TALES OF THE WEST – MARCH 2013

by | Jan 23, 2021 | Tales of the West | 0 comments

John Henry

    John Henry was born  with a hammer in his hand.  He would crawl around banging his hammer as he went.  John Henry did a mans work with his father. Soon he realized he was stronger than most people his age, so he decided it was time he went out into the world.  He got a job in the cotton fields, but it was too tame.  So he got a job on a river boat.  One night the paddle wheel broke and John Henry turned the wheel.  He heard men talking of railroads being built, so he started thinking that he wanted a hammer in his hand  again, so he joined a railroad crew.  John Henry’s crew worked the fastest.  Soon they came to a mountain and his friend L’il Bill told him about all of the dangers.  John Henry said suits me just fine.  One day there was a cave-in while a stick of dynamite was lit, and John Henry and his crew were stuck inside.  John Henry was going to put it out, but he fell, so he took his hammer and hit the fuse on the head and put out the flame.  Some days later a steam drill challenged John Henry to a contest to see who could get through the mountain first.  After a few hours the steam drill was ahead so John Henry got two hammers and pounding away.  Then the steam drill broke down. When John Henry broke through the side of the mountain his heart exploded, and he died with a hammer in each hand.

Related Posts

0 Comments

Submit a Comment