He early amassed savings enough to pay for his own freedom, but his master would not agree to that, so Turpio bought the house in which he lived and his workshop.

In the course of time he accumulated possessions of no mean value and owned several slaves, whom he employed as assistant cobblers.

By his master's will all that he had amassed became his property, of course, when he was freed.

He was, as he is, very popular in Trebula and among all the country-folk round about who visit Trebula.

He is esteemed by all who know him and by all Satronians of every degree.
"Now Turpio, some years ago, partly on account of his kind-heartedness, partly since he could never resist a bargain and he got her for almost nothing, partly, perhaps because of his canny foresight, bought a wretched, puny, sickly, little runt of a four-year-old slave-girl, a mere rack of bones covered with yellow skin.