Glooscap and the Lazy People

"It's exciting to know that Chip is tapping a few of the maples this spring in hopes of enjoying some of their sweet, sticky sap.

Did you know that the maple trees at Amberfox were once tapped annually? Next time you are on the land, take a moment and look carefully in the tractor shed (or simply ask Ken to show you where to look). In there you might just discover some of the old metal pails that were used in that process nearly a century ago." - Comment from Cockelf

Legend tells us that long before the white man first ventured into the land of the Native People, maple syrup was already being enjoyed. They say that long ago maple syrup flowed directly from cuts in the maple tree. Didn't matter what time of year it was, the sweet maples gave their pure goodness year-round.

Glooscap and the Lazy People

One day the creator-god Glooscap walked into a village along the Saint John River (present day New Brunswick and Maine). There was no activity, no children playing, no mothers or fathers working, no dogs barking. Glooscap saw that everyone in the village was sitting beside the maple trees drinking and licking up the sweet syrup. Some people were even asleep letting the maple syrup drip into their open mouths!

Glooscap ordered the people to get up. There were fires to attend, hunting to be done, food to gather. But the people would not move. They were too intoxicated with the sweet syrup. Angered, the Creator took a large birch basket, ran down to the river, and filled it with water. He then poured the water over all of the maple trees. Immediately the syrup was diluted and was no longer sweet.

"Because of your laziness," he said, "the syrup from these trees will never again drip forth so sweet. From this day forward you will have to work to make it so. You will have to gather the sap and boil the syrup, and you must do so only in springtime. But rest assured," he told them, "if you are willing to work for it, you will again get to taste the sweetness of the maple trees."

And so it has been ever since!"
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Thank you Cockelf!

You can read more on Glooscap at CBC and his battle with the Water Monster here. Another story, Glooscap and the Baby, tells of the only time he lost. Wiki has more here.
- Boy Ricky