Final answer:
The slave's motivation to steal from the dragon was a longing for freedom.
Step-by-step explanation:
The motivation of the slave to steal from the dragon could be D) Longing for freedom.
The primary source text states, '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.'
This suggests that the slave's motivation was driven by a desire for freedom and a refusal to be enslaved any longer.