Paul Bunyan

People all over the world know how Paul Bunyan cut down trees to clear the forests of the American Midwest. Stories of this giant are found in books, songs, and even cartoons. It is easy to picture people sitting in old logging camps telling “tall tales” about Paul and his pet blue ox, Babe.
Paul Bunyan did not come from tall tales, though. He was made up by a man named W.B. Laughead, who wrote ads for newspapers and magazines. Laughead invented the giant and his pet ox in the 1920’s as part of an ad for the Red River Lumber Company. Can you think of any made-up (or real!) person in today’s ads who might become a great American hero?
1. The best title is --
(A) Paul Bunyan Clears the Great Plains
(B) Tall Tales
(C) How Paul Bunyan Came to Be
(D) Babe, the Blue Ox
2. Paul Bunyan was a giant who --
(A) wrote ads
(B) planted forests
(C) cut down trees
(D) raised cows
3. W.B. Laughead made up Paul Bunyan for a --
(A) cartoon
(B) lumber ad
(C) tall tale
(D) book about America
4. Laughead did not know that Paul Bunyan would --
(A) be in an ad
(B) have a pet ox
(C) be a giant
(D) become a hero
5. The word “invented” in line eight means --
(A) sold
(B) wanted
(C) made up
(D) saw
giant: a legendary humanlike being of great stature and strength; a living being of great size.
tall tales: fictional stories; made up stories.
1. Hagrid in the Harry Potter books was half giant.
2.. Tall tales are often told during outdoor camping.