In order to make his escape, I believe he took advantage of a migration of wild birds. On the morning of his departure, he put his planet in order. He carefully raked out his cative volcanoes. The little prince possesed two active volcanoes, wich were very convenient for warming his breakfast. He also possesed one extinct volcano. But, as he said, "You never know!" So he raked out the extinct volcano, too, If they are properly raked out, volcanoes burn gently and regularly, without eruptions. Volcanic eruptions are like fires in a chimney. Of course, on our Earth we are much too small to rake out our volcanoes. That is why they cause us so much trouble.
The little prince also uprooted, a little sadly, the last baobab shoots. He believe he would never be coming back. But all these familiar tasks seemed very sweet to him on this last morning. And when he watered the flower one last time, and put her underglass, he felt like crying.
"Good-bye," he said to the flower.
But she did not answer him.
"Good-bye," he repeated.
The flower coughed. But not because she had a cold.
"I've been silly," she told him at last. "I ask your forgiveness. Try to be happy."
He was surprised that there were no reproaches. He stood there, quite be wildered, holding the glass bell in midair. He failed to understand this calm sweetness.
"Of course I love you," the flower told him. "It was fault you never knew. It doesn't matter. But you were just as silly I was. Try to be happy... Put that glass thing down. I don't want it anymore."
"But the animals..."
"I need to put up with two or three caterpillars if I wat to get to know the butterflies. Apparently they're very beautiful. Otherwise who will visit me? You'll be far away. As for the big animals, I'm not afraid of them. I have my own claws." And she naively her four thorns. Then she added, "Don't hang around like this; it's irritating. You made up your mind to leave. Now go."
For she didn't want him to see her crying. She was such a proud flower...
