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Any myths concerning maple trees?

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    Any myths concerning maple trees?

    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.
    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

    #2
    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.
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    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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      #3
      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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        #4
        Re: Any myths concerning maple trees?

        I've recently read some things which hint at there being mythological significance to the Maple trees also in Japan.
        HEY ADMIN

        DELETE THIS ACCOUNT

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          #5
          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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            #6
            Re: Any myths concerning maple trees?

            Originally posted by Clive View Post
            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.
            Not sure why pictures are not showing in message, but the first is a sugar maple, that's the one on the Canadian flag. The second is a red maple, notice how there are a lot of little teeth along the leaf margin (serrations), and the third is sycamore, with a lot of serration and a broader leaf that is not as deeply lobed. However, the easy ID for a sycamore is the beautiful bark, shown in the 4th picture.

            Ha! the pictures showed up in reverse!
            Attached Files

            "No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical." -- Niels Bohr

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              #7
              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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