
after returning, during the present of the frame story
Narrator reflects on the Little Prince's fate
The Narrator comforts himself by believing the Little Prince returned to his planet, as no body was found at daybreak. He imagines the Little Prince's body was not heavy, and now he loves listening to the stars, which sound like five hundred million little bells. This reflection introduces the central mystery of whether the sheep ate the rose, and sets the tone of bittersweet hope.