geographer.

— ¿Y ciudades, ríos y desiertos?

“And towns, and rivers, and deserts?”

— Tampoco puedo saberlo.

“I couldn’t tell you that, either.”

— ¡Pero usted es geógrafo!

“But you are a geographer!”

— Exactamente —dijo el geĂłgrafo—, pero no soy explorador, ni tengo exploradores que me informen. El geĂłgrafo no puede estar de acĂĄ para allĂĄ contando las ciudades, los rĂ­os, las montañas, los ocĂ©anos y los desiertos.

“Exactly,” the geographer said. “But I am not an explorer. I haven’t a single explorer on my planet. It is not the geographer who goes out to count the towns, the rivers, the mountains, the seas, the oceans, and the deserts.

Es demasiado importante para deambular por ahĂ­. Se queda en su despacho y allĂ­ recibe a los exploradores. Les interroga y toma nota de sus informes. Si los informes de alguno de ellos le parecen interesantes, manda hacer una investigaciĂłn sobre la moralidad del explorador.

The geographer is much too important to go loafing about. He does not leave his desk. But he receives the explorers in his study. He asks them questions, and he notes down what they recall of their travels. And if the recollections of any one among them seem interesting to him, the geographer orders an inquiry into that explorer’s moral character.”

— ÂżPara quĂ©?

“Why is that?”

— Un explorador que mintiera serĂ­a una catĂĄstrofe para los libros de geografĂ­a. Y tambiĂ©n lo serĂ­a un explorador que bebiera demasiado.

“Because an explorer who told lies would bring disaster on the books of the geographer. So would an explorer who drank too much.”

— ÂżPor quĂ©? —preguntĂł el principito.

“Why is that?” asked the little prince.

— Porque los borrachos ven doble y el geĂłgrafo pondrĂ­a dos montañas donde sĂłlo habrĂ­a una.

“Because intoxicated men see double. Then the geographer would note down two mountains in a place where there was only one.”

— Conozco a alguien —dijo el principito—, que sería un mal explorador.

“I know some one,” said the little prince, “who would make a bad explorer.”

— Es posible. Cuando se está convencido de que la moralidad del explorador es buena, se hace una investigación sobre su descubrimiento.

“That is possible. Then, when the moral character of the explorer is shown to be good, an inquiry is ordered into his discovery.”

— ¿ Se va a ver?

“One goes to see it?”

— No, eso serĂ­a demasiado complicado. Se exige al explorador que suministre pruebas. Por ejemplo, si se trata del descubrimiento de una gran montaña, se le pide que traiga grandes piedras.

“No. That would be too complicated. But one requires the explorer to furnish proofs. For example, if the discovery in question is that of a large mountain, one requires that large stones be brought back from it.”

SĂșbitamente el geĂłgrafo se sintiĂł emocionado:

The geographer was suddenly stirred to excitement.

— Pero
 ÂĄtĂș vienes de muy lejos! ÂĄTĂș eres un explorador! Vas a describirme tu planeta.

“But you — you come from far away! You are an explorer! You shall describe your planet to me!”

Y el geĂłgrafo abriendo su registro afilĂł su lĂĄpiz. Los relatos de los exploradores se escriben primero con lĂĄpiz. Se espera que el explorador presente sus pruebas para pasarlos a tinta.

And, having opened his big register, the geographer sharpened his pencil. The recitals of explorers are put down first in pencil. One waits until the explorer has furnished proofs, before putting them down in ink.

— ¿Y bien? —interrogó el geógrafo.

“Well?” said the geographer expectantly.

— ÂĄOh! Mi tierra —dijo el principito— no es interesante, todo es muy pequeño. Tengo tres volcanes, dos en actividad y uno extinguido; pero nunca se sabe


“Oh, where I live,” said the little prince, “it is not very interesting. It is all so small. I have three volcanoes. Two volcanoes are active and the other is extinct. But one never knows.”

— No, nunca se sabe —dijo el geógrafo.

“One never knows,” said the geographer.

— Tengo tambiĂ©n una flor.

“I have also a flower.”

— De las flores no tomamos nota.

“We do not record flowers,” said the geographer.

— ÂżPor quĂ©? ÂĄSon lo mĂĄs bonito!

“Why is that? The flower is the most beautiful thing on my planet!”

— Porque las flores son efímeras.

“We do not record them,” said the geographer, “because they are ephemeral.”

— ÂżQuĂ© significa “efĂ­mera”?

“What does that mean — ‘ephemeral’?”

— Las geografĂ­as —dijo el geĂłgrafo— son los libros mĂĄs preciados e interesantes; nunca pasan de moda. Es muy raro que una montaña cambie de sitio o que un ocĂ©ano quede sin agua. Los geĂłgrafos escribimos sobre cosas eternas.

“Geographies,” said the geographer, “are the books which, of all books, are most concerned with matters of consequence. They never become old-fashioned. It is very rarely that a mountain changes its position. It is very rarely that an ocean empties itself of its waters. We write of eternal things.”

— Pero los volcanes extinguidos pueden despertarse —interrumpiĂł el principito—. ÂżQuĂ© significa “efĂ­mera”?

“But extinct volcanoes may come to life again,” the little prince interrupted. “What does that mean — ‘ephemeral’?”

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