Humbling Myself to Jim
I'd reckon I never felt as mean as I done when Jim walked without saying a word to the wigwam. I knowed I played a mean trick but I hain't known that I'd made Jim feel so bad. Hearing the nigger talk the way he done got me feeling so low I'd almost gone after him to humble myself right away. I got to laying down on the raft feeling right rotten. The fog warn't there no more so the air was clear and the stars were shining. I layed on the raft a-looking at the stars whilst I wondered if a body could feel such things toward a slave without going to hell. I knowed one thing, though; I warn't sorry for wondering such things about Jim.
I knowed I would have to talk to Jim and get to talking about how mighty sorry and rotten I felt for playing the mean trick but I couldn't figure if I could do it. I'd never humbled myself to a nigger before. I set up, trying to work myself up to humble myself to Jim. I knowed most folks would not bother no more about humbling themselves to a slave; but I just felt right awful for what I done to Jim. I was at war with myself, trying to decide if I was to humble myself. Jim was good company to travel with but he was a slave; and no folks would bother with feeling sorry for a nigger, I reckon. I fretted and sweated about what to do; it was just too hard to decide betwixt the two sides of whether to humble myself or not. The war in my head soon came to a right close; I'd humble myself to Jim so I would stop feeling right rotten and sorry about it. I slowly walked along to the wigwam, looking at the ground. I felt right nervous about what I was going to do.
"Jim!" I calls. Jim had not come out. I walked right in to the wigwam fastest I ever been in my whole life, I reckon. Jim set on the ground, not looking toward me or talking to me. I felt even more rotten now.
"Jim, listen here, I feel right rotten and sorry about that mean trick I done you. I wouldn't done that trick is I'd 'a' knowed it would make you feel like a right fool," I says. Jim turned around.
"Yo' sorry? You k'yer 'bout ole Jim?" Jim asked with the hugest smile any folk had ever seen, I reckon.
"Jim, I knowed the trick I played was right mean. I am sorry for having done that to you," I says. I must have looked like the saddest and most ashamed fool in the whole world. Jim came over and gave me a right big hug. His arms felt real warm and made me feel real good inside.
"You's a good fren', Huck, de bes' ole Jim's ever had, en Jim won't ever forgit dis talk wid you, no he won't ever," he says with considerable joy, grinning like a right fool. I gave a huge smile back. I knowed he had forgiven me.
I layed on the raft with the feelings of rotten and sorry there no more. I felt good for humbling myself to Jim and I warn't sorry for it. I warn't ever going to be sorry for it and I never played no more mean tricks on him.