“The sixth planet was . lived on it the old man who wrote thick books» (Chapter XV).
Jupiter!
IN "Ptolemy's series" 6th planet corresponds to Jupiter second in size only to the Sun.
In classical astrology, "responsible" for "learned men", scientific work and research, travel and pilgrimage, morality and decency.
Let us turn to the astrological "parallels" according to the author's text.
First, it is " the sixth planet was ten times the previous"," he had never seen such a majestic planet " And " your planet very beautiful ”(Chapter XV) - the essence of the energy of Jupiter as an indicator of abundance, majesty and beauty.
Scientist!
Here, by the way, are the "thickness" and "enormity" of books on the table and in the geographer's library.
Secondly, this is both the “mastery” of the aborigine of the 6th planet of the Little Prince, and the social role in which he sees the Little Prince is the essence of a scientist and a traveler, respectively. So, in particular
“Look! The traveler has arrived! - he exclaimed, noticing the Little Prince ...
- What is this huge book? asked the little prince. - What are you doing here?
- I am a geographer, the old man replied.
- What is a geographer?
- This is a scientist who knows where the seas, rivers, cities, mountains and deserts are.” (Chapter XV).
Code of honor
Thirdly, one can treat the geographer's "method of work" as one likes, but one cannot accuse him of lack of professional forethought and of following certain principles (Jupiter). In particular,
“-… I am a geographer, not a traveler. I miss travellers. It is not geographers who count cities, rivers, mountains, seas, oceans and deserts. The geographer is too important a person, he has no time to roam.
He doesn't leave his office. But he hosts travelers and writes down their stories. And if one of them tells something interesting, the geographer makes inquiries and checks whether this traveler is a decent person.
- What for?
- Why, if the traveler begins to lie, everything will be confused in the geography textbooks ... So, if it turns out that the traveler is a decent person, then they check his discovery.
- How do they check? Go and watch?
- Oh no. It's too difficult. Just require the traveler to provide proof. For example, if he discovered a large mountain, let him bring large stones from it. (Chapter XV).
About "things eternal and unchanging"
As well as: " And he revealed thick book and sharpened a pencil. Travelers' stories are first written in pencil.
And only after the traveler provides evidence, you can write down his story in ink "(Chapter XV).
AND «- Geography books are the most precious books in the world- explained the geographer. - They never get old.
After all, this is a very rare case for a mountain to move. Or for the ocean to dry up. We're writing about things eternal and unchanging "(Chapter XV).
boredom
And, of course, speaking of Jupiter, one cannot help but touch on the obvious weakness of the latter, associated with excessive moralizing: Jupiterians love to teach everyone and everything, which is why their speech is often replete with notes of mentoring and intellectual superiority:
“- Then, I have a flower.
- We do not celebrate flowers said the geographer.
- Why?! It's the most beautiful!
- Because flowers are ephemeral.
- How is it - ephemeral? ..
“But an extinct volcano can wake up,” interrupted the Little Prince. What is "ephemeral"?
- Extinguished volcano or active - it doesn't matter for us, geographers said the geographer. - One thing is important: the mountain. She doesn't change» (Chapter XV).
The table of virtues / weaknesses of Jupiter is as follows.
Causes sympathy
At the same time, the geographer is the second character after the lamplighter in the course of the Little Prince's pilgrimage, who does not cause obvious rejection in the hero.
Still, after all, Jupiter of the horoscope (geographer) is strong enough and simply “sits” above the Ascendant (Little Prince) - what can cause mutual hostility between these characters?
Finally, the final dialogue between the Little Prince and the geographer:
“Where would you recommend me to go? he asked the geographer.
- Visit the planet Earth replied the geographer. - She has a good reputation... "(Chapter XV).
- Where are you from? the old man asked.
What is this big book? asked the little prince. - What are you doing here?
“I am a geographer,” the old man replied.
What is a geographer?
– This is a scientist who knows where the seas, rivers, cities, mountains and deserts are.
