Babe the Blue Ox
Minnesota Tall Tales
retold by
S. E. Schlosser
Well now, one winter it was so cold that all the geese flew backward and all the fish moved south and even the snow turned blue. Late at night, it got so frigid that all spoken words froze solid afore they could be heard. People had to wait until sunup to find out what folks were talking about the night before.
Paul Bunyan went out walking in the woods one day during that Winter of the Blue Snow. He was knee-deep in blue snow when he heard a funny sound between a bleat and a snort. Looking down, he saw a teeny-tiny baby blue ox jest a hopping about in the snow and snorting with rage on account of he was too short to see over the drifts.
Paul Bunyan laughed when he saw the spunky little critter and took the little blue mite home with him. He warmed the little ox up by the fire and the little fellow fluffed up and dried out, but he remained as blue as the snow that had stained him in the first place. So Paul named him Babe the Blue Ox.
Well, any creature raised in Paul Bunyan's camp tended to grow to massive proportions, and Babe was no exception. Folks that stared at him for five minutes could see him growing right before their eyes. He grew so big that 42 axe handles plus a plug of tobacco could fit between his eyes and it took a murder of crows a whole day to fly from one horn to the other. The laundryman used his horns to hang up all the camp laundry, which would dry lickety-split because of all the wind blowing around at that height.
Whenever he got an itch, Babe the Blue Ox had to find a cliff to rub against, 'cause whenever he tried to rub against a tree it fell over and begged for mercy. To whet his appetite, Babe would chew up thirty bales of hay, wire and all. It took six men with picaroons to get all the wire out of Babe's teeth after his morning snack. Right after that he'd eat a ton of grain for lunch and then come pestering around the cook - Sourdough Sam - begging for another snack.
Babe the Blue Ox was a great help around Paul Bunyan's logging camp. He could pull anything that had two ends, so Paul often used him to straighten out the pesky, twisted logging roads. By the time Babe had pulled the twists and kinks out of all the roads leading to the lumber camp, there was twenty miles of extra road left flopping about with nowhere to go. So Paul rolled them up and used them to lay a new road into new timberland.
Paul also used Babe the Blue Ox to pull the heavy tank wagon which was used to coat the newly-straightened lumber roads with ice in the winter, until one day the tank sprang a leak that trickled south and became the Mississippi River. After that, Babe stuck to hauling logs. Only he hated working in the summertime, so Paul had to paint the logging roads white after the spring thaw so that Babe would keep working through the summer.
One summer, as Babe the Blue Ox was hauling a load of logs down the white-washed road and dreaming of the days when the winter would feel cold again and the logs would slide easier on the "ice", he glanced over the top of the mountain and caught a glimpse of a pretty yeller calf grazing in a field. Well, he twisted out of his harness lickety-split and stepped over the mountain to introduce himself. It was love at first sight, and Paul had to abandon his load and buy Bessie the Yeller Cow from the farmer before Babe would do any more hauling.
Bessie the Yeller Cow grew to the massive, yet dainty proportions that were suitable for the mate of Babe the Blue Ox. She had long yellow eyelashes that tickled the lumberjacks standing on the other end of camp each time she blinked. She produced all the dairy products for the lumber camp. Each day, Sourdough Sam made enough butter from her cream to grease the giant pancake griddle and sometimes there was enough left over to butter the toast!
The only bone of contention between Bessie and Babe was the weather. Babe loved the ice and snow and Bessie loved warm summer days. One winter, Bessie grew so thin and pale that Paul Bunyan asked his clerk Johnny Inkslinger to make her a pair of green goggles so she would think it was summer. After that, Bessie grew happy and fat again, and produced so much butter that Paul Bunyan used the leftovers to grease the whitewashed lumber roads in summer. With the roads so slick all year round, hauling logs became much easier for Babe the Blue Ox, and so Babe eventually came to like summer almost as much as Bessie.
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Comments
...it's so interesting..!!!!
love it..hope u post more.....
Posted by: angela marie ramos | July 20, 2010 04:54 AM
so cute....
Posted by: jeanne | July 25, 2010 10:43 AM
aw haha thanks for answering my question and bessie haha perfect cow name
Posted by: me | August 4, 2010 06:59 PM
I loved the story it was funny
Posted by: izzy | August 11, 2010 02:26 PM
thankx
i haven't read these tales since 1955.
this is becoming a lost
part of our past lives
Posted by: uncle wimp | August 15, 2010 12:58 PM
it is cool
Posted by: Anonymous | August 16, 2010 09:50 AM
well well well the stories are nice !! :)) and i would like to know more interesting stories in this site ty!!
