These tales are firmly rooted in the folk traditions that have evolved since Europeans arrived on the continent. Many traditional American stories and tall tales are based on real-life historical figures such as Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett, while others are pure fiction such as Paul Bunyan and the Lone Ranger. Some narratives are born of exaggeration, while others were created to help make sense of aspects of the world not understood at the time, and others to shape the ideals of society.
The founding of the United States is often surrounded by legends and tall tales. Many stories have developed since the founding long ago to become a part of America''s folklore and cultural awareness, and non-Native American folklore especially includes any narrative which has contributed to the shaping of American culture and belief systems. These narratives may be true and may be false or may be a little true and a little false; the veracity of the stories is not necessarily
