On the prince's planet, there were good seeds and bad seeds. From the good seeds came roses and radishes. From the bad seeds came baobabs.

A baobab, when it is small, looks just like a rose. You cannot tell them apart. You have to wait, and watch, and when you are sure — very sure — that it is not a rose, you must pull it up right away.

If you do not, the baobab will grow. And grow. Its roots will go all the way through the little planet and break it into pieces. On a planet as small as the prince's, even one baobab is too many. Three will split it like a melon.

So every morning, after he washed his face and tidied his volcanoes, the prince went over his planet and pulled out the baobabs. It was dull work. But it had to be done.

Children — listen to me carefully. Watch out for the baobabs. If you are ever lazy about a little thing that is bad, it will one day grow so large that it will ruin everything. I know a planet where a very lazy man lived, who did not bother. I have drawn it for you. I worked on that drawing for a long time, because I wanted you to be afraid.

Children, watch out for the baobabs!