I'd be happy to share some of the folklore with the group, Chrys. (moved from the main discussion board)

Researching is one of my favorite parts of writing. Going through the material excites my imagination. I think of where my characters came from, their lineage, their parents' struggles that affected them as they grew up and now flavors the story I'm trying to write. It's all about creating a person in a time & place.

In this case, the area around the spring has a curse. It's an old story about the Brunswick Springs in VT --  The native Abenaki tribe hold this spring as a spiritual place and placed a curse on any white man who used the spring waters for profit. You see, the water is supposed to have health benefits and was exploited. The curse was placed on the invading settlers who tried to make profit from the waters. Years later, a hotel was built on the land. it soon burned down, not once, or twice, but three times. There were also suicides in the woods. Today the spring is protected from any development after it was purchased by the Vermont Land Trust.  Here's a great article.

http://vermonter.com/curse-of-brunswick-springs/

In the new story, my protagonist's mother will be one of the tribe members who fought to get the springs protected back in 1994. I'm very excited about her family background and how it forms her choices in the story.

I think years ago people took curses more seriously, but even today what could be worse than upsetting a group of people to the point of cursing you. That's a last resort cry out that what is happening is hurting someone or something, like the balance of nature or a culture.

I wish I could say we've (society) learned out lesson. Unfortunately even today, major corporations, and people in general, make decisions that have adverse effects on our environment  without blinking an eye. The curse's intent was most probably to keep the area safe and in balance.

Maybe the spirits of those who issued the warning kept vigilance over the place--Who knows?