The next day, Samba receives a letter from his father asking him to return home. His father admits that he was wrong to send him to the West and says that God has not abandoned Samba, as Samba may believe; the “traitor” is Samba himself, if he is not bringing all his thoughts in line with God. Samba’s father tells him, “Your salvation, the presence of God living in you, depends upon yourself. You will obtain both these if, in mind and body, you rigorously observe His law, which religion has codified” (147).

The fool, who believes Samba is the teacher, requests that he come to the mosque for prayer. Samba denies his request and reminds him he is not Thierno, who has passed away.

In a flashback, the fool observes Thierno physically struggling to pray during his final days. After watching, the fool runs to inform the chief that he believes Thierno will die soon. The village gathers in Thierno’s home, with the fool at his side.

The fool is now in denial about Thierno’s death and upon seeing Samba begins to refer to him as “the teacher.” In order to calm him, Samba asks him to speak of the “white man’s country” (78), and the fool recounts his observations of their use of technology and mechanisms.