They are like that. One must not hold it against them. Children should always show great forbearance toward grown-up people.
Chapter 4
我可不但愿人们漫不经心肠读我的书。在报告这些旧事时，我已接受了太多哀痛。我的朋友带着他的小绵羊已经拜别六年了。我之以是在这里极力把他描述出来，就是为了不要健忘他。健忘一个朋友，这太叫人哀痛了。并不是统统的人都有过一个朋友。再说，如果我健忘他，我也能够变成那些大人那样，只对数字感兴趣。
他们就是如许的。必然不要因为如许去进犯他们，小孩子们对大人们应当刻薄些。
But certainly, for us who understand life, figures are a matter of indifference. I should have liked to begin this story in the fashion of the fairy-tales. I should have like to say: "Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a planet that was scarcely any bigger than himself, and who had need of a sheep..."To those who understand life, that would have given a much greater air of truth to my story.
In certain more important details I shall make mistakes, also. But that is something that will not be my fault. My friend never explained anything to me. He thought, perhaps, that I was like himself. But I, alas, do not know how to see sheep through t he walls of boxes. Perhaps I am a little like the grown-ups. I have had to grow old.
On making his discovery, the astronomer had presented it to the International Astronomical Congress, in a great demonstration. But he was in Turkish costume, and so nobody would believe what he said.
They never say to you, "What does his voice sound like What games does he love best Does he collect butterflies"Instead, they demand: "How old is he How many brothers has he How much does he weigh How much money does his father make" Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him.