Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why does the little prince pull up baobab seedlings on his planet?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

French postage stamp featuring an illustration of the Little Prince in a blue and red coat, with text reading Le Petit Prince and Republique Francaise, and a value of 3,00. — The Little Prince *Le Petit Prince* (*The Little Prince*) pictured on a French stamp, circa 1998.

In the fable The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the little prince pulls up baobab seedlings because his home planet is extremely small—no bigger than a house—and he fears that if the trees are allowed to grow, they will become large enough to engulf and destroy his entire world.1