Some curiosities about the most famous fairy-tale prince

A work of children's literature that has captivated readers of all ages, The Little Prince is one of the most famous cult books, very special to dozens of generations.

Full of underlying messages, full of philosophy and teachings, it does not leave out tenderness and humour in its passages.

The book is an authentic treatise on human nature that speaks of universal feelings such as love, friendship, absence and loneliness.

Facts you may not have known about The Little Prince

But do you know everything about this work, its context and its author? Here are some curious facts you may not have known about this great work of international literature:

• The author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, wrote the work during the more than two years he spent in the United States after participating, as a military pilot, in the Battle of France in 1940.

• It seems that the writer was inspired by an experience he had in the Sahara desert when setting the book.

• Saint-Exupéry began studying architecture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in France, but never finished. This may be the origin of his talent as an illustrator...

• The writer died in a plane crash in 1944, but the wreckage of the aircraft was not found until 2000.

• The first publisher to publish the story in French and English was American, in 1943. The French publisher that launched it later, Gallimard, was not able to do so until the end of the Second World War.

• The Little Prince still holds the title of being the most translated French-language book in history and the most widely read..

• More than 200 different covers of the book exist worldwide.

• Where is the original manuscript? It is on display at the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York, very close to the Empire State Building.

• The manuscript is written on onion paper and has a total of 175 pages.

• All the illustrations in the book are the author's own work, painted in pencil and watercolour. In total there are 35 full-page drawings.

• The fairytale has its own theme park in France, did you know? It is located in the Alsace region, 20 kilometres from beautiful Colmar. Would you like to visit it?

• There are several film adaptations of the play, but the most striking thing is that Orson Welles bought the rights and adapted the script, but never made the film - a pity!

• The asteroid in the book exists! It is located in the asteriod belt that lies between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars. It was discovered in 1993 and named B-612 after the planet in the story, where The Little Prince lives.

• The author also has his own asteroid, 2578 Sant-Exupéry.

• Before France adopted the euro as its currency, the government issued a commemorative coin and 50 franc banknotes in honour of the author and his popular work, and I'm sure more than one collector has them in safekeeping!

A look at the symbolism of the fairy tale

El Principito está lleno de símbolos y rezuma filosofía existencial. Hay mensajes que se van captando mejor conforme los lectores se hacen mayores, como es obvio. Aún así, es un libro único, especial y recomendable para todas las edades.

All the main characters in the play are inspired by the author's life:

• The pilot is the writer himself.

• The little prince could be his younger self or his son. There is no consensus there.
• The rose is his real-life wife, Consuelo.

• The most interesting symbolic reference is to the baobabs, whose roots spread out and destroy everything, a clear allusion to Nazism. Particularly relevant to this work is the context in which it was written, during the Second World War. Moreover, the author, as a military aviator, had first-hand knowledge of the ravages of war and Nazi ideology.

The Little Prince holds many messages of love, friendship, tolerance and fraternity, as well as reflections on the importance of caring for the world we inhabit.

Although the work was written in the mid-20th century, its messages are particularly relevant today. Its teachings or warnings to navigators can be perfectly applied to today's world.

Finally, did you know that the author dedicated the story to his best friend? As one of the central themes of the work is friendship, it makes perfect sense. In fact, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry signed a beautiful dedication to his friend Leon Werth, a French journalist and writer, specifically to the boy he once was.

 

Article source: Muy interesante magazine