After that, the little prince climbed a high mountain. The only mountains he had ever known were the three volcanoes, which came up to his knees. And he used the extinct volcano as a footstool. "From a mountain as high as this one," he said to himself, "I shall be able to see the whole planet at one glance, and all the people…"

"Good morning -- Good morning -- Good morning," answered the echo.

But he saw nothing, save peaks of rock that were sharpened like needles.

"Who are you?" said the little prince.

"Who are you -- Who are you -- Who are you?" answered the echo.

"Good morning," he said courteously.

"I am all alone -- all alone -- all alone," answered the echo.

"Be my friends. I am all alone," he said.

"What a queer planet!" he thought. "It is altogether dry, and altogether pointed, and altogether harsh and forbidding. And the people have no imagination. They repeat whatever one says to them… On my planet I had a flower; she always was the first to speak…"