It's a dead man. Yes, indeedy; naked, too. He's ben shot in de back. I reck'n he's ben dead two er three days. Come in, Huck, but doan' look at his face - it's too gashly.

“It’s a dead man. Yes, indeedy; naked, too. He’s ben shot in de back. I reck’n he’s ben dead two er three days. Come in, Huck, but doan’ look at his face – it’s too gashly.”

– Mark Twain

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 9. Jim discovers the corpse of Huck’s father, Pap Finn, shot in the back. But he prevents Huck from viewing the body and discovering who it is. Jim chooses to lie for the greater good to save his friend Huck from a bad experience.

Mark Twain Quotes