20/07/2026
The story of the Three Acorn Maidens
In the beginning, when the world was new, there were three Acorn Maidens, White Oak, Black Oak and Tan Oak. A spirit came to them and said "people are being raised on Earth, and you will nourish them." The Acorn Maidens were excited, "this is a great honor! We have to look good for this honor, we have to weave ourselves new basket hats."
White Oak Maiden had all the materials gathered and prepared, so she began to weave right away. But Black Oak Maiden and Tan Oak Maiden had to go into the forest and start gathering materials, before they could finally begin weaving their caps.
Then the spirit came again and said "it's time! It's time to fall to Earth!" White Oak Maiden had just finished her perfect little cap and put it on. Black Oak Maiden had barely started weaving, she ran around and found a cooking basket, it was way too big, but she put it on. Tan Oak Maiden was almost finished with her cap, but she didn't have time to clean the sticks from the inside, so she turned it inside out and put it on her head.
As they fell to Earth, White Oak Maiden with the perfect little cap, Black Oak Maiden with the cap that was too big, and Tan Oak Maiden with the cap with sticks bristling out of it, the Tan Oak Maiden cried, " I have the ugliest looking hat, I just pray I am the best tasting acorn!"
And so it is to this day, White Oak Maiden has a perfect little cap, Black Oak Maiden has a cap that is too big, and Tan Oak Maiden has a funny looking cap, but is the best tasting acorn.
Note: White Oak develope its acorns in a single year, they are pollinated in spring and by autumn they are ripe. Black Oak and Tan Oak take two years to develop their acorns.
Tan Oak is the best tasting acorn and is the preferred acorn for many tribes that live within the Tan Oaks range. In California and southern Oregon up to 40% of the traditional diet was acorns.
