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I asked him, "What hath made thee weep, my boy?" and he answered,

"I took one of the three apples which were by my mammy and went

down into the lane to play with my brethren when behold, a big

long black slave snatched it from my hand and said. 'Whence hadst

thou this?' Quoth I, 'My father travelled far for it, and brought

it from Bassorah for my mother who was ill and two other apples

for which he paid three ducats.' He took no heed of my words and

I asked for the apple a second and a third time, but he cuffed me

and kicked me and went off with it.