The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

TALL TALE

WHEN I WAS A LOGGER WE HAD THIS ONE FELLA IN OUR CAMP,
ALWAYS BRAGGING ABOUT WHAT A GREAT HUNTER HE WAS. THIS
ONE DAY, HE WENT OUT HUNTING AND BEFORE HE COULD FIRE
A SHOT, HE SAW A BIG, BLACK BEAR. HE DECIDED HE'D KILL
THAT BEAR AND THEN GET US ALL TO HELP HIM SKIN IT.
WELL, HE SHOT, BUT DIDN'T KILL THE BEAR, ONLY WOUNDED IT.
AND THAT BEAR STARTED CHASING HIM. WELL, I'LL TELL YOU,
HE WAS MIGHTY SCARED. HE RAN AS FAST AS HE COULD, BUT
THAT BEAR WAS SO CLOSE HE COULD FEEL HIS BREATH DOWN
HIS BACK. SO, WHAT DID HE DO, HE TOOK OFF HIS JACKET
AND PUT IT OVER A TREE BRANCH SO THE BEAR WOULD THINK
IT WAS HIM, AND THEN HE TOOK OFF IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.
WELL, WHEN HE TURNED TO LOOK BACK, THAT BEAR WAS HUGGING
HIS JACKET AND SQUEEZING IT JUST AS HARD AS HE COULD.
WELL, WHEN HE GOT BACK TO CAMP, YOU'D THINK HE'D HAVE
LEARNED NOT TO BRAG SO MUCH, BUT WHAT DID HE DO? HE
BOASTED ABOUT HE'D TRICKED THAT OLD BEAR!

Submitter comment: HEARD IN GAYLORD, MICHIGAN ABOUT 1930.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Gaylord

Date learned: 10-00-1963