Name:
“The Devil and Tom Walker”
by Washington Irving
Guiding Questions:
1. Where was the treasure of Kidd the pirate buried? Who
buried it?
2. What was Tom Walker and his wife’s relationship like?
3. What was Tom Walker’s house like?
4. Where did Tom Walker stop to rest in the swamp on his
way home?
5. What did Tom Walker find as he was resting?
6. Who approached Tom Walker as he was resting? What
did he look like?
7. What do you think the tree’s that had the names on them
represented? What was the stranger to do with them?
8. Was Tom Walker scared or worried as he met the
stranger?
9. What did the stranger tell Tom he could “put within his
reach”? Was there a catch?
10. How did the stranger prove who he was who he said he
was?
11. Why did Tom at first refuse the black man’s terms?
12. What did Tom’s wife decide to do? What happened to her?
See you at the crossroads…
The crossroads—and the decisions made and entities met there
1. Where is the “crossroads” in the story?
2. Who do we meet at the crossroads?
3. What decisions are made at the crossroads?
