The Devil and Tom Walker

 4. What words are significant? are words What 4.

 How does the description of Tom’s house affect the mood of the story? the of mood the affect house Tom’s of description the does How 3.

deliverance from this land of famine. famine. of land this from deliverance

sometimes he would lean his head over the fence, look piteously at the passer by, and seem to petition petition to seem and by, passer the at piteously look fence, the over head his lean would he sometimes

carpet of moss, scarcely covering the ragged beds of pudding stone, tantalized and balked his hunger; and and hunger; his balked and tantalized stone, pudding of beds ragged the covering scarcely moss, of carpet

miserable horse, whose ribs were as articulate as the bars of a gridiron, stalked about a field where a thin thin a where field a about stalked gridiron, a of bars the as articulate as were ribs whose horse, miserable

emblems of sterility, grew near it; no smoke ever curled from its chimney; no traveller stopped at its door. A A door. its at stopped traveller no chimney; its from curled ever smoke no it; near grew sterility, of emblems

lived in a forlorn looking house, that stood alone and had an air of starvation. A few straggling savin trees, trees, savin straggling few A starvation. of air an had and alone stood that house, looking forlorn a in lived

many and fierce were the conflicts that took place about what ought to have been common property. They They property. common been have to ought what about place took that conflicts the were fierce and many

alert to secure the new-laid egg. Her husband was continually prying about to detect her secret hoards, and and hoards, secret her detect to about prying continually was husband Her egg. new-laid the secure to alert

each other. Whatever the woman could lay hands on she hid away: a hen could not cackle but she was on the the on was she but cackle not could hen a away: hid she on hands lay could woman the Whatever other. each

Tom Walker. He had a wife as miserly as himself; they were so miserly that they even conspired to cheat cheat to conspired even they that miserly so were they himself; as miserly as wife a had He Walker. Tom

many tall sinners down upon their knees, there lived near this place a meagre miserly fellow of the name of of name the of fellow miserly meagre a place this near lived there knees, their upon down sinners tall many

About the year 1727, just at the time when earthquakes were prevalent in New England, and shook shook and England, New in prevalent were earthquakes when time the at just 1727, year the About

 2. What words or phrases help create this mood? this create help phrases or words What 2.

 What is the mood of the opening paragraph? opening the of mood the is What 1.

recover his wealth; being shortly after seized at Boston, sent out to England, and there hanged for a pirate. pirate. a for hanged there and England, to out sent Boston, at seized after shortly being wealth; his recover

does with buried treasure, particularly when it has been ill gotten. Be that as it may, Kidd never returned to to returned never Kidd may, it as that Be gotten. ill been has it when particularly treasure, buried with does

presided at the hiding of the money, and took it under his guardianship; but this, it is well known, he always always he known, well is it this, but guardianship; his under it took and money, the of hiding the at presided

landmarks by which the place might easily be found again. The old stories add, moreover, that the devil devil the that moreover, add, stories old The again. found be easily might place the which by landmarks

place permitted a good look out to be kept that no one was at hand, while the remarkable trees formed good good formed trees remarkable the while hand, at was one no that kept be to out look good a permitted place

facility to bring the money in a boat secretly and at night to the very foot of the hill. The elevation of the the of elevation The hill. the of foot very the to night at and secretly boat a in money the bring to facility

according to old stories, there was a great amount of treasure buried by Kidd the pirate. The inlet allowed a a allowed inlet The pirate. the Kidd by buried treasure of amount great a was there stories, old to according

ridge on which grow a few scattered oaks of great age and immense size. Under one of these gigantic trees, trees, gigantic these of one Under size. immense and age great of oaks scattered few a grow which on ridge

inlet is a beautiful dark grove; on the opposite side the land rises abruptly from the water's edge, into a high high a into edge, water's the from abruptly rises land the side opposite the on grove; dark beautiful a is inlet

of the country from Charles Bay, and terminating in a thickly wooded swamp, or morass. On one side of this this of side one On morass. or swamp, wooded thickly a in terminating and Bay, Charles from country the of

A few miles from Boston, in Massachusetts, there is a deep inlet winding several miles into the interior interior the into miles several winding inlet deep a is there Massachusetts, in Boston, from miles few A

In pink, highlight/underline the resolution of the story the of resolution the highlight/underline pink, In 7)

In purple, highlight/underline the 5 main events that lead up to the climax of the story the of climax the to up lead that events main 5 the highlight/underline purple, In 6)

In blue, highlight/underline the climax of the story the of climax the highlight/underline blue, In 5)

the Devil the

In red, highlight/underline character descriptions (appearance, personality, thoughts, intentions) of of intentions) thoughts, personality, (appearance, descriptions character highlight/underline red, In 4)

Tom Walker’s wife Walker’s Tom

In green, highlight/underline character descriptions (appearance, personality, thoughts, intentions) of of intentions) thoughts, personality, (appearance, descriptions character highlight/underline green, In 3)

Tom Walker Tom

In yellow, highlight/underline character descriptions (appearance, personality, thoughts, intentions) of intentions) thoughts, personality, (appearance, descriptions character highlight/underline yellow, In 2)

In orange, highlight/underline portions of the story that establish the mood & setting & mood the establish that story the of portions highlight/underline orange, In 1)

. . exercises following the complete to pencils/highlighters colored Use

Name: ____/100

Washington Irving Washington by The Devil and Tom Walker Tom and Devil The

that had taken place in this last foothold of the Indian warriors. warriors. Indian the of foothold last this in place taken had that

time that had elapsed since this death blow had been given. It was a dreary memento of the fierce struggle struggle fierce the of memento dreary a was It given. been had blow death this since elapsed had that time

cloven skull with an Indian tomahawk buried deep in it, lay before him. The rust on the weapon showed the the showed weapon the on rust The him. before lay it, in deep buried tomahawk Indian an with skull cloven

unconsciously, his staff struck against something hard. He raked it out of the vegetable mould, and lo! a a lo! and mould, vegetable the of out it raked He hard. something against struck staff his unconsciously,

tree toad, and delving with his walking staff into a mound of black mould at his feet. As he turned up the soil the up turned he As feet. his at mould black of mound a into staff walking his with delving and toad, tree

He reposed himself for some time on the trunk of a fallen hemlock, listening to the boding cry of the the of cry boding the to listening hemlock, fallen a of trunk the on time some for himself reposed He

 Why is it appropriate that his place be associated with an “evil spirit”? “evil an with associated be place his that appropriate it is Why 9.

