Maple Fairys (“Mapolians”)- [Fearsome Critter]

Description

Mapolians – [Fearsome Critter | Fae? | “Foodlore”] – Aka “Maple Fairies”, “Maple Sugar Fairy”, “Black Fairies*”

• About this critter: A species of “sweet little winged people” (Perhaps best known by the local woodsmen and indigenous guides.) from the ‘big woods’ between Maine and Quebec. When the seasons change, these fairies fly about the woods and paint the leaves into a gorgeous gradient of auburn oranges, crisp yellows and vibrant reds; when the moon is full towards the spring, they’ll fly around the “sugar bush” in a magical dance, which gives the sap its tasty flavouring, giving maple syrup and sugars their distinct flavours. – Their presence can make or break the production of maple syrups, sugar and candies! …At least that’s what the old guides from Minnesota, Wisconsin woods men, and others just South of Quebec claimed…

• History: The ‘Mapolian’ is yet another ‘Fearsome Critter‘ from Art Childs “Yarns of the Big Woods” earliest published across various news papers in 1925. – The article goes as follows:

“THE MAPOLIANS”  

“Once soft-treading moccasins passed through the aisles between the tall trees of the North Woods, for, long before it became the home of the old guides and other woodsmen and the hunting and fishing ground of pleasure seekers from the cities, this part of the country was the home and hunting ground of the red men.
They were the first to gather the sweet sap of the maple tree, which we know as maple sugar and maple syrup. The Indians tapped the trees, putting in wooden spouts, and caught the sap in birch bark buckets, which they sewed with strong roots, sealing the seams with pitch from the pine tree.
Among themselves they spread the legend that at night little winged creatures come out to fly around the “sugar bush.” These kind little “Mapolians” as the woodsmen call them when they retell the story, put in the maple flavouring which the Indians were so fond of.”‘

…As with most of Art Child’s critters; the papers claim that they ‘existed in oral tradition’ and that he picked up these stories from his time working as a game warden in the Big Woods (Minnesota/Wisconsin area, presumably sometime in the late 1800s-early 1900’s)  Unfortunately; as 100+ years have passed since, we really have no way to verify much about the man (sadly very little is known about “Art Childs” aside from their name/job.) – So, i’d suppose we might just have to take their word for it! For the sake of A deeper dive/further investigation; lets assume that he was talking about the local Ojibwe natives; who, as a matter of fact, did use bark buckets (called ‘Mokuks‘) to collect syrup! – These were folded and tied from a single piece of bark (usually birch) making them seamless and leak-proof! 

[A Mokuk – image source: Ojibwe dictionary]

As well, the ‘dance’ which child’s described here seems to be the ‘Sugar-bushing-Moon” (Ziissbaakdoke Giizis) which is typically celebrated in early spring (around March or April) it represents the first harvest of the year across many Indigenous communities & as said, signifys when the syrup starts to run! 

So, it seems as though this might’ve been Art Child’s way of attempting to share some native folklore? There is one native “fairy/spirit” from the area that might match the Mapolians description, the ‘Memegwesi’ are Small trickster spirits who are known to protect children and sacred spaces. They’re often said to be born from the bark of trees; in particular they are often offered sweets and maple sugar candy as tribute. – Although the one thing that makes them different from the ‘mapolian’ (at least as far as i am aware) is that the Memegwesi are not usually described or depicted with ‘wings’ (Although; a similar sounding native word is “Memengwaa” (literally meaning ‘butterfly.’) and so, its often theorized that that’s probably where the ‘memegwesi’ name might originated from.) 

So, it feels quite likely that these ‘Mapolians’ might have been a settlers interpretation originating from that. From there it should be also mentioned, at face value; it seems that perhaps the name: ‘Mapolian’ is either the result of ‘the guides’ (or perhaps the papers editing team?) inventing ‘anglicized’ or ‘palatable names’; (something catchy or funny for the readers rather than bothering to try to learn the language or attempting to teach/spread the original culture. – [At this point, I should probably also point out that ‘Mapolian’ when spoken aloud; also sounds an awful lot like ‘Napoleon’ and given that it takes place in Main; it very well could have also just been a ‘French-Canadian’ joke.]  – That said; this is also certainly not the only ‘critter’ or ‘cryptid’ with historically legitimate or appropriated native roots, there’s plenty of them. – [A couple of the other problematic critters/yarns from Art Child’s columns which follow a similar pattern are also the ‘Skeeteroo‘ & ‘Gloflikops.’]– As I’ve already said, we dont know much about ‘art childs’ beyond what the paper claims. For all we know it “Art Childs” could have been a pen-name, or he also could have been several people claiming to be the same old guide. (much like several raccoons in a trench-coat.)

