ÿþ<html><head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-16"> <title>Paul Bunyan: His Story</title> <meta name="DESCRIPTION" content=""> <meta name="KEYWORDS" content="American Mythological Creatures, American Mythology, Fearsome Critters, American Mythological Creatures, Fearsome Critters, American Mythological Creatures, Fearsome Critters"> <meta name="RATING" content="General"> <meta name="ROBOTS" content="index,follow"> <style type="text/css"> A:hover {TEXT-DECORATION: underline} A:link {TEXT-DECORATION: none} A:visited {TEXT-DECORATION: none} A:hover,a:active {TEXT-DECORATION: underline} </style> </head><body link="darkgreen" background="images/paperbg.jpg" text="black" vlink="olive"> <center> <table valign="top" colspan="7" rowspan="15" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="13" cellspacing="5" width="800"> <tbody><tr><td valign="top" align="justify"> <font face="Georgia"> <center><br><IMG SRC="images/paultitle.png" align="center" border=0><br></center><BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; As elemental to these tales as Bunyan, there are several outlandish, mythical creatures. Among these are the sidehill gouger, snow snake and hodag (part of a group lumberjack animals collectively known as <a href="dictionary.htm"><B>FEARSOME CRITTERS</B></A>). These varmints own a legacy just as old as that of Paul, but while at one time they may have been an integral part of the same tradition. Today the two sagas typically come across independently. It is also worth mention that Rockwell affirms us that Paul Bunyan stories are,  innumerable and indeed <BR><BR> <IMG SRC="images/sawing.png" align="right" border=0>  <I>This famous hero of lumberjack mythology was the center of almost every tale told in the camps in the old days. His exploits were related in every tie camp, every cedar camp, and every white pine logging camp in Northern Minnesota, and they lost nothing in the telling. Each camp had its own set of stories, and the men, in traveling from camp to camp for the old time lumberjack was a rover swapped these yarns in the long winter evenings, when the steaming socks were hung over the roaring sheet iron stove</I>. <BR><BR> (J. E. Rockwell,  Some Lumberjack Myths, <I>The Outer's Book</I>, February 1910)<BR><BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; That same year columnist James MacGillivray published,  The Round River Drive in <I>Detroit News Tribune</I> (an extended version of what appeared in <I>The Oscoda Press</I>, August 10, 1906). It featured Paul Bunyan with a now named supporting cast. The title alludes to Paul clearing the  pyramid forty on the Round River. The pyramid forty is a prism-shaped forest atop a single forty acre lot. The monetary benefits of such unleveled country are, as an Arkansas man once remarked of Ozark country,  Up where you come from a man just plows forty acres flat. But when a feller owns a forty in Newton County, he farms the top an all four sides, too (Randolph, 1951). An odd twist occurs after all four sides have been cleared and skidded to stream. Upon passing the camp several times, the river is found to be a complete 360 having no mouth (hence the name.) The Peavey Prince is once again the fiery, dogmatic lumber boss. Whereas his persona closely favors that in  Some Lumber Stories, and we are affirmed that he employed some big men ( all six-footers, and two hundred pounds weight. ) Gone is allusion to Paul Bunyan s size or his blue ox. Even so the tale is all the more intriguing for its reference to other distinguished personalities. Some who appear strikingly different in the text than their temporal counterparts:<BR><BR> Ê% Canada Bill is the camp cook, while the actual Canada Bill was a river-boat gambler and con-artist.<BR> Ê% Dutch Jake is a local lumberman, while the actual Dutch Jake was a renowned saloon operator.<BR> Ê% Saginaw Joe is listed among Bunyan s crew. The historical Saginaw Joe, Fabian Fournier not only was a noted lumberjack, but indeed a possible inspiration for Paul Bunyan himself.<BR><BR> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Circa 1914 <I>The American Lumberman</I> magazine ran a series of articles, unique amid Paul Bunyan accounts. In that these episodes are related wholly in rhythmic prose. An ambitious piece, in style it is suggestive of olden epics such as <I>Beowulf</I> or Homer s <I>Odyssey</I>. But being a faithfully American take on the genre, these entries evoke the same humor and exaggeration as the aforesaid. The ballad has it that Paul Bunyan is the archetypal brawler, drinker and woodsman. Constant whilst the poem reflects the deeds of several of the camp s crew, Paul remains its chief character. Although his dimensions are not expressly given there are indications suggesting that it goes without saying. <br><br><br></font></font> <center> <a href="paulbunyani.htm"><IMG SRC="images/backx.png" width=100 height=50 border=0></a> <a href="http://www.lumberwoods.com"><IMG SRC="images/lmbr1.png" width=87 height=74 border=0></a> <a href="paulbunyaniii.htm"><IMG SRC="images/nextx.png" width=100 height=50 border=0></a> </center> <font face="Georgia"> </font></td></tr> </tbody></table> <br> <font color="darkgreen">Copyright © 2011-2012 <a href="http://www.thrillland.com/about.htm"><font color="darkgreen">Thrill Land <font size=-1>TLA</FONT></A> <br><br><br> <br> </center></body></html>