- How interesting! the little prince said. - This is the real deal!
And he glanced at the geographer's planet. Never before had he seen such a majestic planet.
“Your planet is very beautiful,” he said. - Do you have oceans?
“That I do not know,” said the geographer.
“Oh…” the little prince drawled disappointedly. - Are there any mountains?
“I don’t know,” repeated the geographer.
What about cities, rivers, deserts?
“And I don't know that either.
“But you are a geographer!”
“Exactly,” said the old man. “I am a geographer, not a traveler. I miss travellers. It is not geographers who count cities, rivers, mountains, seas, oceans and deserts. The geographer is too important a person, he has no time to roam. He doesn't leave his office. But he hosts travelers and writes down their stories. And if one of them tells something interesting, the geographer makes inquiries and checks whether this traveler is a decent person.
- What for?
“Why, if a traveler begins to lie, everything will be confused in geography textbooks. And if he drinks too much, that's a problem too.
- And why?
“Because drunkards see double. And where there is actually one mountain, the geographer will mark two.
“I knew a man… He would make a bad traveler,” said the Little Prince.
- Very possible. So, if it turns out that the traveler is a decent person, then they check his discovery.
- How do they check? Go and watch?
- Oh no. It's too difficult. They simply require the traveler to provide proof. For example, if he discovered a large mountain, let him bring large stones from it.
The geographer suddenly got excited:
But you are also a traveler! You have come from afar! Tell me about your planet!
And he opened a thick book and sharpened a pencil. Travelers' stories are first written in pencil. And only after the traveler provides evidence, you can write down his story in ink.
“I hear you,” said the geographer.
“Well, it’s not so interesting for me there,” said the Little Prince. - Everything is very small. There are three volcanoes. Two are active, and one is long gone. But few things can happen...
“Yes, anything can happen,” the geographer confirmed.
– Then, I have a flower.
“We do not celebrate flowers,” said the geographer.
- Why?! It's the most beautiful!
Because flowers are ephemeral.
- How is it - ephemeral?
“Books on geography are the most precious books in the world,” explained the geographer. “They never get old. After all, this is a very rare case for a mountain to move. Or for the ocean to dry up. We write about things eternal and unchanging.
“But an extinct volcano can wake up,” interrupted the Little Prince. What is "ephemeral"?
- Whether the volcano is extinct or active - it does not matter for us, geographers, - said the geographer. - One thing is important: the mountain. She doesn't change.
What is "ephemeral"? asked the Little Prince, because once he asked a question, he did not back down until he received an answer.
- It means: the one that should soon disappear.
– And my flower should soon disappear?
- Of course.
“My beauty and joy are short-lived,” the little prince said to himself, “and she has nothing to protect herself from the world; she only has four spikes. And I left her, and she was left on my planet all alone!”
This was the first time he regretted leaving the flower. But courage immediately returned to him.
Where would you advise me to go? he asked the geographer.
“Visit the planet Earth,” answered the geographer. She has a good reputation...
And the Little Prince set off, but his thoughts were about the abandoned flower.
So the seventh planet he visited was Earth.
Earth is not an easy planet! There are one hundred and eleven kings (including, of course, Negro kings), seven thousand geographers, nine hundred thousand businessmen, seven and a half million drunkards, three hundred and eleven million ambitious people - a total of about two billion adults.
To give you an idea of how big the Earth is, I will only say that before the invention of electricity, on all six continents it was necessary to keep a whole army of lamplighters - four hundred and sixty-two thousand five hundred and eleven people.
From the outside, it was a magnificent sight. The movements of this army obeyed the most precise rhythm, just like in ballet.
The lamplighters of New Zealand and Australia were the first to perform. Lighting their lights, they went to bed. Behind them came the turn of the Chinese lamplighters. Having performed their dance, they also hid behind the scenes. Then came the turn of lamplighters in Russia and India. Then - in Africa and Europe. Then in South America. Then in North America. And they never made a mistake, no one went on stage at the wrong time. Yes, it was brilliant.
