Equiano explains how he and his sister were kidnapped and forced to travel with their captors for a time until the two children are separated. Equiano becomes the slave-companion to the children of a wealthy chieftain. He stays there for about a month until he accidentally kills one of his master's chickens and runs away. Equiano hides in the shrubbery and woods surrounding his master's village, but after several days without food, steals away into his master's kitchen to eat. Exhausted, Equiano falls asleep in the kitchen and is discovered by a higher ability slave who thinks that they will harm him if he takes Equiano to the master. The master is forgiving and insists that Equiano shall not be harmed.