“You might be a lot worse off and not be free, What’d you do if ole man Zachary owned us?”

“Kill him, I reckon.” “Hush, black boy, for God’s sake hush!”

“I can’t help it, woman. Dey ain’t so many like him But what dey is is too pizen-mean to live. Can’t you hear dat feelin’ I got, woman? I ain’t scared Of talk and de paterollers, and I ain’t mean. I’se mighty fond of ole Mistis and ole Marse Billy, I’se mighty fond of ’em all at de Big House, I wouldn’t be nobody else’s nigger for nothin’. But I hears ’em goin’ away, all goin’ away, With horses and guns and things, all stompin’ and wavin’, And I hears de chariot-wheels and de Jordan River, Rollin’ and Rollin’ and Rollin’ thu’ my sleep, And I wants to be free. I wants to see my chillun Growin’ up free, and all bust out of Egypt! I wants to be free like an eagle in de air, Like an eagle in de air.”