The narrator briefly introduces the “legend” of Maniac Magee by revealing the myths surrounding his life. The narrator warns that although the “facts” of Maniac Magee’s story are not always truthful, they are still meaningful to the people who tell and hear his story.

Maniac’s full name is Jeffrey Lionel Magee, and he was born in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania. After his parents die in a trolley crash when he is three years old, he is sent to Hollidaysburg to live with his aunt and uncle, who live together but don’t speak to each other. At 11, Jeffrey runs away during a school choir performance and never returns to Hollidaysburg.

A year later, Jeffrey (a.k.a. “Maniac”) ends up in Two Mills, a town across the river from Bridgeport. The narrator claims that Maniac’s story has been embellished over time, with people claiming that he was greeted with a parade or that he chose Two Mills because he liked their desserts. Some people also remember Maniac greeting them as he ran past.