 How does this historical reference influence the mood of the story? the of mood the influence reference historical this does How 8.

Walker, however, was not a man to be troubled with any fears of the kind. the of fears any with troubled be to man a not was however, Walker,

when it was asserted that the savages held incantations here and made sacrifices to the evil spirit. Tom Tom spirit. evil the to sacrifices made and here incantations held savages the that asserted was it when

the common people had a bad opinion of it from the stories handed down from the time of the Indian wars; wars; Indian the of time the from down handed stories the from it of opinion bad a had people common the

while to rest himself. Any one but he would have felt unwilling to linger in this lonely melancholy place, for for place, melancholy lonely this in linger to unwilling felt have would he but one Any himself. rest to while

It was late in the dusk of evening that Tom Walker reached the old fort, and he paused there for a a for there paused he and fort, old the reached Walker Tom that evening of dusk the in late was It

the dark pines and hemlocks of the swamp. the of hemlocks and pines dark the

earth, and already overgrown in part by oaks and other forest trees, the foliage of which formed a contrast to to contrast a formed which of foliage the trees, forest other and oaks by part in overgrown already and earth,

Nothing remained of the Indian fort but a few embankments gradually sinking to the level of the surrounding the of level the to sinking gradually embankments few a but fort Indian the of remained Nothing

had looked upon as almost impregnable, and had used as a place of refuge for their squaws and children. children. and squaws their for refuge of place a as used had and impregnable, almost as upon looked had

of the Indians during their wars with the first colonists. Here they had thrown up a kind of fort which they they which fort of kind a up thrown had they Here colonists. first the with wars their during Indians the of

ground, which ran out like a peninsula into the deep bosom of the swamp. It had been one of the strong holds strong the of one been had It swamp. the of bosom deep the into peninsula a like out ran which ground,

quacking of a wild duck, rising on the wing from some solitary pool. At length he arrived at a piece of firm firm of piece a at arrived he length At pool. solitary some from wing the on rising duck, wild a of quacking

cat, along the prostrate trunks of trees; startled now and then by the sudden screaming of the bittern, or the the or bittern, the of screaming sudden the by then and now startled trees; of trunks prostrate the along cat,

tuft of rushes and roots which afforded precarious footholds among deep sloughs; or pacing carefully, like a a like carefully, pacing or sloughs; deep among footholds precarious afforded which roots and rushes of tuft

Tom had long been picking his way cautiously through this treacherous forest; stepping from tuft to to tuft from stepping forest; treacherous this through cautiously way his picking been long had Tom

 7. What might be Irving’s purpose in creating this mood? this creating in purpose Irving’s be might What 7.

 What mood does this description create, and what words in particular heightens this mood? this heightens particular in words what and create, description this does mood What 6.

like alligators, sleeping in the mire. the in sleeping alligators, like

frog, and the water snake, and where trunks of pines and hemlocks lay half drowned, half rotting, looking looking rotting, half drowned, half lay hemlocks and pines of trunks where and snake, water the and frog,

gulf of black smothering mud; there were also dark and stagnant pools, the abodes of the tadpole, the bull- the tadpole, the of abodes the pools, stagnant and dark also were there mud; smothering black of gulf

quagmires, partly covered with weeds and mosses; where the green surface often betrayed the traveller into a into traveller the betrayed often surface green the where mosses; and weeds with covered partly quagmires,

made it dark at noonday, and a retreat for all the owls of the neighbourhood. It was full of pits and and pits of full was It neighbourhood. the of owls the all for retreat a and noonday, at dark it made

swamp was thickly grown with great gloomy pines and hemlocks, some of them ninety feet high; which which high; feet ninety them of some hemlocks, and pines gloomy great with grown thickly was swamp

considered a short cut homewards through the swamp. Like most short cuts, it was an ill chosen route. The The route. chosen ill an was it cuts, short most Like swamp. the through homewards cut short a considered

One day that Tom Walker had been to a distant part of the neighbourhood, he took what he he what took he neighbourhood, the of part distant a to been had Walker Tom that day One

 What female stereotype is Irving drawing on here? here? on drawing Irving is stereotype female What 5.

celibacy.

clapper clawing; eyed the den of discord askance, and hurried on his way, rejoicing, if a bachelor, in his his in bachelor, a if rejoicing, way, his on hurried and askance, discord of den the eyed clawing; clapper

however, to interfere between them; the lonely wayfarer shrunk within himself at the horrid clamour and and clamour horrid the at himself within shrunk wayfarer lonely the them; between interfere to however,

and his face sometimes showed signs that their conflicts were not confined to words. No one ventured, ventured, one No words. to confined not were conflicts their that signs showed sometimes face his and

temper, loud of tongue, and strong of arm. Her voice was often heard in wordy warfare with her husband; husband; her with warfare wordy in heard often was voice Her arm. of strong and tongue, of loud temper,

The house and its inmates had altogether a bad name. Tom's wife was a tall termagant, fierce of of fierce termagant, tall a was wife Tom's name. bad a altogether had inmates its and house The

"But what right have you," said Tom, "to cut down Deacon Peabody's timber?" Peabody's Deacon down cut "to Tom, said you," have right what "But

have a good stock of firewood for winter." for firewood of stock good a have

"He's just ready for burning!" said the black man, with a growl of triumph. "You see I am likely to to likely am I see "You triumph. of growl a with man, black the said burning!" for ready just "He's

which it was whispered he had acquired by buccaneering. by acquired had he whispered was it which

of Crowninshield; and he recollected a mighty rich man of that name, who made a vulgar display of wealth, wealth, of display vulgar a made who name, that of man rich mighty a recollected he and Crowninshield; of

The one on which he had been seated, and which had evidently just been hewn down, bore the name name the bore down, hewn been just evidently had which and seated, been had he which on one The

ax? the carries man black the that fact the and

 13. What conclusion can you draw from the fact that these men’s names have been hacked into the trees trees the into hacked been have names men’s these that fact the from draw you can conclusion What 13.