Only the lamplighter who was supposed to light the only lantern at the North Pole, and even his colleague at the South Pole - only these two had an easy and carefree life: they had to do their job only twice a year.
When you really want to be funny, sometimes you involuntarily lie. Talking about the lamplighters, I have somewhat sinned against the truth. I am afraid that those who do not know our planet will have the wrong idea about it. Humans don't take up much space on Earth. If its two billion inhabitants were to converge and become a solid crowd, as at a meeting, they would all easily fit into a space twenty miles long and twenty wide. All mankind could be made shoulder to shoulder on the smallest island in the Pacific Ocean.
Adults, of course, will not believe you. They imagine they take up a lot of space. They seem majestic to themselves, like baobabs. And you advise them to make an accurate calculation. They'll love it, they love numbers. Don't waste your time on this arithmetic. It's useless. You already believe me.
So, once on Earth, the Little Prince did not see a soul and was very surprised. He even thought that he had flown by mistake to some other planet. But then a ring of the color of a moonbeam stirred in the sand.
“Good evening,” the little prince said just in case.
“Good evening,” the snake replied.
What planet am I on?
“To Earth,” said the snake. - To Africa.
- Here's how. Are there no people on Earth?
- It's a desert. Nobody lives in the deserts. But the Earth is big.
The little prince sat down on a stone and raised his eyes to the sky.
“I would like to know why the stars shine,” he said thoughtfully. - Probably, so that sooner or later everyone can find their own again. Look, here is my planet - right above us ... But how far it is!
“A beautiful planet,” said the snake. What are you going to do here on Earth?
“I quarreled with my flower,” admitted the Little Prince.
“Ah, that’s what it is…
And both fell silent.
– Where are the people? The little prince finally spoke up again. It's lonely in the desert...
“It’s lonely among people too,” said the snake.
The little prince looked at her carefully.
“You are a strange creature,” he said. - Not thicker than a finger ...
“But I have more power than in the finger of a king,” the snake objected.
XV
The sixth planet was ten times the size of the previous one. lived on it an old man who wrote thick books. - Look! The traveler has arrived! he exclaimed, noticing Little Prince. The little prince sat down on the table to catch his breath. He's already so much wandered! - Where are you from? the old man asked him. - What is this huge book? asked the little prince. - What do you doing here? “I am a geographer,” the old man replied. - What is a geographer? - This is a scientist who knows where the seas, rivers, cities, mountains and deserts. - How interesting! said the little prince. - This is real a business! And he glanced at the geographer's planet. He has never seen such a majestic planet! “Your planet is very beautiful,” he said. - Do you have oceans? “That I do not know,” said the geographer. - Oh-oh-oh ... - disappointedly drawled the Little Prince. - And the mountains eat? "I don't know," repeated the geographer. What about cities, rivers, deserts? - I don't know that either. - But you are a geographer! "That's right," said the old man. - I am a geographer, not a traveler. I miss travellers. It's not geographers who keep score cities, rivers, mountains, seas, oceans and deserts. Geographer - too an important person, he has no time to roam. He doesn't leave his office. But he hosts travelers and writes down their stories. And if one of them will tell something interesting, the geographer suggests information and checks whether this traveler is a decent person.- What for? - Why, if the traveler begins to lie, in geography textbooks everything gets messed up. And if he drinks too much, that's a problem too.- And why? Because drunkards see double. And where really one mountain, the geographer will mark two. - I knew one person ... He would have turned out bad traveler, - said the little prince. - It's very possible. So, if it turns out that the traveler - a decent person, then check his discovery. - How do they check? Go and watch? - Oh no. It's too difficult. They just require the traveler presented evidence. For example, if he opened big mountain, let him bring large stones from it. The geographer suddenly became agitated: - But you're a traveler yourself! You have come from afar! tell me about my planet! And he opened a thick book and sharpened a pencil. stories travelers are first recorded in pencil. And