Paul Bunyan
The Giant Lumberjack
Facts about the hero:
1. Paul Bunyan is a giant larger than trees. He is pictured with a lumber ax.
2. He has his pet ox, which is just as big as him and blue. The ox is known as "Babe the Blue Ox."
3. He was said to live around the Great Lakes. In fact, according to folk lore, the lakes are made from his footprints.
The Folk Tales
Paul Bunyan has magical powers. In addition to his size, he has an enormous amount of stregth. He is pictured carrying trees in some folk tales. His clapping was said to shake the ground in a way that resembled earthquakes. It is said that it took 5 storks to carry him to his parents, whos legs he sawed off at 7 months old.
His stories were told throughout the region around the Great Lakes through oral tradition. They used Paul to explain certain things such as earthquakes.
Folk Tale Example
http://www.jbarnstable.org/ftcyber/bunyan/index.html
Being orally passed down their are variations. In this childrens' version of a Paul Bunyan tale, his dad still has both legs, in contrary to what occurs in other stories.