A Yooper Legend
Oral history conveyed through innumerable generations, suggests Amorous Spotted Slugs migrated to Michigan's Upper Peninsula from the depths of the Amazon Jungle. According to folklore, a primitive tribe of Amorous Spotted Slugs discovered a flyer nailed to the trunk of a jungle palm tree. “Free Ocean Cruise,” the flyer boasted. "Animals of All Kinds Welcome." The ship would sail (rain or shine) in thirty days. A gentleman by the name of Noah was organizing the excursion.
By nature, Amorous Spotted Slugs are party animals. So the entire tribe signed up for the cruise and set off on the long trek to the port of departure. After a thirty-day forced march they had traveled forty-two inches. Then the heavens unleashed a great downpour, and water began to cover the earth.
“Help, what shall we do?” one of the slugs cried.
“We are doomed,” replied a unicorn splashing through a nearby puddle, “but you can save yourselves.” The unicorn pushed a floating coconut toward the slugs with his horn, and the Amorous Spotted Slugs quickly scampered aboard.
It rained forty days and forty nights, and water covered the land. The Amorous Spotted Slugs crafted a sail from a lily pad, but there was nowhere for the Coconut Clipper, as they now called their vessel, to sail. During a particularly violent storm, lightning struck the Coconut Clipper, knocking its crew on their posteriors. Fortunately, that segment of the Amorous Spotted Slug’s anatomy is built low to the ground. When they regained consciousness, they began experiencing visions of the future. The electrical charge had altered their brain chemistry making them clairvoyant.
One vision suggested the water would part once the days began to wane and the nights became longer. The Coconut Clipper would then come to rest in a paradise exceeding their wildest desires. Finally, the days did begin to wane and the nights did become longer, but none of the voyagers was awake to greet the summer solstice. The Coconut Clipper jolted to a rest on Presque Isle, (now part of modern-day Marquette, Michigan). The sudden stop awoke one of the Amorous Spotted Slugs. He looked out at the virgin timber and lush green underbrush—this had to be the paradise of their vision.
“Yoo-pee! Yoo-pee!” he yelled to awaken the others. The remaining Amorous Spotted Slugs awoke and looked at the awaiting paradise.
“Yoo-pee! Yoo-pee!” they echoed. The name of the new land stuck and the Amorous Spotted Slugs became the first Yoo-pers.
To commemorate their long voyage, Amorous Spotted Slugs now celebrate the summer solstice (or "Yoo-pee, Yoo-pee" day as they refer to it) with a Thanksgiving Feast of pasties and Mackinac Island fudge. For dessert they serve coconut cream pie in tribute to the Great Coconut that carried them to the Promised Land.