Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox in Klamath, California Trees of Mystery site. Paul Bunyan is a lumberjack figure in North American folklore and tradition. One of the most famous and popular North American folklore heroes, he is usually described as a giant as well as a lumberjack of unusual skill, and is often accompanied in stories by his animal companion, Babe the Blue Ox. Photo by Carol Highsmith, 2012.