In a sci-fi anthology ~1970, the protagonist is sole crew on a space station with giant slug. Somehow his job is to keep it sad so its tears can be harvested for human benefit.
Probably he doesn’t understand the job at first.
Short story
Stump the Bookseller
New format, same book stumper solving.
Found this discussion on another forum. Sounds like it might be your book.
http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/86475/short-story-about-an-astronaut-that-has-to-harvest-collect-the-body-fluids-of-an
Just so, many thanks!
Also found it here:
http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/17248/short-story-about-contact-with-an-alien-race-that-extruded-an-elixir
Yay!!! This is very exciting.
I used your quote to find a full-text version online
“forming little pools in the cups of darkness”
Then I read it. What a psychological experience! Not only is the story full of strange ideas that are a little tough to interpret, but I can see that I, after reading it in adolescent years, half-misremembered. I thought my mind was more precise than that, so it is humbling and interesting to learn the truth. This was a truly valuable experience, thanks to all who helped.
Sounds like “Stranger Station” by Damon Knight
https://jennre.wordpress.com/2012/07/29/stranger-station-damon-knight-1956/
available in various sources
http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?40903
Thanks, the second description sounds close to my fading memory! I will read the story (Wow, there is even a link for that) and reply more definitively. Unfortunately I am not ‘on’ this topic with any urgency so it could take a while. But for sure, this is the very best help I have ever received in decades of desultory inquiry.
I finally found time to look it up and read it. YES, “Stranger Station” it is! The help was just what I needed. All the links were helpful, but those on this post were beyond that — a summary with discussion, and a comprehensive listing of appearances [both implicitly providing information about other great SF stories]
I am grateful and humbled a little by my ignorance. Thanks to both Bonnie and Dennis.