*All of that said! it is certainly also worth note that i was able to find at least one parallel story from slightly further north-east to the camps in Plaisted, Aroostook County, Maine. – Just below Quebec!!) – The following “true story” was originally told in the late 1940s by a man of mixed ‘French-Canadian & Indigenous decent‘ to a young ‘Elieen Pinette’ who recounted and collected it along with other stories which her community shared; she submit them to 1958’s “Northeast folklore.” – The story she shared about a ‘Black Fairy’ which prevented the production of maple candies, goes as follows:

“PREVENTION OF MAKING MAPLE SUGAR.” (Pinette)

“Once there where three brothers, who were getting ready to make maple products such as maple sugar, maple syrup and maple candy. it was just a few weeks before Easter and they wanted to make make sugar for Easter. They would sell it to make some money for the holiday. 

They get their equipment all ready and bring it to the camp where the maple groves are. They tap the trees by putting a little pipe into the hole and attaching a container to the pipe so that the syrup will drop into the container. After a couple of days they collect the sap, bring it to the cabin, put it in a big kettle and start the fire to get it boiling. They boil it all day and then let it cool off. But it runs back into the original sap. They can’t understand what has happened. They try again the next day, but its the same thing. It goes on like that for a week.

One of the brothers goes into town and tells somebody he knows whats happening. this other fellow says that he just doesn’t know how to make maple sugar. He goes to spend a few days with them and try his hand at maple sugar. It is the same thing with him as with the others. So he leaves and goes home.

The Youngest of the brothers stays up one night and tries to make sugar. He hears the flapping of wings and they seem to be getting nearer and nearer. He is so scared that he goes to bed. He tells that to his brothers the next morning. The noise goes on for four nights, but they all think its just an ordinary noise. The fifth night the disturbance is more than the flapping of wings. The door bangs open and they see a black fairy. they see her pouring some kind of potion onto the maple sap. That was what stopped the maple sap from turning into sugar.

This happened about ten years ago they still believe that it was actually a black fairy that stopped them from making maple products.”

– [Story Snippet from Northeast folklore Volume 1] 

The story’s editor ([page 47]) mentions that this black fairy was ‘probably a witch’ as In Quebec; Sorceresses (or Witches) are supposedly often called “Old Fairy Women.” – so, the man might have been referring to a witch rather than necessarily a fairy! – Far more recently; Some ‘Fairy experts’ have also noted that some conflation might have happened during Pinettes French to English translation! – (There’s always the chance that perhaps Pinette got it confused with a french lutin? They both do love to eat sweets!) – Ultimately, it seems to me as though this supposed “Black Fairy” might have simply been the result of several cultures clashing/conflating lore & ideas at the time… i think it’s neat! 🤷 

…With all of the above in mind, at the very least, we can say that the Mapolians, Black fairies, Lutins and Memegwesi; are at the very least are not the only ‘fae’ in the area who might like to mess with the production of your maple syrup! – That said dear reader, lets take care not to conflate them all, yes? – There’s room for all of the above to exist simultaneously; Regardless of folkloric/cultural nitpicks. Though, it is kind of ‘sweet’ that ‘maple-syrup fairy’s’ have happened at least twice historically, eh? 🍁🧚

Folklore evolves in some pretty strange ways! – Perhaps somewhere out there there’s another, obscure old book, with other stories of ‘maple fairies’, ‘elves’ or even ‘syrup gremlins’ to be found? – Who can say for sure. – (If I ever come across some sturdier parallels for this one, this page will definitely get an update!) – Perhaps my thought process on this one is a bit too Pollyanna (would not be the first time, certainly wont be the last) But, I digress; its fun to chase fairies and to those who haven’t ever tried it yet; i can only recommend it. 

[art sticker by samkalensky part of my fearsome critters collection of stickers. follow and support for many more.!]