Babe the Blue Ox okay after being blown over in Tuesday storm https://t.co/q1pizslBYPpic.twitter.com/qGUOkFgUur
— MPR News (@MPRnews) August 7, 2016
Paul Bunyan’s best pal, Babe the Blue Ox recently got cow-tipped by a heavy storm. The giant fiberglass replica of the folklore favorite was thrown to its side late last week according to the MPR News.
The 20-foot tall ox stands outside of Minnesota’s Paul Bunyan Land theme park, next to an animatronic statue of Paul Bunyan that greets guests as they enter the park. Given Paul and Babe’s strong ties to Minnesota (they are said to have created the 10,000 lakes, among other fantastic deeds), there are a number of monuments and replicas of the figures to be found, and the amusement park’s versions are some of the most iconic.
However, not even the legendary strength of the ox could keep it from tipping over in the face nature’s wrath. The thunderstorm had knocked out power across parts of Northern Minnesota, knocking over both power lines and trees.
Luckily, the only damage the statue sustained was a broken horn, which was able to be repaired. The theme park’s owner was able to borrow a crane and hoist the mythic ox back to her feet the next morning as well. Babe is once again standing tall, but her brief takedown is a good reminder that the destructive power of nature is no myth.