Tall tale

Tall tales are stories with elements that make no sense that are told as if they were true. Some tall tales are exaggerations of true events, however. Others can be made up entirely, and set in a setting that makes sense to the reader. The event is, many times, told in such a way that makes the person telling the story seem to be a part of it. The tone of the story is generally friendly.

In the United States

Tall tales are seen many times in American folklore. Johnny Appleseed is a tall tale, with a man who travels the American West planting apple trees. There are many more American tall tales of a similar nature, involving real people being exaggerated. However, there are also some made up tall tales, such as the story of Pecos Bill, a story about a made up person that could not possibly be true, even if the exaggeration was taken away. There is also a tall tale about Aylatt C. Buckner, a Native American fighter in colonial Texas.

Australia

The Australian frontier also has similar stories to American West tall tales, such as stories about Rod Ansell or Big Bill.