Chapter XVIII Summary

The prince has a short conversation with an unremarkable flower. The flower tells the prince that as far as she knows there are only about six or seven men in existence and they are a bit hard to keep track of since they haven't any roots.

Chapter XVIII Analysis

This is a comment on the transitory nature of man's character. An abandoned flower (again, a likely metaphor for woman) notes that men without roots are unstable and therefore have difficult lives.