. . axe the

most of the tall trees marked with the name of some great men of the colony, and all more or less scored by by scored less or more all and colony, the of men great some of name the with marked trees tall the of most

On the bark of the tree was scored the name of Deacon Peabody. He now looked round and found found and round looked now He Peabody. Deacon of name the scored was tree the of bark the On

 What might the great tree rotten at the core, symbolize? core, the at rotten tree great the might What 12.

wind was likely to below it down. down. it below to likely was wind

flourishing without, but rotten at the core, and saw that it had been nearly hewn through, so that the first high first the that so through, hewn nearly been had it that saw and core, the at rotten but without, flourishing

Tom looked in the direction that the stranger pointed, and beheld one of the great trees, fair and and fair trees, great the of one beheld and pointed, stranger the that direction the in looked Tom

more to his own sins and less to his neighbour's. Look yonder, and see how Deacon Peabody is faring." is Peabody Deacon how see and yonder, Look neighbour's. his to less and sins own his to more

"Deacon Peabody be d——d," said the stranger, "as I flatter myself he will be, if he does not look look not does he if be, will he myself flatter I "as stranger, the said d——d," be Peabody "Deacon

Peabody."

"Your grounds?" said Tom, with a sneer; "no more your grounds than mine: they belong to Deacon Deacon to belong they mine: than grounds your more "no sneer; a with Tom, said grounds?" "Your

"What are you doing in my grounds?" said the black man, with a hoarse growling voice. growling hoarse a with man, black the said grounds?" my in doing you are "What

He scowled for a moment at Tom with a pair of great red eyes. red great of pair a with Tom at moment a for scowled He

 How do the details describing the dark man make him special and strange? and special him make man dark the describing details the do How 11.

from his head in all directions; and bore an axe on his shoulder. shoulder. his on axe an bore and directions; all in head his from

he had been accustomed to toil among fires and forges. He had a shock of coarse black hair, that stood out out stood that hair, black coarse of shock a had He forges. and fires among toil to accustomed been had he

body, but his face was neither black nor copper colour, but swarthy and dingy and begrimed with soot, as if if as soot, with begrimed and dingy and swarthy but colour, copper nor black neither was face his but body,

Indian. It is true, he was dressed in a rude, half Indian garb, and had a red belt or sash swathed round his his round swathed sash or belt red a had and garb, Indian half rude, a in dressed was he true, is It Indian.

perplexed on observing, as well as the gathering gloom would permit, that the stranger was neither negro nor negro neither was stranger the that permit, would gloom gathering the as well as observing, on perplexed

tree. He was exceedingly surprised, having neither seen nor heard any one approach, and he was still more more still was he and approach, one any heard nor seen neither having surprised, exceedingly was He tree.

Tom lifted up his eyes and beheld a great black man, seated directly opposite him on the stump of a a of stump the on him opposite directly seated man, black great a beheld and eyes his up lifted Tom

"Let that skull alone!" said a gruff voice. gruff a said alone!" skull that "Let

"Humph!" said Tom Walker, as he gave the skull a kick to shake the dirt from it. from dirt the shake to kick a skull the gave he as Walker, Tom said "Humph!"

 What mood is created in this paragraph? this in created is mood What 10.

which nothing could obliterate. obliterate. could nothing which

When Tom reached home he found the black print of a finger burnt, as it were, into his forehead, forehead, his into were, it as burnt, finger a of print black the found he home reached Tom When

earth, until nothing but his head and shoulders could be seen, and so on until he totally disappeared. totally he until on so and seen, be could shoulders and head his but nothing until earth,

turned off among the thickets of the swamp, and seemed, as Tom said, to go down, down, down, into the the into down, down, down, go to said, Tom as seemed, and swamp, the of thickets the among off turned

"There is my signature," said the black man, pressing his finger on Tom's forehead. So saying, he he saying, So forehead. Tom's on finger his pressing man, black the said signature," my is "There

 Are you surprised that Tom asked this question? this asked Tom that surprised you Are 17.

"What proof have I that all you have been telling me is true?" said Tom. Tom. said true?" is me telling been have you all that I have proof "What

 What do you think the conditions of the bargain are? bargain the of conditions the think you do What 16.

paused.

to stick at trifles where money was in view. When they had reached the edge of the swamp the stranger stranger the swamp the of edge the reached had they When view. in was money where trifles at stick to

them publicly. They must have been very hard, for he required time to think of them, and he was not a man man a not was he and them, of think to time required he for hard, very been have must They publicly. them

only on certain conditions. What these conditions were, may easily be surmised, though Tom never disclosed never Tom though surmised, be easily may were, conditions these What conditions. certain on only

place within Tom Walker's reach, having conceived an especial kindness for him: but they were to be had had be to were they but him: for kindness especial an conceived having reach, Walker's Tom within place

protected by his power, so that none could find them but such as propitiated his favour. These he offered to to offered he These favour. his propitiated as such but them find could none that so power, his by protected

pirate, under the oak trees on the high ridge not far from the morass. All these were under his command and and command his under were these All morass. the from far not ridge high the on trees oak the under pirate,

returned homewards. The black man told him of great sums of money which had been buried by Kidd the the Kidd by buried been had which money of sums great of him told man black The homewards. returned

