The Ascent of Sap 131 



The first maker of maple sugar — so runs this 

 story — was Nokomis, the earth, grandmother of 

 Manabush, who was the hero of many Indian 

 fairy tales. 



When Nokomis had cut holes in the trees, one 

 for each vessel she had made, Manabush looked 

 into the vessels, and saw that they were filling 

 with thick syrup. 



" My grandmother," said he, " it will not do 

 to have these trees produce syrup in this manner. 

 The people will not have any work, if they make 

 sugar so easily; they must cut wood, and boil the 

 syrup for several nights to keep them busy, so that 

 they may not form bad habits." 



Manabush climbed to the tiptop of a maple 

 and scattered water all over it like rain, so that 

 the sugar should dissolve and flow from the tree 

 in the form of sap. 



This is why people always have to work hard 

 when they want to make sugar. Wood must be 

 cut, vessels must be made, and the sap that is col- 

 lected must be boiled for a long while, otherwise 

 the people would spend too much time in idleness. 



So, thanks to Manabush's kind interest in 

 Indian morals, the sap of maples has nowadays 

 less than four per cent of sugar. 



The sugar-maker is helped by a series of warm, 

 sunny days, followed by sharp, frosty nights. 

 March gales help him by swaying the tree. Dar- 

 win, that great student of hfe and its laws, caused 



