The Little Prince Misora Kano/Bond Story

A prince that lives on a planet as big as a house. He lives with a beautiful rose, but after an argument he decides to embark on a journey to other stars. From "The Little Prince."

Misora and the Prince

Misora:

............

Tsukasa:

Oh, Misora...?

Misora:

...! Tsukasa-senpai!

Tsukasa:

Sorry, were you reading?

Misora:

No, it's fine. I've just finished a chapter.

Tsukasa:

I'm glad. I was surprised to see you in the library, so I called out without thinking.

Misora:

I do come to the library! But I usually just come to borrow a book and leave, so you might not have seen me.

Misora:

I was looking for a few books today to prepare for class, so I was reading them here. Do you come here often?

Tsukasa:

I borrow new books every time I come in to return one, so I do drop by a bit.

Misora:

You read fast, don't you? Maybe I should practice so I can read faster. Then I'd be able to read reference materials for roles much faster...

Tsukasa:

Oh, you're reading "The Little Prince".

Misora:

Oh, yeah. I'm doing a solo readers theater for performance class. I'm just reading it as one of the potential candidates.

Tsukasa:

I see, it's already that time of the year. When I was a first year, I did "The Little Prince" for that assignment.

Misora:

What!?

Tsukasa:

The assignment where you get to pick the play and section to read and also do the arrangement yourself, right?

Misora:

Yeah, that's the one. But what a coincidence—

Misora:

Actually, not so much since it's a worldwide bestseller and a really good story.

Tsukasa:

It's wonderful the way it paints the world from the eyes of a child.

Misora:

Yeah. It's been a while since I last read it, so I was amazed again at how deep it is...

Tsukasa:

Hey, you wanna go to a cafe to chat about it? We can't really talk for long here.

Misora:

Oh, sorry I didn't notice. If you're fine with it, let's go!

Misora:

Why did you choose to do "The Little Prince"?

Tsukasa:

Hm... Well, it's a story that I've read many times in the past.

Tsukasa:

In the story, the narrator, the main character, recounts the stories told to him by the little prince.

Tsukasa:

Meaning it talks to the reader directly. I figured it matches perfectly with readers theater which allows the listener to imagine the narration.

Misora:

Imagine?

Tsukasa:

Readers theater is different from the usual play since you have to express the entire scene with only your voice and facial expression. That's why it's important to rely on the audience's imagination.

Misora:

When you put it that way, how the narrator in "The Little Prince" relay's the little prince's story to the reader makes it the perfect one to do.

Tsukasa:

But my biggest reason was probably that I admired the little prince's carefreeness.

Misora:

Carefreeness?

Tsukasa:

No matter where the little prince goes...he just casually travels from planet to planet, doesn't he?

Tsukasa:

Because my family's quite strict, I also wanted to be able to put my thoughts into actions or words... It was particularly fascinating for me.

Misora:

I see.

Tsukasa:

So why did you pick "The Little Prince" as one of your candidates?

Misora:

I never read many books when I was little, but I happened across "The Little Prince" for a book report for elementary school. That's how it became one of my favorite stories.

Misora:

"The Little Prince" begins with the narrator as a child who, after reading a book on the forest's ecosystem, draws a picture of a boa constrictor that had swallowed an elephant whole, right?

Misora:

The narrator showed his drawing to all the grown-ups and asked them if they were frightened, but they all thought the drawing was a picture of a hat. They couldn't understand his excitement.

Misora:

He had no choice but to draw the elephant inside the boa constrictor so that the grown-ups would understand...

Tsukasa:

He was disappointed by the grown-ups. Grown-ups only like things that are simple and easy to understand.

Misora:

After he'd grown up and became a pilot, he crash landed in the desert. That's where he met the little prince who asked him to draw him a sheep.

Misora:

No matter what sheep he drew, the little prince would complain. Exhausted, the narrator drew a box and told the little prince that inside the box is the sheep he asked for.

Misora:

The little prince then laughed, telling the narrator that it was exactly what he wanted, and his imagination started to run with the sheep inside the box.

Misora:

The narrator felt as if his past self who had drawn the boa constrictor that had swallowed the elephant was being recognized.

Misora:

It's from then on that he became interested in the little prince and where the story begins.

Tsukasa:

You can sense how the main character could regain what he had lost through his meeting with the little prince... What a fascinating prologue.

Misora:

Yeah! Reading this prologue got my heart racing!

Tsukasa:

Heart racing?

Misora:

At the time, I was performing with my family's theatre troupe. I'd put a lot of thought into how I'd wanted to portray the roles in my own way as an elementary schooler.

Tsukasa:

Oh? How so?

Misora:

I think I'd just performed "Sound of Music" at the time. I played the mischievous Louisa who likes to play tricks on the main character, Maria—

Misora:

We were close in age so I tried my best to portray her realistically. For example, even after Maria had forgiven me, I'd give her attitude to hide my embarrassment...

Misora:

But it didn't really get across to everyone else in the theatre troupe, so they put a stop to it immediately. Now that I think about it, I'd gone and changed the script without paying attention to what was happening before and afterwards, so it was expected...

Misora:

But Aruru was the only one who understood the feelings of my Louisa.

Tsukasa:

That's just like the narrator and the little prince in the beginning of the story. The scene where the little prince understands the narrator's drawing of the snake that'd swallowed the elephant.

Misora:

Yeah, I read "The Little Prince" a little after that incident and thought it was just like me and Aruru.

