North American Folk Hero

A legendary man and his companion 

Folk heroes and heroines are everywhere. Some are real, others are fictional. All are recognized for character traits and deeds that can serve as examples to others about how to handle difficult situations with courage, dignity, and compassion. 

Paul Bunyan is one such figure. A fictional North American lumberjack who roamed both America and Canada, he was considered to be a giant man with tremendous strength and skills. And, he was often accompanied by his animal friend, Babe the Blue Ox.

How Babe came to help Paul Bunyan

One winter, when it was so cold that the snow turned blue, Paul Bunyan went out walking in the woods.  He heard a funny sound and looked down to see a tiny baby blue ox trying to hop about in the snow.

Paul Bunyan picked the ox up and brought it home. Warmed up by the fire, it was still as blue as the snow outside. Paul named him Babe the Blue Ox and he grew up to be very big.

Babe the Blue Ox helped out at Paul Bunyan's logging camp. Because he was strong enough to pull anything that had two ends, he was able to straighten out twisted logging roads. He also pulled the heavy tank wagon which was used to coat the newly-straightened lumber roads in the winter.

Here are some of the duo’s accomplishments
(according to legends): 

•  The lumberjack was so fond of his four-legged companion that he formed the Great Lakes so that Babe had a large enough drinking hole.
• The 10,000 Lakes of Minnesota were made by the footprints Paul Bunyan and Babe left as they wandered blindly in a deep blizzard.
• Paul Bunyan dug the Grand Canyon with an axe he dragged behind him as he walked with Babe.

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