It is said that after this commencement, they had a long and earnest conversation together, as Tom Tom as together, conversation earnest and long a had they commencement, this after that said is It

 What prepared Tom for this experience? this for Tom prepared What 15.

lived so long with a termagant wife, that he did not even fear the devil. devil. the fear even not did he that wife, termagant a with long so lived

would have shaken any man's nerves: but Tom was a hard-minded fellow, not easily daunted, and he had had he and daunted, easily not fellow, hard-minded a was Tom but nerves: man's any shaken have would

an air to be credited. One would think that to meet with such a singular personage in this wild lonely place, place, lonely wild this in personage singular a such with meet to that think would One credited. be to air an

Such was the opening of this interview, according to the old story, though it has almost too familiar familiar too almost has it though story, old the to according interview, this of opening the was Such

"The same at your service!" replied the black man, with a half civil nod. civil half a with man, black the replied service!" your at same "The

Old Scratch." Old

"The upshot of all which is, that, if I mistake not," said Tom, sturdily, "you are he commonly called called commonly he are "you sturdily, Tom, said not," mistake I if that, is, which all of upshot "The

commenting on his own society? own his on commenting

 What range of evil activity does this paragraph attribute to the devil? In what way is Irving Irving is way what In devil? the to attribute paragraph this does activity evil of range What 14.

anabaptists; I am the great patron and prompter of slave dealers, and the grand master of the Salem witches." witches." Salem the of master grand the and dealers, slave of prompter and patron great the am I anabaptists;

been exterminated by you white savages, I amuse myself by presiding at the persecutions of quakers and and quakers of persecutions the at presiding by myself amuse I savages, white you by exterminated been

this spot, and now and then roasted a white man by way of sweet smelling sacrifice. Since the red men have have men red the Since sacrifice. smelling sweet of way by man white a roasted then and now and spot, this

this neighbourhood I am known by the name of the Black Woodsman. I am he to whom the red men devoted devoted men red the whom to he am I Woodsman. Black the of name the by known am I neighbourhood this

"Oh, I go by various names. I am the Wild Huntsman in some countries; the Black Miner in others. In others. in Miner Black the countries; some in Huntsman Wild the am I names. various by go I "Oh,

"And pray, who are you, if I may be so bold?" said Tom. said bold?" so be may I if you, are who pray, "And

white faced race put foot upon the soil." the upon foot put race faced white

"The right of prior claim," said the other. "This woodland belonged to me long before one of your your of one before long me to belonged woodland "This other. the said claim," prior of right "The

 What is the purpose of reporting the diverse opinions – both prosaic and supernatural-about Tom’s Tom’s supernatural-about and prosaic both – opinions diverse the reporting of purpose the is What 21.

of the swamp, carrying a bundle tied in a check apron, with an air of surly triumph. triumph. surly of air an with apron, check a in tied bundle a carrying swamp, the of

of this, it was said a great black man with an axe on his shoulder was seen late that very evening coming out out coming evening very that late seen was shoulder his on axe an with man black great a said was it this, of

the tempter had decoyed her into a dismal quagmire on top of which her hat was found lying. In confirmation In lying. found was hat her which of top on quagmire dismal a into her decoyed had tempter the

that she had eloped with the household booty, and made off to some other province; while others assert that that assert others while province; other some to off made and booty, household the with eloped had she that

among the tangled mazes of the swamp and sunk into some pit or slough; others, more uncharitable, hinted hinted uncharitable, more others, slough; or pit some into sunk and swamp the of mazes tangled the among

those facts that have become confounded by a variety of historians. Some asserted that she lost her way way her lost she that asserted Some historians. of variety a by confounded become have that facts those

What was her real fate nobody knows, in consequence of so many pretending to know. It is one of of one is It know. to pretending many so of consequence in knows, nobody fate real her was What

elapsed, another morning came; but no wife. In a word, she was never heard of more. of heard never was she word, a In wife. no but came; morning another elapsed,

carried off in her apron the silver teapot and spoons and every portable article of value. Another night night Another value. of article portable every and spoons and teapot silver the apron her in off carried

returned, but still she did not come. Tom now grew uneasy for her safety; especially as he found she had had she found he as especially safety; her for uneasy grew now Tom come. not did she still but returned,

waited for her, but in vain: midnight came, but she did not make her appearance; morning, noon, night night noon, morning, appearance; her make not did she but came, midnight vain: in but her, for waited

The next evening she set off again for the swamp, with her apron heavily laden. Tom waited and and waited Tom laden. heavily apron her with swamp, the for again off set she evening next The

 How does Tom’s wife reveal her true character in this passage? this in character true her reveal wife Tom’s does How 20.

but what it was she forebore to say. say. to forebore she was it what but

tree. He was sulky, however, and would not come to terms; she was to go again with a propitiatory offering, offering, propitiatory a with again go to was she terms; to come not would and however, sulky, was He tree.

replies. She spoke something of a black man whom she had met about twilight, hewing at the root of a tall tall a of root the at hewing twilight, about met had she whom man black a of something spoke She replies.

of a summer's day. She was many hours absent. When she came back she was reserved and sullen in her her in sullen and reserved was she back came she When absent. hours many was She day. summer's a of

Being of the same fearless temper as her husband, she set off for the old Indian fort towards the close close the towards fort Indian old the for off set she husband, her as temper fearless same the of Being

and if she succeeded, to keep all the gain to herself. to gain the all keep to succeeded, she if and

was Tom not to be damned to please her. At length she determined to drive the bargain on her own account, account, own her on bargain the drive to determined she length At her. please to damned be to not Tom was

Many and bitter were the quarrels they had on the subject, but the more she talked the more resolute resolute more the talked she more the but subject, the on had they quarrels the were bitter and Many

 What does this reveal about Tom that he chose the devil over his wife? wife? his over devil the chose he that Tom about reveal this does What 19.