Tsukasa:

Don't you already have a solid image of this in your mind? I'd like to see your portrayal of "The Little Prince".

Misora:

Thank you. Talking about it has made me interested, but...

Tsukasa:

......?

Misora:

It's my first proper readers theater, so I'm worried if I can do it well...

Tsukasa:

You mean being able to present the story's world and atmosphere through reading aloud only?

Misora:

It's because it's such a memorable piece for me that I'd like to be able to do it properly. I'm also not sure if I'd even be able to rely on the audience's imagination...

Tsukasa:

Heh heh, you've stood on various stages up until now and have grown since. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Misora:

......!

Tsukasa:

You're only nervous because it's your first time. But that just means it's a new challenge for you, right? I want to see that.

Misora:

A challenge for me...

Tsukasa:

Just kidding. It's your assignment, I'm sorry for blabbering on about it so much.

Misora:

Not at all! Thanks to you, I feel reassured!

Misora:

I'll believe in myself and act out my own version of "The Little Prince"! Thank you!

Spreading Passion
The Day of the Readers Theater

Misora:

(Narrator)
"What is essential is invisible to the eye—"

Misora:

(Narrator)
"This is a kind and slightly sad story that happens in a world where such an obvious thing has been forgotten."

Misora:

(Prince)
"At the time, I didn't know what it meant to love."

Misora:

(Prince)
"She was inconsistent, but she loved me. What she had given me was much more precious than words..."

Misora:

(Narrator)
"That's what the little prince said as he told me of his sad farewell. It was also the story of how he ended up leaving his planet and embarking on his journey."

Misora:

(Rose)
"I have been silly..."

Misora:

(Prince)
"What...?"

Misora:

(Rose)
"I ask your forgiveness and to forget everything I've done. Try to be happy on a different planet."

Misora:

(Prince)
"Why? The usual you would have complained about me leaving you behind. Why are you being so calm and kind today?"

Misora:

(Rose)
"Because I love you."

Misora:

(Prince)
"...!"

Misora:

(Rose)
"You have been just as foolish as I, but I want you to be happy. Goodbye."

Misora:

(Prince)
"But with me gone, who is going to give you water to drink and put you under a glass globe to protect you from the cold?"

Misora:

(Rose)
"I'm the only rose in the world. I also have beautiful, sharp thorns. I can survive without you."

Misora:

(Narrator)
"The little prince learned that his rose wasn't the only one in the world, but that it was only what she had believed in herself."

Misora:

(Narrator)
"Even so, his rose was unique in this world."

Misora:

(Fox)
"Do you understand? Only the outside is visible to the eye. The inside can only be seen with the heart."

Misora:

(Fox)
"The roses growing here may look the same on the outside as your rose, but they are completely different on the inside."

Misora:

(Fox)
"People may say that all roses are the same."

Misora:

(Fox)
"But they are different for you, no? That's what it means to see with your heart."

Misora:

(Prince)
"The inside is invisible to the eye..."

Misora:

(Fox)
"Men have forgotten this truth. But you must not forget your rose."

Misora:

(Fox)
"You are responsible for your rose."

Misora:

(Prince)
"I shall look a little as if I were dying from a snake bite, but that will not be true."

Misora:

(The Narrator)
"Say no more. I love you, I won't let you die."

Misora:

(Prince)
"Just as you have fixed your ride home, I, too, am going back home."

Misora:

(The Narrator)
"I shall not leave you."

Misora:

(Prince)
"I cannot carry this body with me. It will be like an old abandoned shell."

Misora:

(Prince)
"There is nothing sad about old shells, right? What is essential is invisible to the eye."

Misora:

(The Narrator)
"Yes, I know... But..."

Misora:

(Prince)
"You know, my flower... I am responsible for her..."

Misora:

(Prince)
"She is so weak and naive... She's protecting herself with her poor thorns..."

Misora:

(Prince)
"Only I know that."

After the Readers Theater

Misora:

Whew...

Tsukasa:

Misora, over here.

Misora:

Tsukasa-senpai, you're here. What did you think of my version of "The Little Prince"?

Tsukasa:

It was brilliant! It felt so alive.

Misora:

Really!? I'm so glad...!

Tsukasa:

It felt like the audience was able to learn together with the little prince that what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Misora:

When I first read "The Little Prince", I was extremely moved.

Misora:

That's why I wanted the audience to experience the same emotions through this readers theater.

Tsukasa:

Yeah, it was a big success! Each and every one of your little prince's lines about his days and relationship with his rose was like a special treasure...

Tsukasa:

...Actually, it's made me want to do a readers theater too. Thanks to you.

Misora:

Huh? Of "The Little Prince"?

Tsukasa:

Of course! Honestly I was jealous after hearing yours because it was so much better than mine was in my first year.

Misora:

......!

Tsukasa:

That's why I'd like to do it again with my current feelings and all the skills I've picked up.

Misora:

That makes me happier than any other praise I could have gotten! I look forward to your version of "The Little Prince"!

Misora:

Aruru's like the little prince. She understands when I feel annoyed or happy – all my feelings.

Misora:

Tsukasa-senpai said she was inspired by my readers theater... That's really special to me.

Misora:

Because this means I was able to repay her for how much she's influenced me when I watched her performance in junior high.

Misora:

I wonder if she will jump right into a conversation with no narration. I want her to bring me into the story's world soon.

The Little Prince Misora Kano/Bond Story

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