▁rail road ▁tunnel . ▁According ▁to ▁legend , ▁John ▁Henry ' s ▁pro w ess ▁as ▁a ▁steel - driver ▁was ▁measured ▁in ▁a ▁race ▁against ▁a ▁steam ▁power ed ▁ham mer , ▁which ▁he ▁won , ▁only ▁to ▁die ▁in ▁victory ▁with ▁his ▁ham mer ▁in ▁his ▁hand ▁and ▁his ▁heart ▁giving ▁out ▁from ▁stress . ▁The ▁" B all ad ▁of ▁John ▁Henry " ▁is ▁a ▁musical ▁rend ition ▁of ▁his ▁story . ▁ ▁Other ▁historical ▁figures ▁include ▁T itan ic ▁surv iv or ▁Mol ly ▁Brown , ▁Wild ▁West ▁show man ▁Buff alo ▁Bill ▁C ody , ▁and ▁sh ar ps ho oter ▁An nie ▁Oak ley . ▁ ▁F ict ional ▁characters ▁ ▁Paul ▁Bun yan ▁is ▁a ▁l umber jack ▁figure ▁in ▁North ▁American ▁fol kl ore ▁and ▁tradition . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁famous ▁and ▁popular ▁North ▁American ▁fol kl ore ▁hero es , ▁he ▁is ▁usually ▁described ▁as ▁a ▁giant ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁l umber jack ▁of ▁unusual ▁skill , ▁and ▁is ▁often ▁accompanied ▁in ▁stories ▁by ▁his ▁animal ▁companion , ▁B abe ▁the ▁Blue ▁Ox . ▁The ▁character ▁origin ated ▁in ▁fol kt ales ▁circul ated ▁among ▁l umber jack s ▁in ▁the ▁N ort he astern ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁eastern ▁Canada , ▁first ▁appearing ▁in ▁print ▁in ▁a ▁story ▁published ▁by ▁Northern ▁Michigan ▁journalist ▁James ▁Mac G ill iv ray ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁L one ▁R anger ▁is ▁a ▁fict ional ▁hero ▁of ▁the ▁west ▁who ▁fought