Read this excerpt from The People Could Fly.
Jim went on back to the plantation. He found the slaveowner, and he says, "Mas, I wanter tell you about this cooter down there at the pond."
"Well, what about it?" said the slaveowner.
"Mas," says Jim, "that cooter can talk. And he don't just talk. He taken out his fiddle and he play on it, pretty as you please."
"Oh, get out!" said the slaveowner. "You know that's not true." "Tis too true," said Jim, as calm as he could, "He speak to me and play and sing for me nearly every day now."
The slaveowner had to laugh. "Well, then, Jim," he said, "if it's true, I'll give you your freedom. But if it's not true, I'm going to give you the worst whippin you ever had in your life."
The details in the excerpt show readers that the slaveowner
thinks that Jim is trying to trick him.
is excited to hear the turtle’s fiddle.
appreciates Jim’s sense of humor.
is angry that the turtle lives in his pond.
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