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— she cut off what remained of her arm, boiled away the flesh, and sold the precious Golden Bone.

“Here is the inheritance I kept hidden for you,” she said, bestowing the money upon the youth. “Use this wisely for it costs me dearly to give.”

Her son saw right away that the Devil had come calling. 
He protested: “Mama, you were supposed to warn me as soon as the Devil appeared so I could protect you. Instead you have given him the rest of your arm.”

The Widow laughed and kissed her grownup boy. “Oh, my dear, a soul is worth more than all the rest of a body. Now you are old enough to look into your father’s Mirror.”

 

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The Black Walnut Tree 10: GB0009