Chapter XXIII Summary

The merchant whom the little prince encounters in this chapter is selling pills to quench thirst. He promotes them by saying that they save time. One pill per week replaces 53 minutes that would otherwise be spent finding and consuming water. When the little prince asks what one should do with this saved time, the merchant doesn't have a set answer. Instead, he tells the prince he may do whatever he likes with the time. The little prince responds by saying that he would spend his extra time taking a leisurely walk toward a fresh water spring.

Chapter XXIII Analysis

This is another very short chapter, like the one before it. Irony is the essence of this chapter. The merchant invents a pill to replace an activity that is enjoyable. But what is the point of having extra time if it is...