Posted by: hannah grace drilon | August 18, 2010 11:23 AM
it was great
Posted by: kanasia | August 31, 2010 12:25 PM
lol
Posted by: Bob | September 13, 2010 06:11 PM
Why did he name it babe
Posted by: Reggie Williams | September 15, 2010 11:30 AM
loved it so funny i was just learning alout him
Posted by: LAUREN FREEBERY | September 15, 2010 06:15 PM
Cool
Posted by: Majestik Dudley | September 16, 2010 11:02 AM
i luvd it
Posted by: mfhj | September 24, 2010 11:32 AM
I LOVE tall tales ;D
Posted by: Wassap? | October 1, 2010 05:34 PM
it was very cute of babe's side of the story
Posted by: Anonymous | October 4, 2010 08:13 AM
I love that story and that is amazing
Posted by: makayla eisner | October 12, 2010 10:16 AM
That was quite interesting. I'm learning about it right now so I know the story already.
Posted by: Lunantic(Luna for short) | October 14, 2010 06:23 PM
That was quite interesting. I'm learning about it right now so I know the story already.
Posted by: Lunantic(Luna for short) | October 14, 2010 06:24 PM
Great story
Posted by: Anonymous | October 15, 2010 09:31 AM
that story was so amazing
Posted by: lizzy | October 17, 2010 01:10 PM
hey i know why they call them babe because you know the tall tal paul bunyn and johnny appleseed they all have you know halrious names so yeah thats why i thnk i got that right cause it said on the internet and this guy told me.
Posted by: yo mama | October 18, 2010 07:41 PM
this was so inspiring i cried.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 22, 2010 06:34 AM
I wanted to be Babe the blue ox for Halloween, since my husband is going to be Paul. Do you think anyone will know Babe was a guy?
Posted by: Susan Croker | October 24, 2010 12:18 AM
This tall tale is as tall as Paul Bunyan!
Posted by: Anonymous | October 25, 2010 01:48 PM
love at first sight!!!
Posted by: gigi | November 2, 2010 10:18 AM
wow! vary nice.
Posted by: john | November 5, 2010 08:17 AM
i love the story.!!!!!1
Posted by: james | November 9, 2010 11:59 AM
I think this was a great story. I like babe the blue ox.
Posted by: pretty pink pony | November 9, 2010 05:13 PM
cool
Posted by: HI | November 10, 2010 10:47 AM
sooooo... not like the origanel.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 10, 2010 10:40 PM
i love this
Posted by: Anonymous | November 19, 2010 12:40 PM
i loved it!!!!
Posted by: ben karam | December 1, 2010 02:10 PM
go babe go babe go babe
Posted by: Anonymous | December 3, 2010 10:53 AM
hi good story.
Posted by: hohoho | December 8, 2010 10:47 AM
It was amazing so cool
Posted by: Elise | January 5, 2011 10:12 AM
I think it's cool and intresting
Posted by: grace | January 6, 2011 10:22 PM
awesome
Posted by: Anonymous | January 7, 2011 03:09 PM
so cool!!!! i hope u post more
Posted by: Anonymous | January 7, 2011 03:10 PM
NICE
Posted by: Anonymous | January 10, 2011 11:31 AM
its sooo insightful and cute
Posted by: Anonymous | January 12, 2011 07:58 PM
i have allways loved this story. i remember as a child watching a movie with babe the blue ox. i love it!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 18, 2011 10:32 PM
this is funny
Posted by: Anonymous | January 21, 2011 02:43 PM
My class loves this story.
Posted by: Mr. No'oy | January 21, 2011 02:47 PM
COOL STORY
Posted by: JD | January 21, 2011 02:49 PM
I loved it so much
Posted by: June | January 21, 2011 02:49 PM
this is a cool story I like it I'm working on one myself
Posted by: Samson | January 21, 2011 02:50 PM
it is one of the funnyst and weidst story ever!!!!!!
Posted by: jamikal | January 21, 2011 02:51 PM
my favorite charecter is babe the blue ox its a good story i can imagen how big babe is hes huge and bessei
Posted by: dustin | January 21, 2011 02:52 PM
I luv your story. :) I liked reading it. :) It's fun to ready and good for kids. My favorit characters are Babe and the Blue ox. I bet Babe is huge
Posted by: Andre | January 21, 2011 02:52 PM
it was funny
Posted by: kennedy | January 22, 2011 02:43 AM
its ok
Posted by: Anonymous | January 24, 2011 09:47 AM
It was awesome
Posted by: jessie | January 24, 2011 12:15 PM
cool
Posted by: Anonymous | January 24, 2011 01:22 PM
Awesome, I loved it!
Posted by: Luke | January 24, 2011 02:54 PM
Funny!
Posted by: Amanda | January 24, 2011 04:19 PM
Great story, perfect for the project i am working on....