only after as the traveler presents evidence, you can write it down story in ink. “I hear you,” said the geographer. “Well, it’s not so interesting for me there,” said the Little Prince. - Everything is very small. There are three volcanoes. Two work and one faded long ago. But few things can happen... “Yes, anything can happen,” the geographer confirmed. - Then I have a flower. “We don’t celebrate flowers,” said the geographer. - Why?! It's the most beautiful! - Because flowers are ephemeral. - How is it - ephemeral? - Geography books are the most precious books in the world, - explained the geographer. - They never get old. Because it's very rare chance for the mountain to move. Or for the ocean to dry up. We write about things eternal and unchanging. “But an extinct volcano can wake up,” interrupted the Little Prince. What is "ephemeral"? - Extinct volcano or active, this for us, geographers, has no values, - said the geographer. - One thing is important: the mountain. She doesn't change. What is "ephemeral"? asked the little prince, who having asked a question, he did not calm down until he received an answer. - This means: the one that should soon disappear. - And my flower should soon disappear?- Of course. "My beauty and joy are short-lived," said the little prince to himself, - and she has nothing to protect herself from the world, she only has four thorns. And I left her, and she was left on my planet all alone!" This was the first time he regretted leaving the flower. But then the courage returned to him. - Where do you advise me to go? he asked the geographer. - Visit the planet Earth, - the geographer answered. - She has a good reputation... And the little prince set off on his journey, but his thoughts were about the abandoned flower.But you are a geographer!
That's right, said the old man. - I am a geographer, not a traveler. I miss travellers. It is not geographers who count cities, rivers, mountains, seas, oceans and deserts. The geographer is too important a person, he has no time to roam. He doesn't leave his office. But he hosts travelers and writes down their stories. And if one of them tells something interesting, the geographer makes inquiries and checks whether this traveler is a decent person.
What for?
Why, if a traveler begins to lie, everything will be confused in geography textbooks. And if he drinks too much, that's a problem too.
And why?
Because drunkards see double. And where there is actually one mountain, the geographer will mark two.
I knew one person ... He would have made a bad traveler, ”the Little Prince remarked.
Very possible. So, if it turns out that the traveler is a decent person, then they check his discovery.
How do they check? Go and watch?
Oh no. It's too difficult. They simply require the traveler to provide proof. For example, if he discovered a large mountain, let him bring large stones from it.
The geographer suddenly became agitated:
But you are also a traveler! You have come from afar! Tell me about your planet!
And he opened a thick book and sharpened a pencil. Travelers' stories are first written in pencil. And only after the traveler provides evidence, you can write down his story in ink.
I listen to you, - said the geographer.
Well, it’s not so interesting for me there, ”said the Little Prince. - Everything is very small. There are three volcanoes. Two are active, and one is long gone. But few things can happen...
Yes, anything can happen, the geographer confirmed.
Then I have a flower.
We do not celebrate flowers, - said the geographer.
Why?! It's the most beautiful!
Because flowers are ephemeral.
How is it - ephemeral?
Geography books are the most precious books in the world,” the geographer explained. - They never get old. After all, this is a very rare case for a mountain to move. Or for the ocean to dry up. We write about things eternal and unchanging.
But an extinct volcano can wake up, - interrupted the Little Prince. What is "ephemeral"?
Whether the volcano is extinct or active, it does not matter to us, geographers, - said the geographer. - One thing is important: the mountain. She doesn't change.
What is "ephemeral"? asked the Little Prince, who, once asking a question, did not rest until he received an answer.
This means: the one that should soon disappear.
And my flower should be gone soon?
Of course.
“My beauty and joy are short-lived,” the Little Prince said to himself, “and she has nothing to protect herself from the world, she only has four thorns. And I left her, and she was left on my planet all alone!”
This was the first time he regretted leaving the flower. But then his courage returned.
