I'll be the only fox in the world for you.

"Good morning," the little prince said, though when he turned around, he saw nothing.

"I'm here," the voice said. "Under the tree."

"Who are you?"  the little prince asked.  "You're very pretty."

"I'm a fox," the fox said.

"Come and play with me," the little prince offered.  "I'm feeling so sad."

"I can't play with you," the fox said.  "I'm not tamed."

"Ah!  Excuse me," said the little prince, "What does tamed mean?"

"You're not from around here," the fox said.  "What are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for friends," said the little prince.  "What does tamed mean?"  

"It's something that's been too often neglected.  It means, 'to create ties'..."

"'To create ties'?"

"That's right," the fox said.  "For me, you're only a little boy just like a hundred thousand other little boys.  And I have no need of you.  And you have no need of me, either.  For you, I'm only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes.  But if you tame me, we'll need each other.  You'll be the only boy in the world for me.  I'll be the only fox in the world for you."

"I'm beginning to understand..." the little prince said.  

"If you tame me, my life will be filled with sunshine.  I'll know the sound of footsteps that will be different from all the rest.  Other footsteps send me back underground.  Yours will call me out of my burrow like music.  And then, look!  You see the wheat fields over there?  You have hair the color of gold.  So it will be wonderful, once you've tamed me!  The wheat, which is golden, will remind me of you.  And I'll love the sound of the wind in the wheat..."

The fox fell silent and stared at the little prince for a long time.  "Please...  tame me!"

"I'd like to," the little prince replied, "but I haven't much time.  I have friends to find and so many things to learn."

"The only things you learn are the things you tame," said the fox.  "If you want a friend, tame me."

"What do I have to do?" asked the little prince.

"You have to be very patient," the fox answered.  "First you'll sit down a little ways away from me, over there, in the grass.  But day by day, you'll be able to sit a little closer.  I shall watch you out of the corner of my eye and you will say nothing," said the fox.  "Language is the source of misunderstandings..."

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

Anna & Leanna