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2011 08:00 AM
I. Love this story
Posted by: Anonymous | January 26, 2011 10:23 PM
cool
Posted by: Anonymous | January 27, 2011 11:47 AM
wow
Posted by: Anonymous | January 27, 2011 12:25 PM
awesome
Posted by: austin | February 1, 2011 10:41 AM
it was good and cool !!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: cassidee | February 3, 2011 07:40 PM
i love it
Posted by: Anonymous | February 3, 2011 10:37 PM
this story is soo cool am taking it at school but in different way :P
Posted by: Monada | February 5, 2011 08:22 AM
cool beans
Posted by: Anonymous | February 9, 2011 01:07 PM
cool:)
Posted by: Anonymous | February 16, 2011 12:50 PM
ok i guess
Posted by: Anonymous | February 16, 2011 04:43 PM
alright story.
where's the paul bunyan story about his axe?
and how he carved washington??
Posted by: jalen mcgraw | February 22, 2011 02:10 PM
i love it!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | February 22, 2011 09:19 PM
love the story
Posted by: thorn | February 25, 2011 11:14 PM
i say its a good story...wut about bessie...all we know is that babe saw her...wut was her life like b4 she met pual and babe
Posted by: none of your business | February 26, 2011 02:08 PM
I liked babe the blue ox he was soo big Omg I cnt believe how big he was
Posted by: Robbie | March 2, 2011 11:05 AM
This story is great I've wanted to find a blue ox all my life so I could prove Paul Bunyan was real I saw one travling by a gigantic glowing figure !
Posted by: Anniemckiyh | March 3, 2011 03:19 PM
awesome
Posted by: joshua | March 4, 2011 01:15 AM
cute story
i loved it
and i love the cute bit of romance between Babe and Bessie
that was relly cute
Posted by: animal friend | March 7, 2011 07:06 PM
this was so cool
Posted by: jamall | March 8, 2011 01:26 PM
Good story
Posted by: Jazzy | March 10, 2011 10:42 AM
love it♥
Posted by: journey | March 10, 2011 10:52 AM
the story was nice and stuff. :3
Posted by: sid | March 10, 2011 11:07 AM
this is a cool story
Posted by: angelece | March 10, 2011 11:27 AM
nice story
Posted by: Anonymous | March 10, 2011 03:40 PM
I love the blue oxxxxxx!!!~!
Posted by: Mrs.Mulligan | March 14, 2011 08:04 AM
A tall tale is not a tall tale without a tall figure!!!!!
Posted by: isaiah | March 16, 2011 10:16 AM
Cool
Posted by: Ansley | March 17, 2011 10:33 AM
NICE
Posted by: Anonymous | March 21, 2011 03:14 PM
wow this is awesome i love it lol wow why is it name babe
Posted by: shandrelyn | March 22, 2011 08:12 AM
loved it
Posted by: brandon glaser | March 22, 2011 10:12 AM
awesome story
Posted by: me | March 22, 2011 01:46 PM
good
Posted by: jj | March 22, 2011 02:11 PM
nice!
Posted by: Anonymous | March 22, 2011 03:11 PM
Loved it!! so cute & very funny!! LOL ;D
Posted by: Elizabeth | March 23, 2011 08:20 PM
i love the little babe the ox..... sounds so cute
Posted by: Anonymous | March 24, 2011 03:38 PM
I love it.
Posted by: annve | May 1, 2011 02:58 PM
it was a cool story i love these kind of storys
Posted by: lucas | May 3, 2011 09:27 PM
i love this story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | May 11, 2011 08:58 AM
That was a very good story
Posted by: Ashley Stoddard | May 17, 2011 09:57 AM
i love this story sooooooo much
Posted by: summer winds | May 19, 2011 08:52 AM
NO WAY I LOVE THIS
Posted by: HHAHHA | May 25, 2011 11:20 AM
OMG I LUV LUV LUV THIS STORY !!!!!!
Posted by: Kat | May 26, 2011 04:42 PM
i love it.
Posted by: kendal | June 1, 2011 10:17 AM
was GREAT!
Posted by: Grimton | June 21, 2011 11:38 AM
i like this
Posted by: Anonymous | June 22, 2011 01:30 PM
so romantic
Posted by: Anonymous | July 5, 2011 04:36 PM
awesome
Posted by: nay | July 18, 2011 01:13 PM
i love the story i want a baby blue ox
Posted by: Anonymous | October 1, 2012 01:28 PM
the story was awesome... I loved it!
Posted by: holly | October 1, 2012 04:52 PM
it was awesome!
Posted by: Anonymous | October 1, 2012 04:53 PM
Hohoho I love this story it was just they way it really happened.
Posted by: Santa Claus | October 1, 2012 05:26 PM
Isn't Babe a pig?
You know, in the movie "Babe"?
Posted by: yer butt | November 14, 2012 07:02 PM