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A Woodland Tale: Concerning How National Parks Came to Be

By Mr. Joseph C. Posner

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Many ages ago, the creatures of the Realms lived according to the
rules laid out in the Ancient Manuscripts. We now know these Realms
as national parks, but our tale takes place before that purpose arose. The
creatures had to listen to the masters of their Realms and only acted according to their commands or the rules of the Manuscripts. The adventure that this tale recounts, though, would change that forever . . .

Did you know that some berries only grow at certain elevations?
That is true of the huckleberry, which is the peculiar berry I spoke of earlier. They mostly grow at majestic heights, between 3,500 feet and 7,200
feet. Atop tall mountains and amidst gusting winds, they grow. There are
many different species within the huckleberry family, but in this story, we
are focusing only on two. The first is the wild mountain huckleberry, Vaccinium membranaceum. This species is a vibrant, alluring purple, clearly
visible among the green leaves from which it hangs. It is from this species of huckleberry that the great king comes, through whom all national
parks were created.
The second species is the North American red huckleberry, Vaccinium parvifolium, which accounts for most of the king’s subjects. Since
we will be hearing about the huckleberries quite a lot, we will simply refer
to them as “the Huckles,” so that talk of them does not become wearisome. We should not tire when speaking of them, because they have done
some of the most wondrous things.
Huckleberries mostly grow west of the incredible Rocky Mountains,
in dense forests and mysterious green woodlands. Despite the berry itself
being rather small (just under half an inch in diameter), the plant upon
which it grows can reach a height of about four meters. This is very useful, because lookout Huckles need a good vantage point from which to
survey the woodlands in and around Glacier.
The huckle plant is a deciduous shrub with yellow, white, and pink
flowers. According to the Elders (who will appear later in our tale), the
flowers and striking color of the Huckles is what led to their persecution
in days gone by. They have been eaten and stomped on by bears, stolen by birds, brewed into tea, and generally bossed about by all manner
of woodland creatures. Forest folk say that in the Elders’ Manuscripts,
there are ancient pages concerning the history of the Huckle clan and
how they came to be. Supposedly, growing tired of being eaten, brewed,
and stamped upon, they grew to incredible sizes to defend themselves,
vowing never to let themselves be bullied again. The truth of such things
we may never know. What we do know for certain, from both the Manuscripts and just about every creature in the national parks today, is that
everything about the Huckles started in one place.
That place can be found on a map, but you will need several maps.
In fact, it will be helpful for you to have some maps beside you for the
entirety of this tale, because they will help you learn the land. First, you
need a giant map of the United States. Now, bear in mind that the Huckle
clan existed long before the country as we know it came to be, but it is in
this vast place that they resided. Now, on this map, you will need to look
northward, near the border with another giant land, Canada (actually
another place where huckleberries grow). There you should see eleven
different states that touch the border. You then need to travel westward
along that border and you should find, in the far west, a state called Washington (some Huckles there). Directly east of Washington, you should
see a small sliver of land that expands further south. This is the state of
Idaho (a few Huckles there, although they have been overshadowed by a
mysterious clan called the Potatomen). Notice that Idaho is sandwiched
in between two big states, with Washington to the west and another to the
east. The state to the east is where our tale begins. It is named Montana.
Nowadays, not many people speak of or even visit Montana. That is
surprising, as it is a place of splendid beauty. If folk had any idea that this
was where the king’s Realm was during the reign of the Huckles, perhaps
they would pay it a bit more respect. It is a land of lakes, streams, mountains, and nights crowded with stars. It is known, according to current
folk, as the “Big Sky Country.”
It might be helpful for you to possess a map of Montana, but you
only need to take a quick glance, because we will mainly dwell in one part
of it. That part, today, is called Glacier National Park, and it is the king’s
greatest legacy. If you do indeed have a map of Montana, you should look
northwest. Near a city called Kalispell, you should seek a large patch of
green, which will probably read “Glacier NP.” Now much like we will call
the Huckleberries “the Huckles,” we will henceforth call Glacier National
Park “Glacier.”
This is where our tale truly begins. This is where the Huckles once
lived. For this place, you will most certainly need a map. If you have ever
been blessed enough to visit Glacier as it is today, you should have been
given one, but if not, be sure to obtain one somehow. Looking at the
map, you should notice that this park has a large number of lakes. This
is partly because glaciers, titanic blocks of ice, melt and feed the lakes
below, forming beautiful silver streams on the mountainside.
In the winter, Glacier is a wonderland. Deep blankets of snow and
frozen lakes emit crystals of light, and the gleaming lake surfaces are
flanked by trees in every direction, tall and evergreen. In the summer,
much of this snow and ice melts, and the glory underneath is unveiled.
Crystal clear waters ripple in the sunlight, peeling back in the bright
morning to reveal shimmering stones beneath. Anyhow, enough about
lakes, because remember, Montana is a land of lakes, streams, and mountains, and it is a mountain that we must now find.
On your map, find Lake McDonald. It should be easy enough to
find, because it is the largest of all the lakes in the park. Once you have
found it, cast your gaze west, then look around carefully and you should
notice some campgrounds. These campgrounds are not part of our tale,
because they are modern creations and were not relevant in the Elders’
age; we are just using them for reference (in fact, some of the forest folk
nowadays often complain about how loud they are). You should see a
campground called Fish Creek on the northern bank of the lake. Near
Fish Creek, you should see the actual creek, which runs north. Follow
this creek with your finger toward Canada, passing two tributaries, and
eventually you should find McGae Creek. Follow this all the way westward (toward Idaho and the Potatomen), and there you should see it—
the great mountain.
It sits in the westernmost part of the park and is the only mountain
in the area. You should notice it. It may have a little triangle to show where it is. I sincerely hope you have found it. It is called Huckleberry Mountain, and
it is the home of the king. Now, in the time of our tale, the mountain was
menacingly tall, and it shone a dark shade of emerald green, but a purple
mist clouded its summit at all times. Long after our tale, the king lay to
slumber once and for all near the bottom, and supposedly the mountain
shrunk to the smaller size it is today.
Now, this mountain is of the highest importance, not just for the
Huckles but for you and me. It was atop this very mountain that the Elders of the Realms—who are the Elderberries, the Ancient Pines, and the
legendary bird (we will meet them all later)—forged the settlement of the
national parks. It was on this mountain that the national parks began.
The leaders of the United States nowadays look after the parks through
the Department of the Interior, but that was not where it all began. Huckleberry Mountain was where it all began.
Now, we have to understand that in nature, great things often arise
through fierce struggle. Much like the Huckles struggled to overcome
persistent bullying and malfeasance, they also struggled greatly to gather
the Elders of the Ancient Realms and alter the Manuscripts forever. This
tale will tell of their struggle and just how the wondrous parks came to be.
You’ll need to keep your maps handy, and you may need some new ones
for the duration of the tale.
In fact, there is one you will most certainly need, which you may as
well source immediately. You will need a map of California . . .

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