Chapter 1 and 2 Summary

On a Sunday afternoon, Elijah's friend Cooter wants to solve a mystery. There are unusual, long wiggly tracks in the dirt. When Preacher comes by, he tells them these are tracks of rolling hoop snakes, which are so poisonous that one of their bites kills a human or animal. He asks the boys to use his pistol and shoot him if he ever gets bitten by one, the suffering is so awful. Elijah, who is terrified of any snake, runs screaming to his mother. She has tried to teach him not to be so afraid of things, by explaining the ant hill and toady-frogs. Elijah and Cooter plant a frog in his mother's knitting to frighten her, which sets them into gales of laughter. Expecting a whipping, he is proud of his mother for taking the joke so well. Two days...