refused out of the mere spirit of contradiction. contradiction. of spirit mere the of out refused

have felt disposed to sell himself to the devil, he was determined not to do so to oblige his wife; so he flatly flatly he so wife; his oblige to so do to not determined was he devil, the to himself sell to disposed felt have

comply with the black man's terms and secure what would make them wealthy for life. However Tom might might Tom However life. for wealthy them make would what secure and terms man's black the with comply

shared it with her. All her avarice was awakened at the mention of hidden gold, and she urged her husband to husband her urged she and gold, hidden of mention the at awakened was avarice her All her. with it shared

He was not prone to let his wife into his confidence; but as this was an uneasy secret, he willingly willingly he secret, uneasy an was this as but confidence; his into wife his let to prone not was He

seen was no illusion. no was seen

burning. "Let the freebooter roast," said Tom, "who cares!" He now felt convinced that all he had heard and and heard had he all that convinced felt now He cares!" "who Tom, said roast," freebooter the "Let burning.

Tom recollected the tree which his black friend had just hewn down, and which was ready for for ready was which and down, hewn just had friend black his which tree the recollected Tom

buccaneer. It was announced in the papers with the usual flourish, that "a great man had fallen in Israel." in fallen had man great "a that flourish, usual the with papers the in announced was It buccaneer.

The first news his wife had to tell him was the sudden death of Absalom Crowninshield the rich rich the Crowninshield Absalom of death sudden the was him tell to had wife his news first The

about Tom’s future? Tom’s about

 What is the meaning of the black fingerprint branded into Tom’s forehead, and what does it imply imply it does what and forehead, Tom’s into branded fingerprint black the of meaning the is What 18.

He affected to receive Tom's advance with great indifference, made brief replies, and went on humming his his humming on went and replies, brief made indifference, great with advance Tom's receive to affected He

woodman dress, with his axe on his shoulder, sauntering along the edge of the swamp, and humming a tune. tune. a humming and swamp, the of edge the along sauntering shoulder, his on axe his with dress, woodman

to any thing rather than not gain the promised treasure, he met the black man one evening in his usual usual his in evening one man black the met he treasure, promised the gain not than rather thing any to

At length, it is said, when delay had whetted Tom's eagerness to the quick, and prepared him to agree agree to him prepared and quick, the to eagerness Tom's whetted had delay when said, is it length, At

 Why does Tom want to seek out the devil? the out seek to want Tom does Why 25.

for; he knows how to play his cards when pretty sure of his game. game. his of sure pretty when cards his play to how knows he for;

success; the old black legs played shy, for whatever people may think, he is not always to be had for calling calling for had be to always not is he think, may people whatever for shy, played legs black old the success;

him a kindness. He sought, therefore, to cultivate a farther acquaintance with him, but for some time without without time some for but him, with acquaintance farther a cultivate to therefore, sought, He kindness. a him

fortitude. He even felt something like gratitude towards the black woodsman, who he considered had done done had considered he who woodsman, black the towards gratitude like something felt even He fortitude.

Tom consoled himself for the loss of his property with the loss of his wife; for he was a man of of man a was he for wife; his of loss the with property his of loss the for himself consoled Tom

tough time of it!" of time tough

looked at the signs of a fierce clapper clawing. "Egad," said he to himself, "Old Scratch must have had a a had have must Scratch "Old himself, to he said "Egad," clawing. clapper fierce a of signs the at looked

black shock of the woodsman. Tom knew his wife's prowess by experience. He shrugged his shoulders as he he as shoulders his shrugged He experience. by prowess wife's his knew Tom woodsman. the of shock black

stamped about the tree, and several handsful of hair, that looked as if they had been plucked from the coarse coarse the from plucked been had they if as looked that hair, of handsful several and tree, the about stamped

She must have died game however; for it is said Tom noticed many prints of cloven feet deeply deeply feet cloven of prints many noticed Tom said is it for however; game died have must She

 How are women portrayed in this segment? this in portrayed women are How 24.

had the worst of it. it. of worst the had

though a female scold is generally considered a match for the devil, yet in this instance she appears to have have to appears she instance this in yet devil, the for match a considered generally is scold female a though

probably attempted to deal with the black man as she had been accustomed to deal with her husband; but but husband; her with deal to accustomed been had she as man black the with deal to attempted probably

Such, according to the most authentic old story, was all that was to be found of Tom's wife. She had had She wife. Tom's of found be to was that all was story, old authentic most the to according Such,

 does Tom find in the apron? the in find Tom does What 23.

up in it. it. in up

shadows of the forest. Tom seized the check apron, but, woful sight! found nothing but a heart and liver tied tied liver and heart a but nothing found sight! woful but, apron, check the seized Tom forest. the of shadows

As he scrambled up the tree the vulture spread its wide wings, and sailed off screaming into the deep deep the into screaming off sailed and wings, wide its spread vulture the tree the up scrambled he As

without the woman." the without

"Let us get hold of the property," said he, consolingly to himself, "and we will endeavour to do do to endeavour will we "and himself, to consolingly he, said property," the of hold get us "Let

the suspense about the fate of Tom’s wife? Tom’s of fate the about suspense the

 What is the mood of this passage, and what words create this mood? How does this passage heighten heighten passage this does How mood? this create words what and passage, this of mood the is What 22.

it. He leaped with joy, for he recognized his wife's apron, and supposed it to contain the household valuables. household the contain to it supposed and apron, wife's his recognized he for joy, with leaped He it.

