Is anyone down to talk

Does any one read this story "when mr. came to dine". in 9th grade. plz i need with one question about this story?

When abigail is interrogated by parris, she: a. claimed that tituba made her do those things. b. admitted that she asked tituba to do those things. c. said that betty and ruth were dancing naked. d. asked for forgiveness from her dear uncle.

London includes a quote about john thornton as he is observing hal attempt to motivate the exhausted dogs "it was idle, he knew, to get between a fool and his folly". if the word "idle" is defined as "of no real worth, importance, or significance", what does this statement mean with regard to hal? who is the fool? what is hal's folly? why would john thornton think it of no real worth or useless to intervene?