Looking for American folklore stories worth passing on? Start with the tall tales: Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Davy Crockett and Pecos Bill. Their stories were told, changed and retold, so no single version is the only true one.
You can find more tales and traditions in the full set of patriotic stories on this site.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Earliest known mentions of John Henry in song | Late 1800s |
| Complete John Henry song collected in eastern Kentucky | 1911 |
| One of the earliest known John Henry recordings | 1924 |
| Library of Congress pamphlet with early Paul Bunyan stories | 1922 |
| Illustrated Paul Bunyan book readable online | 1924 |
These dates come from the West Virginia Encyclopedia and the Library of Congress Ask a Librarian service. Figures like these can change as researchers find older material, so check the source before you rely on them.
What makes a story American folklore?
A tall tale is built on exaggeration, expansiveness and humor, according to a pathfinder from the University of North Carolina written for librarians and teachers. The same guide says the form did not originate in North America, yet it has come to be regarded as a uniquely American genre of literature.
These tales were not the work of one writer. The Library of Congress explains that tall tales and their famous characters weren’t originally invented by a single published author, and that many people told them over many years, each making small changes.
That is why a hero such as Paul Bunyan shows up in so many forms. The Library of Congress lists the main ways the stories travelled:
- Spoken stories told from person to person
- Versions printed in old newspapers, books and magazines
- Drawings and songs
- Later movies and television shows
The library adds that no one of these versions is more “true” than the others. For retelling, that is good news: you are joining a long line of tellers, not correcting a master copy.
The stories also did real work. The UNC guide says tall tales can be read as a reflection of a vast frontier and the rugged pioneers who faced it, and as a humorous way of coping with hardship. Some critics also see them as an attempt to build a national identity for a very young country.
Paul Bunyan and the question of fakelore
Paul Bunyan is the giant lumberjack many people think of first. The Library of Congress says his stories began to be published after being passed around within and among communities, and it points readers to a 1922 pamphlet held in its own collection as one of the earliest “books” to include them.
The library also points to an illustrated Paul Bunyan book published in 1924 that you can read online. Both are good places to see how early printed versions sounded.
The UNC guide tells the story differently. It describes Paul Bunyan as “fakelore”, a hero created by the Red River lumber company as a promotional scheme, which then led to imitations such as these:
- Pecos Bill, the cowboy
- Joe Magarac, the steelworker
- Febold Feboldson, the prairie strongman
Both accounts can help you. Read together, they show that a tale can start in a workplace or an advertisement and still be adopted, changed and enjoyed by ordinary tellers.
John Henry, the steel-driving man in song
John Henry’s story lives mostly in a folk song. The West Virginia Encyclopedia says many variations, especially in the verses, were sung by coal miners and railroad workers in the late 1800s. Those were the earliest mentions of John Henry and helped spread the tale of his heroic battle against the steam drill.
In 1911, folklorist Josiah Combs collected a complete version in eastern Kentucky. It named the Big Bend Tunnel on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, which linked the legend to a real person and location.
The same source says folklorists at the Library of Congress count it among the most researched folk songs in the United States, and possibly the world. One of the earliest known recordings was made in 1924 by Fiddlin’ John Carson, and hundreds of versions have been recorded since.
The UNC guide agrees that John Henry, like Johnny Appleseed, is based on an actual person. Here is the short timeline:
- Late 1800s: miners and railroad workers sing early versions.
- 1911: Josiah Combs collects a complete version in eastern Kentucky.
- 1924: Fiddlin’ John Carson makes one of the earliest known recordings.
Davy Crockett, Johnny Appleseed and other frontier heroes
Not every folk hero began as a fiction. The UNC pathfinder says Davy Crockett first told tales about himself, and political journalists later wrote tales about him to win votes during his congressional campaign.
The guide lists several heroes whose origins differ widely:
- John Henry and Johnny Appleseed: based on actual persons.
- Davy Crockett: a storyteller whose own tales were later amplified in print.
- Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, Joe Magarac and Febold Feboldson: examples the guide places in the fakelore group or among its imitations.
- Gib Morgan: named alongside Crockett, John Henry and Pecos Bill as one of the folk heroes through which a young country built a “history”.
Despite these different beginnings, the guide says the tales gave a shared cultural identity to groups with a common occupation, locality or ethnic background. Loggers, steelworkers, railroad crews and cowboys each got a hero to call their own.
The U.S. Postal Service even gave the idea a stamp. The UNC guide shows Scott 3085, titled “American Folk Heroes”, from 1996.
How to retell these tales at home
Folklore is meant to be spoken, so the simplest approach is to tell it aloud. These steps keep it easy:
- Pick one hero and read a short version first.
- Tell the story in your own words, and let the exaggeration grow.
- Look up a second version and compare what changed.
- Talk about which parts feel real and which were invented.
For younger readers, the UNC guide recommends Steven Kellogg’s picture books as humorous, spirited retellings: Pecos Bill (1986), Paul Bunyan (1984) and Mike Fink (1992). It also lists Mary Pope Osborne’s American Tall Tales among the frequently mentioned texts.
To go deeper, the Library of Congress suggests searching its collections at loc.gov and checking school, local and bookshop shelves for published books on each character.
Folk tales sit alongside other shared traditions. You can read about fourth of july traditions for holiday gatherings that suit a good story, and about famous patriotic songs if the singing side of John Henry caught your interest.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote the Paul Bunyan stories?
Show answer
No single author is credited. The Library of Congress says the stories were passed around within and among communities before being published, while the UNC guide describes Paul Bunyan as a character created by the Red River lumber company as a promotional scheme.
Was John Henry a real person?
Show answer
The UNC guide says John Henry is based on an actual person. The West Virginia Encyclopedia adds that a version collected in 1911 linked the legend to a real person and location, the Big Bend Tunnel.
Are tall tales really an American invention?
Show answer
Not entirely. The UNC guide says the tall tale did not originate in North America, but it has come to be regarded as a uniquely American genre.
Where can I read early versions of these stories?
Show answer
The Library of Congress points to a 1922 pamphlet and a 1924 illustrated book, and suggests searching loc.gov or visiting a local library for published collections.