apron and hanging in the branches of the tree; with a great vulture perched hard by, as if keeping watch upon watch keeping if as by, hard perched vulture great a with tree; the of branches the in hanging and apron

of carrion crows that were hovering about a cypress tree. He looked and beheld a bundle tied in a check check a in tied bundle a beheld and looked He tree. cypress a about hovering were that crows carrion of

of twilight, when the owls began to hoot and the bats to flit about, his attention was attracted by the clamour clamour the by attracted was attention his about, flit to bats the and hoot to began owls the when twilight, of

by; or the bull frog croaked dolefully from a neighbouring pool. At length, it is said, just in the brown hour hour brown the in just said, is it length, At pool. neighbouring a from dolefully croaked frog bull the or by;

repeatedly, but she was no where to be heard. The bittern alone responded to his voice, as he flew screaming screaming flew he as voice, his to responded alone bittern The heard. be to where no was she but repeatedly,

summer's afternoon he searched about the gloomy place, but no wife was to be seen. He called her name name her called He seen. be to was wife no but place, gloomy the about searched he afternoon summer's

fate of his wife and his property that he sat out at length to seek them both at the Indian fort. During a long long a During fort. Indian the at both them seek to length at out sat he that property his and wife his of fate

The most current and probable story, however, observes that Tom Walker grew so anxious about the the about anxious so grew Walker Tom that observes however, story, probable and current most The

time of paper credit. The country had been deluged with government bills; the famous Land Bank had been been had Bank Land famous the bills; government with deluged been had country The credit. paper of time

Every body remembers the days of Governor Belcher, when money was particularly scarce. It was a a was It scarce. particularly was money when Belcher, Governor of days the remembers body Every

 mood? the affect setting of change and development plot the does How 28.

abroad. abroad.

reputation for a ready moneyed man, who would lend money out for a good consideration, soon spread spread soon consideration, good a for out money lend would who man, moneyed ready a for reputation

A few days' time saw Tom Walker seated behind his desk in a counting house in Boston. His His Boston. in house counting a in desk his behind seated Walker Tom saw time days' few A

"Done!" said Tom Walker. —So they shook hands, and struck a bargain. a struck and hands, shook they —So Walker. Tom said "Done!"

"Done!" said the devil. the said "Done!"

"This very night." very "This

rhino?"

"You are the usurer for my money!" said the black legs, with delight. "When will you want the the want you will "When delight. with legs, black the said money!" my for usurer the are "You

"I'll drive him to the d——l," cried Tom Walker, eagerly. Walker, Tom cried d——l," the to him drive "I'll

"You shall extort bonds, foreclose mortgages, drive the merchant to bankruptcy—" to merchant the drive mortgages, foreclose bonds, extort shall "You

"Egad, I'll charge four!" replied Tom Walker. Tom replied four!" charge I'll "Egad,

"You shall lend money at two per cent. a month." a cent. per two at money lend shall "You

"I'll do it to-morrow, if you wish," said Tom Walker. Tom said wish," you if to-morrow, it do "I'll

"You shall open a broker's shop in Boston next month," said the black man. black the said month," next Boston in shop broker's a open shall "You

 What is the deal made between the devil and Tom? and devil the between made deal the is What 27.

To this no objections were made, for it was just to Tom's taste. taste. Tom's to just was it for made, were objections no this To

people.

turn usurer; the devil being extremely anxious for the increase of usurers, looking upon them as his peculiar peculiar his as them upon looking usurers, of increase the for anxious extremely being devil the usurer; turn

Finding Tom so squeamish on this point, he did not insist upon it, but proposed instead that he should he that instead proposed but it, upon insist not did he point, this on squeamish so Tom Finding

 explicitly? terms the state doesn’t he think you do Why 26.

himself could not tempt him to turn slave dealer. slave turn to him tempt not could himself

slave ship. This, however, Tom resolutely refused; he was bad enough in all conscience; but the devil devil the but conscience; all in enough bad was he refused; resolutely Tom however, This, ship. slave

He proposed, therefore, that Tom should employ it in the black traffick; that is to say, that he should fit out a a out fit should he that say, to is that traffick; black the in it employ should Tom that therefore, proposed, He

inflexibly obstinate. He insisted that the money found through his means should be employed in his service. service. his in employed be should means his through found money the that insisted He obstinate. inflexibly

does the narrator refer to here? but there were others about which, though of less importance, he was was he importance, less of though which, about others were there but here? to refer narrator the does

being generally understood in all cases where the devil grants favours; What “generally understood” terms terms understood” “generally What favours; grants devil the where cases all in understood generally being

which the former was to have the pirate's treasure. There was one condition which need not be mentioned, mentioned, be not need which condition one was There treasure. pirate's the have to was former the which

By degrees, however, Tom brought him to business, and they began to haggle about the terms on on terms the about haggle to began they and business, to him brought Tom however, degrees, By

Tom's zeal became as notorious as his riches. his as notorious as became zeal Tom's

He even talked of the expediency of reviving the persecution of quakers and anabaptists. In a word, word, a In anabaptists. and quakers of persecution the reviving of expediency the of talked even He

 Has Tom become a hypocrite? a become Tom Has 33.

 change? Tom’s showing in satirizing Irving is society of aspect What 32.

to their account became a credit on his own side of the page. page. the of side own his on credit a became account their to

matters; he was a stern supervisor and censurer of his neighbours, and seemed to think every sin entered up up entered sin every think to seemed and neighbours, his of censurer and supervisor stern a was he matters;

suddenly outstripped in their career by this new-made convert. Tom was as rigid in religious, as in money money in as religious, in rigid as was Tom convert. new-made this by career their in outstripped suddenly

modestly and steadfastly travelling Zionward, were struck with self reproach at seeing themselves so so themselves seeing at reproach self with struck were Zionward, travelling steadfastly and modestly

sinned most during the week, by the clamour of his Sunday devotion. The quiet christians who had been been had who christians quiet The devotion. Sunday his of clamour the by week, the during most sinned

strenuously as if heaven were to be taken by force of lungs. Indeed, one might always tell when he had had he when tell always might one Indeed, lungs. of force by taken be to were heaven if as strenuously

him out of the conditions. He became, therefore, all of a sudden, a violent church goer. He prayed loudly and loudly prayed He goer. church violent a sudden, a of all therefore, became, He conditions. the of out him

