MRS. BEAR’S TOFFEE

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 171, 15 April 1933, Page 19

MRS. BEAR’S TOFFEE

$ # * THE MARROW WHO OBJECTED TO BEING SLICED

There were so many marrows in Mrs. Bear’s garden that she decided to make marrow jam. First she peeled and chopped up the marrows, then she put the pieces, mixed up with a little ginger and lemon juice, and lots and lots of sugar, Into an enormous round pan. But one of the marrows didn’t want to be chopped up at all. He tried to escape by rolling under the kitchen table, where he lay hid for quite a time, till Baby Bear (who. was rolling under the table, too) found him and pulled him out. The Marrow was very angry, and when at last all his pieces were chopped up small and put into the pan. which was then set on the fire, he began to grumble hard. All his bits jumped up and down in the pan, and bumped and thumped, and gurgled with rage. "It is boiling up nicely!” exclaimed Mrs. Bear, stirring the mixture with a long wooden spoon.

Just then she was called out of the kitchen. She was gone a very long time, and when she came back what do. you think she found in the pan? Not jam. anyway. It was much too har<l for that, and the sweet- sticky stuff had stuck to the pan all round, so that Mrs. Bear had to use a knife to cut it out. Then she found.it tasted just like toffee! So she gave some to the little Bears every night for a treat when they’d been good, and they thought it was simply lovely. "Please, mother, do make some more of- that lovely toffee!” they begged when .it was all finished. But however hard Mrs. Bear tried, she could never make marrow toffee again. She would put just the same amount bf marrow and sugar, and ginger, and lemon juice into the pan, and leave it on the fire for a very Ring time, but it never turned out’the same as before. It was always just jam! I think that naughty Marrow had something to do with its being toffee the first time! Shall I tell you why? Because Baby Bear told me he hud heard the Marrow say he just wouldn’t be made into jam!