Chapter XVII Summary

The little prince takes the advice of the geographer and decides to visit planet Earth. In this chapter he meets his first Earthling: a snake. The snake tells the prince that he normally kills whatever he touches, but that he can tell the prince is innocent and true and that he comes from a star. For this reason, the snake spares him. But he does tell the prince that if he should decide at some future date to go back from whence he came, he can ask the snake for assistance. The little prince understands quite well. This foreshadows the end of the story, when the prince will return to the snake for the poison that will release him from his earthly body.

Chapter XVII Analysis

The little prince and the snake discuss loneliness. The little prince says it is lonely...