He thought with regret on the bargain he had made with his black friend, and set his wits to work to cheat cheat to work to wits his set and friend, black his with made had he bargain the on regret with thought He

 . . Explain guilty? feeling is Tom that surprise you Are 31.

began to feel anxious about those of the next. next. the of those about anxious feel to began

As Tom waxed old, however, he grew thoughtful. Having secured the good things of this world, he he world, this of things good the secured Having thoughtful. grew he however, old, waxed Tom As

the axle trees, you would have thought you heard the souls of the poor debtors he was squeezing. was he debtors poor the of souls the heard you thought have would you trees, axle the

though he nearly starved the horses which drew it; and as the ungreased wheels groaned and screeched on on screeched and groaned wheels ungreased the as and it; drew which horses the starved nearly he though

unfinished and unfurnished out of parsimony. He even set up a carriage in the fullness of his vain glory, glory, vain his of fullness the in carriage a up set even He parsimony. of out unfurnished and unfinished

hat upon change. He built himself, as usual, a vast house, out of ostentation; but left the greater part of it it of part greater the left but ostentation; of out house, vast a usual, as himself, built He change. upon hat

In this way he made money hand over hand; became a rich and mighty man, and exalted his cocked cocked his exalted and man, mighty and rich a became hand; over hand money made he way this In

 What is Irving actually saying here? saying actually Irving is What 30.

sent them at length, dry as a sponge from his door. door. his from sponge a as dry length, at them sent

his terms. He accumulated bonds and mortgages; gradually squeezed his customers closer and closer; and and closer; and closer customers his squeezed gradually mortgages; and bonds accumulated He terms. his

always exacted good pay and good security. In proportion to the distress of the applicant was the hardness of of hardness the was applicant the of distress the to proportion In security. good and pay good exacted always

Thus Tom was the universal friend of the needy, and he acted like a "friend in need;" that is to say, he say, to is that need;" in "friend a like acted he and needy, the of friend universal the was Tom Thus

by desperate means and desperate sacrifices, hurried to Tom Walker. Tom to hurried sacrifices, desperate and means desperate by

jobber; the thriftless tradesman; the merchant with cracked credit; in short, every one driven to raise money money raise to driven one every short, in credit; cracked with merchant the tradesman; thriftless the jobber;

soon thronged by customers. The needy and the adventurous; the gambling speculator; the dreaming land land dreaming the speculator; gambling the adventurous; the and needy The customers. by thronged soon

At this propitious time of public distress did Tom Walker set up as a usurer in Boston. His door was was door His Boston. in usurer a as up set Walker Tom did distress public of time propitious this At

 Explain the get rich quick cycle. Does it still exist today? exist still it Does cycle. quick rich get the Explain 29.

country resounded with the consequent cry of "hard times." times." "hard of cry consequent the with resounded country

dream had gone off, and the imaginary fortunes with it; the patients were left in doleful plight, and the whole the and plight, doleful in left were patients the it; with fortunes imaginary the and off, gone had dream

every body was dreaming of making sudden fortunes from nothing. As usual the fever had subsided; the the subsided; had fever the usual As nothing. from fortunes sudden making of dreaming was body every

speculating fever which breaks out every now and then in the country, had raged to an alarming degree, and and degree, alarming an to raged had country, the in then and now every out breaks which fever speculating

Eldorados, lying nobody knew where, but which every body was ready to purchase. In a word, the great great the word, a In purchase. to ready was body every which but where, knew nobody lying Eldorados,

for building cities in the wilderness; land jobbers went about with maps of grants, and townships, and and townships, and grants, of maps with about went jobbers land wilderness; the in cities building for

established; there had been a rage for speculating; the people had run mad with schemes for new settlements; new for schemes with mad run had people the speculating; for rage a been had there established;

along the road, and that when he ran to the window he just caught sight of a figure, such as I have described, described, have I as such figure, a of sight caught just he window the to ran he when that and road, the along

swamp, reported that in the height of the thunder gust he had heard a great clattering of hoofs and a howling howling a and hoofs of clattering great a heard had he gust thunder the of height the in that reported swamp,

Tom Walker never returned to foreclose the mortgage. A countryman who lived on the borders of the of borders the on lived who countryman A mortgage. the foreclose to returned never Walker Tom

 What is the mood of the story here? What view of the wrongdoer does this scene convey? scene this does wrongdoer the of view What here? story the of mood the is What 37.

pavement at every bound. When the clerks turned to look for the black man he had disappeared. disappeared. had he man black the for look to turned clerks the When bound. every at pavement

bobbing up and down; his morning gown fluttering in the wind, and his steed striking fire out of the the of out fire striking steed his and wind, the in fluttering gown morning his down; and up bobbing

stared after him from the windows. Away went Tom Walker, dashing down the streets; his white cap cap white his streets; the down dashing Walker, Tom went Away windows. the from him after stared

horse and away he galloped in the midst of a thunder storm. The clerks stuck their pens behind their ears and and ears their behind pens their stuck clerks The storm. thunder a of midst the in galloped he away and horse

about to forclose: never was sinner taken more unawares. The black man whisked him like a child astride the astride child a like him whisked man black The unawares. more taken sinner was never forclose: to about

little bible at the bottom of his coat pocket, and his big bible on the desk buried under the mortgage he was was he mortgage the under buried desk the on bible big his and pocket, coat his of bottom the at bible little

"Tom, you're come for!" said the black fellow, gruffly. Tom shrunk back, but too late. He had left his his left had He late. too but back, shrunk Tom gruffly. fellow, black the said for!" come you're "Tom,

 How do Tom’s words ironically bring about his own fate here? fate own his about bring ironically words Tom’s do How 36.

black man was holding a black horse which neighed and stamped with impatience. impatience. with stamped and neighed which horse black a holding was man black

