Робінзон Крузо
Friday’s Education
Oneday,walkingupthesamehill,buttheweatherbeinghazyatsea,sothatwecouldnotseethecontinent,Icalledtohim,andsaid, "Friday,donotyouwishyourselfinyourowncountry,yourownnation?" "Yes,"hesaid,"IbemuchOgladtobeatmyownnation." Whatwouldyoudothere?"saidI. "Wouldyouturnwildagain,eatmen’sfleshagain,andbeasavageasyouwerebefore?" Helookedfullofconcern,andshakinghisheadsaid, "No,no;Fridaytellthemtolivegood;tellthemtoprayGod;tellthemtoeatcorn-bread,cattleflesh,milk,noeatmanagain." "Whythen,"saidItohim,"theywillkillyou." Helookedgraveatthat,andthensaid, "No,theynokillme,theywillinglovelearn." Hemeantbythistheywouldbewillingtolearn. Headded,theylearnedmuchofthebeardedmansthatcomeintheboat. ThenIaskedhimifhewouldgobacktothem. Hesmiledatthat, andtoldmehecouldnotswimsofar. ItoldhimIwouldmakeacanoeforhim.Hetoldmehewouldgo,ifIwouldgowithhim. "Igo!"saysI;"why,theywilleatmeifIcomethere." "No,no,"sayshe,"memaketheynoeatyou;memaketheymuchloveyou." Hemeant,hewouldtellthemhowIkilledhisenemies,andsavedhislife,andsohewouldmakethemloveme. Thenhetoldme,aswellashecould,howkindtheyweretoseventeenwhitemen,orbeardedmen,ashecalledthem,whocameonshorethereindistress.
FromthistimeIconfessIhadamindtoventureover,andseeifIcouldpossiblyjoinwiththesebeardedmen,who,Imadeondoubt,wereSpanishorPortuguese; notdoubtingbut,ifIcould,wemightfindsomemethodtoescapefromthence,beinguponthecontinent,andagoodcompanytogether,betterthanIcouldfromanislandfortymilesofftheshore,andalone,withouthelp.