The Singing Scoutmaster: Paul Bunyan Creates The Rocky Mountains

One day, while wandering across the vast western plains, Paul Bunyan stopped and looked around. The landscape stretched on endlessly, flat and monotonous, with not a hill or peak to break up the horizon. "This land's got no spirit," Paul muttered, scratching his chin. "It needs some character, something to make folks stop and stare in awe." He glanced at Babe, his massive blue ox, who snorted in agreement, sending a gust of wind through the empty plains.

Deciding then and there to fix the problem, Paul set to work. He began by hauling the largest boulders he could find, some the size of whole towns, and stacking them up into enormous piles. Each rock he placed rumbled and settled, forming the foundation of the mighty peaks he envisioned. With his giant hands, he carefully carved out the rough edges, creating deep valleys, steep cliffs, and towering crags that reached up to the heavens.

Paul worked tirelessly, day and night. His sweat fell in streams, forming rivers that wound their way through the mountains, and his footprints left deep impressions that became hidden lakes nestled high in the valleys. But even after creating miles of towering peaks, Paul felt something was missing. He looked at Babe and grinned. "What do you say we give these mountains a little more flair, partner?"

Babe, always up for a challenge, pawed the ground with his massive hooves, creating thunderous booms that echoed across the land. At Paul's command, Babe stomped through the rocky terrain, shaking the ground and causing the rocks to split and shatter. Each stomp sent tremors through the earth, breaking apart the neatly stacked boulders and reshaping them into jagged peaks and rugged ridges. Babe's powerful movements left behind a landscape full of sharp, dramatic angles and dizzying heights.

With a few more well-placed strikes of his giant axe, Paul sliced through the rock formations, creating winding canyons and deep gorges that snaked between the mountains. He chopped and chiseled, crafting vast plateaus and sheer rock faces that made the mountains look even more formidable. As a finishing touch, Paul reached up to the sky and pulled down thick clouds, draping them over the tallest peaks like a blanket of snow.

When he finally stepped back to admire his work, the Rocky Mountains stretched out before him in all their glory—towering and majestic, with snow-capped summits glistening in the sunlight. The air was crisp and cool, filled with the scent of pine and the sound of rushing rivers. The Rockies were a sight to behold, a landscape that seemed to touch the sky itself.

Word of the newly formed mountains spread quickly. Settlers, explorers, and travelers journeyed far and wide to witness the magnificent range that Paul Bunyan had created. They marveled at the sheer scale and beauty of the Rockies, wondering how such a wonder could have come to be. Of course, whenever Paul passed through the area, he would tip his hat and smile, knowing that his handiwork had given the western plains a new identity—one full of grandeur and majesty.

People said that whenever the winds howled through the peaks or the rivers rushed through the gorges, they could hear Paul's deep laughter and the faint sound of Babe's mighty hooves thundering in the distance. The Rocky Mountains became more than just a range of peaks—they became a living testament to the strength and determination of Paul Bunyan and his faithful blue ox, Babe.

And so, whenever someone asked how the Rocky Mountains came to be, folks would say, "It was Paul Bunyan, of course! He wanted to give the plains some character, and he did it in the only way he knew how—by creating something so big and bold that it would stand for ages to come." To this day, the Rockies continue to inspire awe, a reminder of the time when Paul Bunyan and Babe roamed the land, shaping the world with their boundless strength and imagination.