Module 3: "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" (Excerpt 4)

We were worked fully up to the point of endurance.

We were often in the field from the first approach of day till its last lingering ray had left us; and at saving-fodder time, midnight often caught us in the field binding blades.

His work went on in his absence almost as well as in his presence; and he had the faculty of making us feel that he was ever present with us.

He always aimed at taking us by surprise. Such was his cunning, that we used to call him, among ourselves, "the snake."

When we were at work in the cornfield, he would sometimes crawl on his hands and knees to avoid detection, and all at once he would rise nearly in our midst, and scream out, "Ha, ha! Come, come! Dash on, dash on!"

If at any one time of my life more than another, I was made to drink the bitterest dregs of slavery, that time was during the first six months of my stay with Mr. Covey.

My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!

My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!

My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!

Sunday was my only leisure time.

I spent this in a sort of beast-like stupor, between sleep and wake, under some large tree.

I sank down again, mourning over my wretched condition.

I have already intimated that my condition was much worse, during the first six months of my stay at Mr. Covey's, than in the last six.

The circumstances leading to the change in Mr. Covey's course toward me form an epoch in my humble history.

About three o'clock of that day, I broke down; my strength failed me; I was seized with a violent aching of the head, attended with extreme dizziness; I trembled in every limb.

I stood as long as I could stagger to the hopper with grain.

When I could stand no longer, I fell, and felt as if held down by an immense weight.

On hearing the fan stop, he left immediately, and came to the spot where we were. He hastily inquired what the matter was.

While down in this situation, Mr. Covey took up the hickory slat with which Hughes had been striking off the half-bushel measure, and with it gave me a heavy blow upon the head, making a large wound, and the blood ran freely; and with this again told me to get up.

I made no effort to comply, having now made up my mind to let him do his worst.

Before he could reach me, I succeeded in getting to the cornfield; and as the corn was very high, it afforded me the means of hiding.

He seemed very angry, and searched for me a long time. My behavior was altogether unaccountable.

I went home with him, and talked this whole matter over, and got his advice as to what course it was best for me to pursue.

He told me, with great solemnity, I must go back to Covey; but that before I went, I must go with him into another part of the woods, where there was a certain root, which, if I would take some of it with me, carrying it always on my right side, would render it impossible for Mr. Covey, or any other white man, to whip me.

He told me, with great solemnity, I must go back to Covey; but that before I went, I must go with him into another part of the woods, where there was a certain root, which, if I would take some of it with me, carrying it always on my right side, would render it impossible for Mr. Covey, or any other white man, to whip me.

I at first rejected the idea, that the simple carrying of a root in my pocket would have any such effect as he had said, and was not disposed to take it; but Sandy impressed the necessity with much earnestness, telling me it could do no harm, if it did no good.

I at first rejected the idea, that the simple carrying of a root in my pocket would have any such effect as he had said, and was not disposed to take it; but Sandy impressed the necessity with much earnestness, telling me it could do no harm, if it did no good.

He spoke to me very kindly, bade me drive the pigs from a lot near by, and passed on towards the church.

Now, this singular conduct of Mr. Covey really made me begin to think that there was something in the root which Sandy had given me; and had it been on any other day than Sunday, I could have attributed the conduct to no other cause than the influence of that root; and as it was, I was half inclined to think the root to be something more than I at first had taken it to be.

Now, this singular conduct of Mr. Covey really made me begin to think that there was something in the root which Sandy had given me; and had it been on any other day than Sunday, I could have attributed the conduct to no other cause than the influence of that root; and as it was, I was half inclined to think the root to be something more than I at first had taken it to be.

On this morning, the virtue of the root was fully tested.

Long before daylight, I was called to go and rub, curry, and feed, the horses.

But whilst thus engaged, whilst in the act of throwing down some blades from the loft, Mr. Covey entered the stable with a long rope; and just as I was half out of the loft, he caught hold of my legs, and was about tying me.

This gave me assurance, and I held him uneasy, causing the blood to run where I touched him with the ends of my fingers.

When he saw Hughes bending over with pain, his courage quailed.

With that, he strove to drag me to a stick that was lying just out of the stable door.

This battle with Mr. Covey was the turning-point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood.

It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood.

It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood.

The gratification afforded by the triumph was a full compensation for whatever else might follow, even death itself.

The gratification afforded by the triumph was a full compensation for whatever else might follow, even death itself.

The gratification afforded by the triumph was a full compensation for whatever else might follow, even death itself.

He only can understand the deep satisfaction which I experienced, who has himself repelled by force the bloody arm of slavery.

I felt as I never felt before. It was a glorious resurrection, from the tomb of slavery, to the heaven of freedom.