The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Chapter 4
Summary
Over the next few months, Huck begins to adjust to his
new life and even makes some progress in school. One winter morning,
he notices boot tracks in the snow near the house. Within
one heel print is the shape of two nails crossed to ward off the
devil. Huck immediately recognizes this mark and runs to Judge Thatcher.
Huck sells his fortune (the money he and Tom recovered in Tom
Sawyer, which the Judge has been managing for him) to the
befuddled Judge for a dollar.
That night, Huck goes to Jim, who claims to possess a
giant, magical hairball from an ox’s stomach. Huck tells Jim that
he has found Pap’s tracks in the snow and wants to know what his
father wants. Jim says that the hairball needs money to talk, so
Huck gives Jim a counterfeit quarter. Jim puts his ear to the hairball
and relates that Huck’s father has two angels, one black and one
white, one bad and one good. It is uncertain which angel will win
out, but Huck is safe for now. He will have much happiness and sorrow
in his life, he will marry a poor woman and then a rich woman, and
he should stay clear of the water, since that is where he will die.
That night, Huck finds Pap waiting for him in his bedroom.
No comments:
Post a Comment