Dune Book II, Chapter 31 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • We return to Jessica and Paul and their little predicament.
  • A troop of Fremen surrounds them in the shadow of the rocks.
  • Paul recognizes Stilgar, the Fremen Duncan Idaho joined earlier.
  • Stilgar, in turn, recognizes Paul. Despite the protests of a Fremen named Jamis, Stilgar accepts Paul into his tribe, believing him to be the one Liet told them to look for.
  • But what about Jessica? Unfortunately, she is untrained in the ways of the desert and would be a burden, so they'll just take her water. Stilgar does say it's nothing personal, so that's that.
  • Jessica moves quickly, disarming and holding Stilgar. Paul acts in turn. He dives into the shadows and disarms another Fremen.
  • Stilgar orders his men back and asks why Jessica didn't say she was a weirding woman. That kind of changes the whole "we're going to take your water" thing.
  • Stilgar and Jessica make a deal. The Fremen will take Paul and Jessica under their protection, while Jessica will teach the Fremen to fight as she does.
  • With the deal done, Stilgar orders someone named Chani to stop hunting Paul.
  • Some of the Fremen wonder if Shadout Mapes's report is true. Is Jessica the one of legend?
  • At the same time, Jessica thinks of the Bene Gesserit's Missionaria Protectiva. With the Fremen prepared to believe that she and Paul are creatures of myth, she'll use their religion to her advantage.
  • On the ridge, Chani introduces herself to Paul. Paul is struck dumbfounded. It is the same girl from his dreams.
  • They head out for the sietch. Jessica notices that the entire clan moves with military order and precision. An entire culture trained as a military group? The perfect tool for an outcast Duke.