I want to teach Friday English. I want to teach him fast.

I want to be a good teacher. I take my role very seriously. I think about the best method how to teach Friday English.

When I speak fast, Friday doesn’t understand. So I try to speak slowly. I also speak only in the present. And I use simple words. I also say only short sentences. Now, Friday understands more.

We speak about many topics.

When Friday doesn’t understand something, I point at it. Or I explain the word to him. If it doesn’t help, I make a picture in the sand.

Soon, Friday starts to understand many sentences in the present. He also starts to use some words. His pronunciation is very bad at the beginning. But it isn’t important for me. I understand him. And I’m very happy that somebody speaks to me.

Friday is a good student. He is clever. He improves quickly. Soon, he can say some words like an Englishman. Of course, not all words, but the words which he says correctly make me very happy.

I see that Friday very often repeats aloud what I say. I think that it also helps him to learn so fast.

I think, “Learning a language is quite easy. You only need to copy what you hear and if you don’t understand something, you need a picture. Then, you need a lot of practice. This is the best system.”

Friday’s progress is fast. He is able to talk more and more every day. In a couple of months, we can have a nice conversation.

Friday likes my tools. They are very interesting for him. He especially likes the telescope.

He borrows the telescope very often. He goes to one hill. And he watches everything around.

One day, we speak about Friday’s people and why they have enemies. He says, “There is a war between two groups of local people. We are neighbours but we don’t like each other. We have many conflicts. There is never peace. We kill each other whenever we can.”

Friday tells me that they eat human meat like their enemies. They also do rituals when they catch their enemies.

Friday tells me about the sea and the currents in the sea. Thanks to Friday, I know more about the history, culture and traditions of his people.

CHAPTER 24 – KNIFE

I tell Friday my story. I describe England and Europe to him.

I tell him about our cities, schools, ships and travelling around the world. I tell him that education is important in Europe and that we study from books. It’s al new to him. Friday’s people don’t need schools on the islands. They have all what they need for their life.

When I feel that I can trust him enough, I show him how gunpowder works. I teach him how to use a gun. I give him a knife and a belt. He is happy with my presents.

He says that it’s not the first time when he sees such a knife. He says that some white men live with them on their island. He counts seventeen Europeans.

I think that these men can be the sailors from the Spanish ship.

Friday tels me that they are OK. I’m happy when I hear that some Europeans live not very far from my island. I start to plan how to meet them.

The next day, we go on a small trip around the island. First, we go to the cross where I want to mark another day. “What is it?” asks Friday when we come to the cross. I explain that we have seven days in a week. These days are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

When Friday hears the word Friday, he laughs. I explain to him why his name is Friday. Now, he fully understands the meaning of his name.

During the walk, Friday tels me, “If we build a canoe, we can go to my island.”

I take Friday to the other side of the island. I show him my canoe there. But he says, “This canoe is too small for two people. We have to make a bigger canoe.”

So, we start to make a bigger canoe. We have to cut a big tree and I show him how to cut the inside of the tree.

It takes us a month to make the canoe. And it takes us two days to move the canoe to the beach.

The canoe is ready and we are ready too.

The day before we want to go, Friday goes to the beach. He comes back very quickly. He looks very scared. He says that there are three canoes on the beach.

He is scared because he thinks that the cannibals are here because they want to find him.

I tell him, “Don’t worry. We are strong. And maybe they don’t come for you today. Let’s wait and watch.”

We take 15 guns. We go on top of a hill. We see 14 cannibals, 2 prisoners and 3 canoes on the beach. They stop close to the place where the forest is near the beach. It’s good because it’s easier to attack them and save the prisoners.

We go to them quietly through the forest. I think about my right to kill them. I have no reason to shoot so many people who do nothing wrong to me.

After some thinking I decide only to watch and attack them only if it’s necessary.

CHAPTER 25 – FATHER

When we are very close to the beach, we see that the cannibals are around the fire. They start to eat the first prisoner. The second prisoner is stil alive. He isn’t one of Friday’s people. He is European. The cannibals want to eat him too. I decide to save him if it’s possible.

We move closer to the cannibals but we are still hidden behind the trees. Twelve cannibals are still around the fire, but two cannibals go for the white man.

When I see this, I prepare the guns. I ask Friday if he can do the same.

Then we shoot quickly at the cannibals from six guns. We kill 3 and seriously injure 2 of the cannibals. The other cannibals jump up. But they don’t know where to run. They don’t know from which direction the danger comes. Some run to their canoes. Some stay on the beach.

We continue to shoot. We shoot three other cannibals. After that, we take our guns and we run to the beach. We shout very loud. I run to the prisoner and Friday shoots another cannibal who is near.

I free the European. He says something in Spanish to me. I give him a gun. He is weak but he can shoot.

The cannibals are shocked by our quick attack. Our unusual guns scare them a lot.

Only two cannibals try to fight us. We shoot them with our guns. Friday fights very well. He quickly kills one cannibal who is injured. The second injured cannibal runs to the forest. Friday runs after him and he kills him with his knife.

Only three cannibals are able to run away. They jump in their canoe and they start to leave.

Friday shoots at them, but he doesn’t hit them. It’s dangerous to let them go because they can tel their people about us.

We want to jump in one canoe and we want to follow them. But to our surprise, we find another man on the bottom of the canoe. He is scared. He doesn’t see the fight. He only hears the fight.

Ropes are around his neck. He is in great pain. It’s difficult for him to breathe.

I quickly cut the ropes. When Friday sees him, he starts to cry. Then he laughs and he hugs the man. Then he jumps and begins to dance around him. Then he cries and laughs at the same time.