[00:00.32]7 Man Friday
[00:04.56]For two years I never went anywhere without my gun.
[00:12.58]I felt lonely and afraid，and had many sleepless nights.
[00:19.79]One night there was a very bad storm，
[00:25.34]And I thought I heard the sound of guns out at sea.
[00:30.83]The next morning I looked out，and saw a ship.
[00:36.14]It was lying on its side not far from the shore.
[00:41.39]Quickly，I put my little boat in the water and sailed out to it.
[00:47.88]There were two dead men on the ship，but no one alive.
[00:55.22][The bodies of the other sailors were lost in the sea.
[01:01.14]I took some clothes and tools，and also a box of Spanish gold and silver money.
[01:08.50]I was a rich man now，but what use was money to me？
[01:14.22]I could not buy anything with it.
[01:17.38]I wanted people，a friend，somebody to talk to…
[01:23.57]Somebody who could help me escape from my island.
[01:28.23]One morning I woke up and made a plan.
[01:34.40]'I'll try to catch one of the prisoners of the wild men，'I said to myself.
[01:42.39]'He'll be happy to be alive and perhaps he'll help me to escape.'
[01:49.23]I watched day and night，but for a year and a half there were no boats.
[01:58.74]Then one day five boats came.
[02:04.61]There were about thirty men and they had two prisoners.
[02:11.00]They made their fire on the sand and danced round it.
[02:16.12]Then they killed one of the prisoners and began to cook their terrible meal.
[02:23.44]The second prisoner waited under the trees，with two men to watch him.
[02:30.62]Suddenly，the prisoner turned and ran.
[02:36.55]The two men ran after him，but the other wild men were busy round the fire
[02:44.73]And did not see what was happening.
[02:49.55]The prisoner ran like a wild goat，
[02:53.01]And soon I saw that he was coming near the bottom of my hill.
[02:58.25]As fast as I could，I ran down the hill
[03:03.59]And jumped out of the trees between the prisoner and the two wild men.
[03:09.81]I hit the first man with the wooden end of my gun and he fell down，
[03:17.42]But I had to shoot the second man.The poor prisoner did not move.
[03:25.21]He was afraid of the noise of my gun.
[03:28.95]I called to him and tried to show him that I was friendly.
[03:36.02]Slowly，he moved nearer to me，
[03:40.71]But just then the first wild man began to get up from the ground.
[03:47.42]Then the prisoner spoke and I understood that he wanted my sword.
[03:53.91]How happy I was to hear words again！
[03:59.04]I gave him my sword，and at once he cut off the head of his enemy.
[04:05.65]Hurriedly，we hid the dead bodies under some leaves，and then left quickly.
[04:15.62]I took my prisoner to my secret cave on the other side of the island
[04:22.81]And gave him food and drink.After that，he went to sleep.
[04:29.69]He was a fine young man，about twenty-five years old，
[04:37.35]Tall and well－built，with a kind face and a nice smile.
[04:43.21]He had a brown skin，black hair，bright eyes and strong white teeth.
[04:53.08]I decided to give him the name of'Man Friday'，because I first saw him on a Friday.
[05:01.41]When he woke up in the morning，he ran out to me.
[05:08.24]I was milking my goats in the field，
[05:12.62]And he got down on the ground and put his head near my foot.
[05:18.78]I understood that he was thanking me，and I tried to show him that I was his friend.
[05:27.02]I began to teach him to speak English，
[05:32.12]And soon he could say his name，'Master'，and'Yes'and'No'.
[05:40.90]How good it was to hear a man's voice again！
[05:45.79]Later that day we went back to my first house.
[05:51.85]We went carefully along the beach，but there were no boats and no wild men.
[05:58.48]Just blood and bones all over the sand.I felt ill，
[06:06.57]But Friday wanted to eat the pieces of men's bodies which were still on the ground.
[06:12.98]I showed him that this was terrible for me，and he understood.
[06:18.58]When we got to my house，I gave Man Friday some trousers，
[06:29.13]And I made him a coat and a hat.He liked his new clothes very much.
[06:36.62]Then I made him a little tent to sleep in，
[06:41.42]But for a few weeks I always took my gun to bed with me.
[06:48.12]Perhaps Friday was still a wild man and would try to kill me in the night.
[06:55.82]At first，Friday was very afraid of my gun.
[07:00.65]Sometimes he talked to it，and asked it not to kill him.
[07:05.56]Friday was a quick learner and his English got better day by day.
[07:14.91]He helped me with the goats and with the work in the cornfields，
[07:19.94]And soon we were good friends.
[07:23.22]I enjoyed teaching him and，most of all，having a friend to talk to.
[07:30.76]This was the happiest of all my years on the island.
[07:35.51]Friday and I lived together happily for three years.
[07:40.82]I told him the story of my adventures and about life in England，
[07:47.26]And he told me about his country and his people.
[07:52.02]One day we were at the top of the highest hill on the island，
[07:58.50]And we were looking out to sea.
[08:01.92]It was a very clear day and we could see a long way.
[08:07.89]Suddenly，Friday began to jump up and down，very excited.
[08:14.58]'What's the matter？'I said.
[08:18.90]'Look，Master，look！'Friday cried.'I can see my country.Look over there！'
[08:28.57]I looked，and there to the northwest，between the sea and the sky，
[08:36.55]Was a long thin piece of land.I learnt later that it was the island of Trinidad，
[08:45.56]And that my island was in the mouth of the River Orinoco
[08:51.09]On the north coast of South America.
[08:54.73]I began to think again about escape.Perhaps Friday wanted to go home too.
[09:03.08]Perhaps together we could get to his country.But what then？
[09:09.64]Would Friday still be my friend，or would his people kill me and eat me？
[09:17.25]I took Friday to the other side of the island and showed him my big canoe.
[09:25.03]It still lay under the trees.It was very old now，and there were holes in the wood.
[09:34.67]'Could a boat like this sail to your country，Friday？'I asked him.
[09:41.79]'Oh yes，'he answered.'A boat like this can carry a lot of food and drink.'
[09:50.64]'Then we'll make another canoe like it，and you can go home in it，'I said.
[09:59.71]But Friday looked very unhappy.'Why are you angry with me？'he asked.
[10:08.01]'What have I done？Why do you want to send me home？'
[10:15.26]'But I thought you wanted to go home，'I said.
[10:20.11]'Yes.But you must come with me.
[10:24.14]Kill me if you want，but don't send me away from you！'
[10:30.91]Then I saw that Friday was a true friend，and so I agreed to go with him.
[10:39.73]We began work on the canoe at once.
[10:44.01]Friday chose the tree himself—he understood wood better than I did—
[10:51.49]And we cut it down.We worked hard and in a month the boat was finished.
[11:00.31]Two weeks later it was in the sea，and we began to get ready for our long journey.