did produce sap at certain season of the year which was almost like a
pure syrup; but when this mischievous Ne-naw-bo-zhoo had tasted it, he
said to himself, "Ah, that is too cheap. It will not do. My nephews
will obtain this sugar too easily in the future time and the sugar will
be worthless." And therefore he diluted the sap until he could not
taste any sweetness therein. Then he said, "Now my nephews will have to
labor hard to make the sugar out of this sap, and the sugar will be
much more valuable to them in the future time." In former times the
heart of every tree contained fat from which all inhabitants of the
earth obtained delicious oil to eat; but this mischievous Ne-naw-bo-
zhoo, in his supernatural way, pushed his staff into the heart of every
tree; and this is the reason why the heart of every tree has a
different color.

There was no great ark in which to float during the great flood, but
when Ne-naw-bo-zhoo could not find any more dry land to run to when he
was pursued with mountains of water, he said, "let there be a great
canoe." So there was a great canoe which he entered with his animals
and floated.

As to the origin of Ne-naw-bo-zhoo, the legend says, that once upon a
time there lived a maiden with her grandmother, who was a very dutiful
and obedient child, observing every precept which was taught her by her
grandmother, and she spent much time fasting; during which time she had
wonderful dreams which she related to her grandmother every morning
during her fast days. She very often had a vision of holding
conversation with some deities and finally she was assured in a vision,
that her children would be terrible and would redeem all the
inhabitants of the earth from their various calamities; and
accordingly, she bore two sons. The first born was like any other human