A maple leaf looks like an open hand. The botanical name "Acer" (Latin for "sharp") was given to the plant by the ancient Roman scientist Pliny. According to some researchers, maples grew along the banks of the river of sorrow, Acheron, through which the souls of the dead Greeks crossed on their last journey. In most cultures around the world, maple is considered a symbol of autumn. In Japan, this tree symbolizes eternity, learning, life wisdom. Therefore, it is often planted in their gardens by older people with great life experience. The Germans associate it with the beauty of life. Before funerals, the Poles laid their dead on unpainted maple wood: it was believed that this repels the devil.
Serbs believed that maple would help restore justice: the tree would turn green from the embrace of an innocently convicted person. In the folklore of the Eastern Slavs, maple is often called sycamore. It was believed that a person who was "sworn" turns into this tree. Therefore, just in case, they did not use maple firewood for kindling the stove, making utensils and coffins, and when baking bread in the oven, they did not put maple leaves under the loaf.
But in the old days, the legendary harp was made from maple, and in our time - bassoons, guitars and drums. Slavsbelieved that musical instruments from sycamore sing and cry, complaining about fate. On Trinity and other religious holidays, it was customary to decorate houses with maple branches so that the souls of dead relatives could fly to the living, hiding among the branches. Some folklorists are convinced that it was sycamore that was the sacred tree among the Slavs, since references to maple are found in all regions, and the use of the names of other trees has a pronounced localization.
In Russian villages there was an interesting tradition - "threading through maple". A newborn child was "threaded" between the branches of a maple tree so that his life would be long. Those who believe in the special energy of plants are convinced that maple is able to "caress" a person, bring peace of mind. The tree takes on human emotions, sometimes without our desire. Therefore, under the crown of a maple, it is good to relieve stress and it is bad to declare love. The maple alley has a particularly strong energy, it is not for nothing that they are often planted near hospitals and psychiatric hospitals.
The red maple leaf will bring love to your home, bewitch the chosen one. Sycamore branches and seeds protect against dark forces: even a stake for punching a vampire's heart in legends could not be aspen, but maple. A maple bridge was built across the running water of the river so as not to let a witch or sorcerer through.
Symbol of Canada
However, there is a country for which the maple leaf is not a folklore, but an official state symbol. It flaunts on flags and coats of arms, coins and logosleading companies. And, of course, the team of Canada's national sport - hockey - is dressed in a uniform decorated with a maple leaf. Why? A story is usually told that European settlers who arrived in North America saw a maple flaming red, and it became for them a symbol of a new life on a foreign mainland. However, maples grow almost throughout Europe, and our "forests clad in crimson and gold" also turn red and yellow in autumn.
Some people see a maple leaf in the outlines of Canada on a geographical map. The most plausible is still the following version. The symbol of Canada was not maple in general, but a specific type of maple - sugar maple, Acer saccharum, which grows only in the East of Canada and is of great importance in the national economy of the country.
Slavs in the old days also extracted maple sap, it's just that the type of growing maples we have is different, because the Russians did not use maple syrup, but kvass based on maple sap was very tasty cooked. But back to the Canadians. Even the Indians extracted sap from trees and obtained sugar from it. Following them, white settlers began to engage in such fishing. From one tree, 50-100 liters of juice were obtained, from which up to 5 kilograms of sugar came out.
Male sugar was used to make sweets, add it to ice cream, caramel and creams. To this day, Canadians eat pancakes, ham, and even pickles with maple syrup. In addition, today it has become a popular souvenir for tourists.
On the Canadian flag there is a maple leafsymbolizes the unity of the country and he settled there not so long ago - in 1965.
This tree is respected by gardeners and furniture makers. Leaves, branches, bark, flowers, maple sap are widely used in medicine. Maple leaf crafts are popular with both school teachers and professional florists. Skillful bouquets of roses, collages, appliqués preserve the gentle energy of maple and decorate any interior.