Where do you advise me to go? he asked the geographer.
Visit planet Earth, the geographer answered. She has a good reputation...
And the Little Prince set off, but his thoughts were about the abandoned flower.
So the seventh planet he visited was Earth.
Earth is not a simple planet! There are one hundred and eleven kings (including, of course, Negro kings), seven thousand geographers, nine hundred thousand businessmen, seven and a half million drunkards, three hundred and eleven million ambitious people, in total about two billion adults.
To give you an idea of how big the Earth is, I will only say that before the invention of electricity, on all six continents it was necessary to keep a whole army of lamplighters - four hundred and sixty-two thousand five hundred and eleven people.
From the outside, it was a magnificent sight. The movements of this army obeyed the most precise rhythm, just like in ballet. The lamplighters of New Zealand and Australia were the first to perform. Lighting their lights, they went to bed. Behind them came the turn of the Chinese lamplighters. Having performed their dance, they also hid behind the scenes. Then came the turn of lamplighters in Russia and India. Then - in Africa and Europe. Then South America, then North America. And they never made a mistake, no one went on stage at the wrong time. Yes, it was brilliant.
Only the lamplighter who was supposed to light the only lantern at the north pole, and his brother at the south pole - only these two lived easily and carelessly: they had to do their job only twice a year.
When you really want to be funny, sometimes you involuntarily lie. Talking about the lamplighters, I have somewhat sinned against the truth. I am afraid that those who do not know our planet will have a false idea about it. Humans don't take up much space on Earth. If its two billion inhabitants were to converge and become a solid crowd, as at a meeting, they would all easily fit into a space twenty miles long and twenty wide. All mankind could be made shoulder to shoulder on the smallest island in the Pacific Ocean.
Adults, of course, will not believe you. They imagine they take up a lot of space. They seem majestic to themselves, like baobabs. And you advise them to make an accurate calculation. They'll love it, they love numbers. Don't waste your time on this arithmetic. It's useless. You already believe me.
So, having hit the ground, the Little Prince did not see a soul and was very surprised. He even thought that he had flown by mistake to some other planet. But then a ring of the color of a moonbeam stirred in the sand.
Good evening, - just in case, the Little Prince said.
Good evening, the snake replied.
What planet am I on?
To Earth, said the snake. - To Africa.
Here's how. Are there no people on earth?
This is a desert. Nobody lives in the deserts. But the Earth is big.
The little prince sat down on a stone and raised his eyes to the sky.
I would like to know why the stars shine, - he said thoughtfully. - Probably, so that sooner or later everyone can find their own again. Look, here is my planet - just right above us ... But how far to it!
A beautiful planet, said the snake. What are you going to do here on Earth?
I quarreled with my flower, the Little Prince admitted.
Ah, that's what it is...
And both fell silent.
Where are the people? The little prince finally spoke again. It's lonely in the desert...
It’s lonely among people, too, - the snake noticed.
The little prince looked at her carefully.
You are a strange creature,” he said. - Not thicker than a finger ...
But I have more power than in the finger of a king, the snake objected.
The little prince smiled.
Well, are you really that powerful? You don't even have paws. You can't even travel...
And wrapped around the Little Prince's ankle like a golden bracelet.
Whoever I touch, I return to the earth from which he came, she said. - But you are clean and came from the star ...
The little prince did not answer.
I feel sorry for you,” the snake continued. - You are so weak on this Earth, hard as granite. On the day when you bitterly regret your abandoned planet, I will be able to help you. I can…
I understand perfectly,” said the little prince. "But why do you always speak in riddles?"
I solve all riddles, said the snake.
And both fell silent.
The little prince crossed the desert and met no one. For all the time he came across only one flower - a tiny, nondescript flower with three petals ...
