The Lesson of the Slave

Long ago, when slavery still existed in Brazil, an old black man, with snowy hair called Bastian used to live on a large and beautiful farm.

The owner of the land, the master, was bad and arrogant. For nothing, he whipped the slaves; and if his orders were not obeyed or if they tried to escape, they were placed in the trunk, chained without food or drink for many days. Because of this, the slaves were rebel and did not like the boss.

But Bastian was different. With a good and generous heart, he was always happy about life and trying to help everyone. The farmer's daughter, a sweet and gentle girl, had grown fond of the old Bastian and spent time with the slave, listening to his stories.

One day, one of the slaves, no longer bearing the ill-treatment, tried to run away. He was found by the foreman and imprisoned, he was chained to the trunk. The son of the fugitive slave, a boy of only five years old, seeing his father bound, came forward in tears, clinging to his legs.

Annoyed at the boy's cries, the master asked him to be tossed into the woods to stop his crying. The farmer did not realize, however, that his little Anna, who had been so sorry for the little boy's fate, had also gone into the woods to keep him company.

When he asked for the girl, who was the light of his eyes, and he missed her, they told him that she went looking for the little slave. Frightened, the boss called some men and went after her. But the old Bastian, who realized what was happening, had already gone ahead and looked for the children.

When the farmer and his men arrived, they found him with a poisonous snake dead in his hands, and the children cuddled securely, curled up behind a fallen log, trembling with fear. Bastion had killed the snake, but it had been stung by it.

Seeing what had happened, the master did not know how to express his gratitude, because it was evident that the slave had defended the children with his own life.

Embracing the very frightened little girl, the boss asked, for the first time denoting kindness in dealing with a slave:

- What do you want, Bastian, for the bravery you have shown saving my daughter's life? Whatever you ask, you will be granted.

And the old slave, in whose organism the venom of the snake was already taking effect, replied, with moist eyes of weeping, very moved:

- I did not save only your daughter, sir, but the life of a little slave too, for all life comes from God and is equally important. Since it allows me to utter a desire, I would ask that all creatures be treated as human beings, without distinction, since we are all children of our Heavenly Father.

And perceiving the look of astonishment of the master before his concepts, which he had not thought possible to find it in an old slave, Bastian concluded:

- That I learned from Jesus Christ.

In the face of those words which represented a lesson to him, since the slave might have avenged him in the person of his daughter Ana, and had not done so, the farmer bowed his head in shame and agreed:

- It is true. You're right Bastian. Be as you wish. From now on I promise you that the slaves will be treated well, with all due respect to human beings.

From that day on, the farmer greatly improved the lives of the slaves, giving them dignified living conditions, improving their homes and providing them with healthier food.

With the improvement in living conditions, he realized that the trunk was no longer necessary, as the slaves began to like him and the service on the farm, and everything they did was willingly and with a smile on their lips.

A few years later, with the growth of the abolitionist idea in Brazil, this farmer was among the first to liberate his slaves, transforming them into salaried workers. And the farmer never forgot the old slave Bastian who, in his simplicity, had given such an example of love so great that he had changed his life and the life of all who lived on that property.

TIA CÉLIA

Translation: