Chapter One through Chapter Two Summary

In chapter one, twelve-year-old Gypsy Arbutus Leemaster explains the disappearance of her Aunt Belle. Aunt Belle, mother of Woodrow and wife of Everett, disappeared without a trace at dawn one morning and did not return. Everett explained that he heard her wake and walk out to use the privy, but that he went back to sleep. When he awoke and she had not returned, he looked for her, but she was missing. No one in the mountain area they lived heard or saw anything, and she took no clothing or shoes. Gypsy's mother, Love Ball Dotson, is the sister of Belle, and was terribly distraught. After six months, Everett was drinking a lot, and Woodrow was moved to live with his grandparents, who live next door to Gypsy and her mother and stepfather, Porter Dotson...