THE MAPLES 135 



boil down to about five pounds of sugar. Now- 

 adays this is done in a patent evaporator over a 

 bricked-in oven. But in our grandmother's 

 time the change was wrought in a big kettle 

 swung gipsy-fashion over a bonfire, while the 

 young people played games and told stories and 

 sniffed the delicious-smelling sap. 



It is said that maple sugar was first discov- 

 ered by the squaw of Woksis, a mighty hunter. 

 It seems that her chief had gone away on a big 

 hunt and bade her have a good dinner of boiled 

 venison on his return. She put the kettle over 

 the fire and then went about some basket-mak- 

 ing. She was so absorbed in her task, that she 

 never thought of the meat again until she heard 

 a great crash and sizzle. The fire had burned 

 the cord which held the stone kettle and let it 

 drop into the flames. Quickly she raked out the 

 meat and kettle, and then, fearing her lord 

 would return before the food was done, she did 

 not want to wait to melt snow, so filled the kettle 

 with maple sap from a trough near by and hung 

 it over the coals. Then, straightway, she for- 

 got all about it. By and by she saw Woksis 

 coming and ran to see about the dinner. Be- 

 hold ! the sap had all boiled down and the meat 

 was sizzling, spoiled as she thought, in a sticky 

 mess. Hastily she snatched the kettle from 



