The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Chapter 2
Summary
Huck and Tom tiptoe through the Widow’s garden. Huck trips
on a root as he passes by the kitchen, and Jim, one of Miss Watson’s slaves,
hears him from inside. Tom and Huck crouch down and try to stay
still, but Huck is struck by a series of uncontrollable itches,
as often happens when he is in a situation “where it won’t do for
you to scratch.” Jim says aloud that he will stay put until he discovers
the source of the sound, but after several minutes, he falls asleep.
Tom wants to tie Jim up, but the more practical Huck objects, so
Tom settles for simply playing a trick by putting Jim’s hat on a
tree branch over Jim’s head. Tom also takes candles from the kitchen,
despite Huck’s objections that they will risk getting caught.
Huck tells us that afterward, Jim tells everyone
that some witches flew him around and put the hat atop his head.
Jim expands the tale further, becoming a local celebrity among the
slaves, who enjoy witch stories. Around his neck,
Jim wears the five-cent piece Tom left for the candles, calling
it a charm from the devil with the power to cure sickness. Huck
notes somewhat sarcastically that Jim nearly becomes so “stuck up”
from his newfound celebrity that he is unfit to be a servant.
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