(1) Yen wore a scarlet silk skullcap, a gaily embroidered vest, and purple trousers. He had the
roundest and smoothest of faces and the brightest of eyes. Some pretty stones which he had
found heaped up in a corner of the green were affording him great delight and joy, and he
was rubbing his fat little hands over them, when there arose upon the air the cry of Bo Shuile,
the candy man. Yen gave a hop and a jump. In a moment he was at the corner of the street
where stood the candy man, a whole hive of little folks grouped around him. Never was there
such a fascinating fellow as this candy man. What a splendid big pole was that he had slung
over his broad shoulders, and, oh, the baskets of sweetmeats which depended from it on
either sidel
(2) Yen gazed wistfully at the sugared almonds and limes, the ginger and spice cakes, and the
barley sugar and coconut
(3) "1 will take that, honorable candy man," said he, pointing to a twisted sugar stick of many
colors
(4) "Cashr" said the candy man holding out his hand....
(5) Quick as his chubby legs could carry him, Yen ran back to the cottage. His grandfather
was still dozing.
(6) "Grandfather, honorable grandfather," cried Yen. But his grandfather did not hear.
(7) Upon a hook on the wall hung a long string of cash 4 Mother Chan had hung it there for her
use when passing peddlers called
(8) Yen had thought to ask his grandfather to give him one of the copper coins which were
strung on the string, but as his grandfather did not awaken at his call, he changed his mind.
You see, he had suddenly remembered that the day before he had felt a pain, and when he
had cried, his mother had said: "No more candy for Yen."
(9) For some moments Yen stood hesitating and looking at the many copper coins on the
bright red string. It hung just low enough to be reached, and Yen knew how to work the cash
over the knot at the end. His mother had shown him how so that he could hand them over to
her for the peddlers....
(10) Yen hesitated no longer. Grabbing the end of the string of cash, he pulled from there
three coins, and with a hop and a jump was out in the street again.
(11) "1 will take three sticks of twisted candy of many colors," said he to the candy man.
(12) With his three sticks of candy Yen returned to the green. He had just bitten a piece off the
brightest stick of all when his eyes fell on a spinning top which his mother had given him that
morning. He crunched the candy, but somehow or other it did not taste sweet
(13) "Yeni Yent" called his grandfather, awaking from his sleep.
D
(14) Yen ran across to him
(15) "Honorable grandfather," said he, "I have some beautiful candy for your
(16) He put the three sticks of candy upon his grandfather's knees.
(17) "Dear childr" exclaimed the old man, adjusting his spectacles. "How did you come to get
the candy?
(18) Yen's little face became very red. He knew that he had done wrong, so instead of
antering his nrandfather he honnad three times
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What theme is developed in the passage