The Little Prince: Chapter 13 Summary & Analysis

The fourth planet contains a businessman who hardly notices the little prince's arrival. The little prince finds the man adding sums and inquires as to what the businessman is counting. After the little prince repeats his question several times, the businessman realizes that he will not be left alone unless he answers—and he explains that he's counting the objects in the sky "that set lazy men to idle dreaming."

The little prince understands that the businessman is counting the stars and asks what one does with five hundred millions of stars. The businessman replies that he does nothing with them—he simply owns them. If he owns the stars, he says, he will become rich, and will therefore be able to buy more stars, if they are ever discovered. The little prince asks how he can own the stars if he cannot take them with him, and the businessman says that he can put them in his bank, and that is enough. The little prince then mentions that he owns three volcanoes and a flower on his own planet, and that he is of use to them, but that the businessman is of no use to the stars. He continues on his journey, leaving the businessman speechless.