"He told them, however, that it was not for the lazy ones to have, but only
for those who were industrious and would carry out his commands. Then
Nanahboozhoo described to them the whole process of sugar making. He told
them that only in the spring of the year would the sweet sap flow. Then
they were to have ready their tapping gouges, their spiles and buckets.
Great fireplaces were to be built and here, as fast as the sap was gathered
from the trees, it was to be boiled down in their little kettles into the
nice molasses; and then a little more, so that when it cooled it would
harden into sugar.
"'Now,' added Nanahboozhoo, 'go back to your people and tell them that it
depends on their industry between now and the spring who shall have the
most of the sugar you love so well.' Then he skillfully modeled out a stone
tapping gouge of the shape required to make the incision in the tree from
which the sap would flow. With his knife he made a sample spile of cedar,
the thin end of which was to be driven into the hole made by the gouge and
along which the sap would flow. Then he told them to make plenty of buckets
of birch bark, and thus be ready when the time came to secure an abundant
supply of sap. Thus the art of making maple sugar first came to be known.
Nanahboozhoo gave it to the Indians long ago. Then when the palefaces came
they followed the same process. That is the way Nanahboozhoo showed us how
to get the maple sugar.
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