After asking the little fair-haired traveler for information about his planet and watching how he was carried away by migratory birds, the geographer quickly began to write down the information received. With a pencil, not a pen - this is important! The boy who introduced himself as the Little Prince is certainly not a drunkard, however, children have a highly developed imagination, much more developed than a sense of reality. This was the only thing the old geographer remembered about children, based on the memories of his childhood. The most vivid memory was the native planet where he lived with his sister in childhood. Then it seemed to him huge and full of beautiful things, such as mountains, caves and an endless sea that shone as if from within. The geographer left her with great regret, yielding to his sister when it was time to say goodbye, but arriving there ten years later, he was sure that he had the wrong planet, that the stars had changed their location, that he, after all, had hallucinations, because he did not recognize. Tiny. Instead of mountains - mounds, one and a half to two meters high, not caves - recesses near the cluster of hills, instead of the sea - a tiny drying lake. On the one hand - he was able to conduct an impeccable, scrupulous report - the profession of a geographer must oblige something, on the other hand ... he regretted his visit. What you parted with as a child should not return when you are an adult. It is impossible to hide from the haunting disappointment, even burrowing up to your ears in work. But it was the best, most effective way to hide from your own thoughts, of all invented by man. The geographer rubbed his eyes and took one last satisfied look at the map and the notes that came with it, which he compiled from the words of the Prince and folded into a box with unverified data. It took him fifty years of practice to extract the main points from the words of dreamy travelers and, without hesitation, draw maps. He was proud of himself. One thing is bad - travelers, these ephemeral children of the universe, became less and less every year. Why? Maybe the profession has ceased to be in demand, or maybe people just stopped being so zealously interested in new things, being satisfied with what they already have, but the fact is obvious - the fair-haired boy became the first traveler to arrive on the geographer's planet this year. But years ago, he dreamed of shutting up these stupid dreamers, who were much more willing to talk about colorful fish in clear water, or about outlandish shell shapes, than about some useful information. And yet he missed these empty talk, so much so that even in conversation with the Little Prince, he did not become angry when he spoke about the beautiful flower. The geographer only looked at the boy, even feeling a slight sympathy, and condescendingly said: “We do not celebrate flowers.” And where did these grown-up children go, now and then dropping by to see him, talking with vehemence about their adventures? Have you matured? And what is a geographer to do now - how will he work without them?! On the other hand, it is much better here than on Earth, where seven thousand geographers work. He respected his colleagues from the planet, which would be more reasonable to call not Earth, but Water, but did not envy their labors, which at the moment consisted mainly of redrawing borders and renaming countries and cities. Thankless job. Even now, the boy's high-pitched voice still echoed in his ears. The Little Prince asked one question that turned the whole nature of a geographer upside down. He asked, “Your planet is very beautiful. Do you have oceans? “I don’t know,” the geographer lamented mentally. But he even wanted to ask the travelers who dropped in to study his planet before leaving, but he kept forgetting, analyzing the recorded data and even forgetting to observe the elementary rules of politeness, which every decent adult must impeccably observe. The geographer got up from the table and, straightening his shoulders, walked along the planet. A bad geographer turned out to be an adult. He himself was convinced of this, catching himself looking at transparent multi-colored pebbles thrown on the shore of a tiny pond. Gift. They were brought to him by a traveler… God forbid, twenty years ago. And he forgot about them. “I am a geographer, not a traveller. I miss travellers. It is not geographers who count cities, rivers, mountains, seas, oceans and deserts. The geographer is too important a person, he has no time to roam, - the geographer explained. He doesn't leave his office. But he hosts travelers and writes down their stories…” How degraded he is if he himself does the work of these ephemeral children of the universe. All people are such - the geographer knows more about this than others, but travelers are not just people - the wind. They are not visible at all, it seems, they were only here, but no longer. And the absence of wind leads to disastrous consequences ... The geographer also knows about this, although the sailors know more. However, he is no better now. Traveling geographer!.. Having explored the planet, he returned to his workplace - his legs, out of habit, hurt from a long walk, but the geographer began to analyze the recorded data with pleasure - finally, there was a job!
