I found a large branch that fell from a maple tree beside my house. With some modification it could be a very impressive piece of wood and I'd like to try making a staff out of it. Trouble is, I'm having trouble finding very much lore concerning maples - it seems that it wasn't highly regarded as a sacred tree. Combing Google I've found repetitive correspondence lists and one Native American legend. It seems that maple is useful for strength, success, and communication, which sounds great but if anybody could point out any myths or legends highlighting why maples might have these powers, I'd appreciate it much.
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Any myths concerning maple trees?
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306
- Aug 2012
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- animist hedge witch.
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- Wilmington DE
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Re: Any myths concerning maple trees?
Alot of the importance of maple trees haqs more to do with how they have always been used rather than myths i think. You may want to look at different names for your trees and make sure that you know what type of maple it is. There are legends about the trees, but the actual designation "maple" was'nt used until the 14th century. you will find legends for other trees in the family though, depending on what type of tree you have. I think that the strength property comes from the fact that the trees were used for timber and is good strong hard wood (sycamore.) Abundance comes from thefact that it has such sweet sap and so very many things were made of it by native americans and the list was expanded by early north american settlers, (sugar maple.)
In north-eastern North America, the annual 'sugaring-off' usually coincides with the vernal equinox, making it one of the first signs of spring.
Find out exactly what you have and look it up. Maple encompasses a whole pile of different trees.http://catcrowsnow.blogspot.com/
But they were doughnuts of darkness. Evil damned doughnuts, tainted by the spawn of darkness.... Which could obviously only be redeemed by passing through the fiery inferno of my digestive tract.
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Mostly Harmless
- Oct 2012
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- pragmatic monism
- DC area, US
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Re: Any myths concerning maple trees?
An old text file the source of which I do not recall identifies maple as the tree of reserve and balance.
"No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical." -- Niels Bohr
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Re: Any myths concerning maple trees?
Thanks for the replies. I'm not entirely sure what sort of maple it is, but I think it might be a sycamore. The leaves look pretty much just like that on the Canadian flag. I'll figure it out for sure, though. Thanks again.Children love and want to be loved and they very much prefer the joy of accomplishment to the triumph of hateful failure. Do not mistake a child for his symptom.
-Erik Erikson
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Mostly Harmless
- Oct 2012
- 908
- pragmatic monism
- DC area, US
- "Everything not forbidden is compulsory" - TH White
Re: Any myths concerning maple trees?
Originally posted by Clive View PostThanks for the replies. I'm not entirely sure what sort of maple it is, but I think it might be a sycamore. The leaves look pretty much just like that on the Canadian flag. I'll figure it out for sure, though. Thanks again.
Ha! the pictures showed up in reverse!
"No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical." -- Niels Bohr
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Re: Any myths concerning maple trees?
I guess it's not a sycamore. The bark doesn't look like that, it's rougher with lots of lichens growing on it. My roomie says it's probably a sugar maple because they're highly prolific around here, and the leaves do look like the one pictured. I'm still not entirely sure, though, because I have trouble visually distinguishing things. Would the fact that the branch I took has woodpecker marks on it be a clue?Children love and want to be loved and they very much prefer the joy of accomplishment to the triumph of hateful failure. Do not mistake a child for his symptom.
-Erik Erikson
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