Just then there were three loud knocks at the street door. He stepped out to see who was there. A A there. was who see to out stepped He door. street the at knocks loud three were there then Just

Tom lost his patience and his piety—"The devil take me," said he, "if I have made a farthing!" a made have I "if he, said me," take devil piety—"The his and patience his lost Tom

"You have made so much money out of me," said the speculator. the said me," of out money much so made have "You

home," replied Tom, "I must take care of myself in these hard times." hard these in myself of care take must "I Tom, replied home,"

"My family will be ruined and brought upon the parish," said the land jobber. "Charity begins at at begins "Charity jobber. land the said parish," the upon brought and ruined be will family "My

testy and irritated and refused another day. another refused and irritated and testy

the greatest friendship. The poor land jobber begged him to grant a few months indulgence. Tom had grown grown had Tom indulgence. months few a grant to him begged jobber land poor The friendship. greatest the

mortgage, by which he would complete the ruin of an unlucky land speculator for whom he had professed professed had he whom for speculator land unlucky an of ruin the complete would he which by mortgage,

his counting house in his white linen cap and India silk morning gown. He was on the point of foreclosing a a foreclosing of point the on was He gown. morning silk India and cap linen white his in house counting his

On one hot afternoon in the dog days, just as a terrible black thundergust was coming up, Tom sat in in sat Tom up, coming was thundergust black terrible a as just days, dog the in afternoon hot one On

 How does the mood shift here, and what is the effect of this anecdote? this of effect the is what and here, shift mood the does How 35.

says the authentic old legend which closes his story in the following manner. manner. following the in story his closes which legend old authentic the says

probably a mere old wives fable. If he really did take such a precaution it was totally superfluous; at least so so least at superfluous; totally was it precaution a such take did really he If fable. wives old mere a probably

ready for mounting, and he was determined at the worst to give his old friend a run for it. This, however, is is however, This, it. for run a friend old his give to worst the at determined was he and mounting, for ready

that at the last day the world would be turned upside down; in which case he should find his horse standing standing horse his find should he case which in down; upside turned be would world the day last the at that

he had his horse new shod, saddled and bridled, and buried with his feet uppermost; because he supposed supposed he because uppermost; feet his with buried and bridled, and saddled shod, new horse his had he

Some say that Tom grew a little crack brained in his old days, and that fancying his end approaching, approaching, end his fancying that and days, old his in brained crack little a grew Tom that say Some

 Bible? a carrying start Tom would Why 34.

to mark the place, while he turned round to drive some usurious bargain. usurious some drive to round turned he while place, the mark to

reading it when people called on business; on such occasions he would lay his green spectacles on the book, book, the on spectacles green his lay would he occasions such on business; on called people when it reading

in his coat pocket. He had also a great folio bible on his counting house desk, and would frequently be found found be frequently would and desk, house counting his on bible folio great a also had He pocket. coat his in

would have his due. That he might not be taken unawares, therefore, it is said he always carried a small bible small a carried always he said is it therefore, unawares, taken be not might he That due. his have would

Still, in spite of all this strenuous attention to forms, Tom had a lurking dread that the devil, after all, all, after devil, the that dread lurking a had Tom forms, to attention strenuous this all of spite in Still,

 39. What was the overall mood of the story? How is the mood established by Irving? by established mood the is How story? the of mood overall the was What 39.

Paragraph Prompt Paragraph

 What is the story’s theme (overall message)? (overall theme story’s the is What 38.

saying, prevalent throughout New-England, of "The Devil and Tom Walker." Walker." Tom and Devil "The of New-England, throughout prevalent saying,

spirit of the usurer. In fact, the story has resolved itself into a proverb, and is the origin of that popular popular that of origin the is and proverb, a into itself resolved has story the fact, In usurer. the of spirit

stormy nights by a figure on horseback, in a morning gown and white cap, which is doubtless the troubled troubled the doubtless is which cap, white and gown morning a in horseback, on figure a by nights stormy

Kidd's money is to be seen to this day; and the neighbouring swamp and old Indian fort is often haunted in in haunted often is fort Indian old and swamp neighbouring the and day; this to seen be to is money Kidd's

story to heart. The truth of it is not to be doubted. The very hole under the oak trees, from whence he dug dug he whence from trees, oak the under hole very The doubted. be to not is it of truth The heart. to story

Such was the end of Tom Walker and his ill gotten wealth. Let all griping money brokers lay this this lay brokers money griping all Let wealth. gotten ill his and Walker Tom of end the was Such

day his great house took fire and was burnt to the ground. the to burnt was and fire took house great his day

with chips and shavings; two skeletons lay in his stable instead of his half starved horses, and the very next next very the and horses, starved half his of instead stable his in lay skeletons two shavings; and chips with

his bonds and mortgages were found reduced to cinders. In place of gold and silver his iron chest was filled filled was chest iron his silver and gold of place In cinders. to reduced found were mortgages and bonds his

to take charge of Tom's effects. There was nothing, however, to administer upon. On searching his coffers all coffers his searching On upon. administer to however, nothing, was There effects. Tom's of charge take to

the colony, that they were not so much horror struck as might have been expected. Trustees were appointed appointed were Trustees expected. been have might as struck horror much so not were they that colony, the

accustomed to witches and goblins and tricks of the devil in all kinds of shapes from the first settlement of of settlement first the from shapes of kinds all in devil the of tricks and goblins and witches to accustomed

The good people of Boston shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders, but had been so much much so been had but shoulders, their shrugged and heads their shook Boston of people good The

whole forest in a blaze. a in forest whole

towards the old Indian fort; and that shortly after a thunderbolt fell in that direction which seemed to set the the set to seemed which direction that in fell thunderbolt a after shortly that and fort; Indian old the towards

on a horse that galloped like mad across the fields, over the hills and down into the black hemlock swamp swamp hemlock black the into down and hills the over fields, the across mad like galloped that horse a on