Lesson 10－Part 2
Pienaar, /
who led the Springboks, /
and the other players /
supported Mandela’s idea. //
Although at first /
they did not think /
they were doing something important /
for the new nation, /
they gradually came to realize /
what Mandela meant /
by “One Team, /
One Country.” //
They came to understand Mandela’s feelings better /
when they visited the island /
where he had been in captivity. //
This island was still being used /
as a prison. //
The players saw the cell /
where Mandela had to stay /
for such a long time. //
They entered the cell, /
one or two at a time, /
because it could not hold /
any more than that. //
Seeing that small box, /
they realized /
what white people had done to black people /
in the past. //
After seeing Mandela’s cell, /
the Springbok players met the prisoners there, /
who were all black people. //
The players told them /
they were now representing the whole country, /
including them. //
Hearing this, /
the prisoners began singing a song /
for the players. //
The prisoners were trying to forgive their enemies. //
Mandela went around the country /
asking people to support the Springboks, /
but it was not easy. //
Many could not just forget the past. //
