"The Big Joe Mufferaw Tall Tales" are based on the life of Joseph Montferrand (1802-1864), a French Canadian of outstanding strength and athletic prowess. He was well respected as a skilled foreman bringing squared timber rafts and booms down the Ottawa River to Quebec City. Details of his exploits are recorded in Joan Finnigan's book "Giants of the Ottawa Valley". The tall tales in this series are based on the story telling gifts of the shantymen who worked alongside this giant and anglicized his name to "Joe Mufferaw". Arnprior storyteller, Bernie Bedore grew up hearing these tall tales and published many tall tales of Big Joe's adventures such as "Mythical Mufferaw", "Tall Tales of Joe Mufferaw", and "The Shanty". Musician Stompin' Tom Connors has also helped to immortalize these tales in his recording of Big Joe Mufferaw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy3knGGzZr8
Valley Tall Tales Series #3 Barrum, Big Joe's Pet Frog
One day Big Joe and Broadaxe the Big White Moose were wandering in the forest when Broadaxe got stuck in a bog. Joe came to his rescue but it was very hard work and he perspired greatly. The sweat from Joe’s brow flooded that bog and today it is known as Norway Lake. The next year the frogs in that lake grew to be the size of beavers. Joe rescued one of these frogs and named it Barrum. It is said that Barrum grew even larger, measuring over 20 feet in length. He could sing in seven languages, bark like a dog and run over 100 miles at a stretch. Big Joe trained Barrum to be a sentry - a guard “frog" for his summer camp. Legend has it that poor Barrum met his demise during a collision with a train on the K and P line.