Hairy Trout Short Story

The Peddler and the Trout

In the good old horse and buggy days, Montana was full of gold, silver, copper, and coal.Mining was important and mining camps were set up in many rough and rocky places across the state. In those unkempt camps, dusty and grimy miners sank into an exhausted sleep after working hard all day long. The miners, like the camps, were untidy and had neither the time nor the interest to tidy up. The bald miners were particularly happy that they had one less task of grooming to perform every day.
Now somewhere in Montana, a peddler invented a hair ointment to cure baldness. Having heard of bald miners, he spied a chance to make good money selling his miraculous ointment. He poured the tonic into bottles,

Soon, the trout in the stream started to sprout hair. The anglers found it hard to catch the trout. They left their fishing tackle at home. Instead, they set up barber chairs and yelled near the stream,” Haircuts and shaves for free! Come on, come all!” The trout heard the fishermen. The Hairy trouts, especially those that had sprouted hairy beards and found it hard to swim.

The hairy trout leaped out of the water for free haircuts and shaves. . as soon as they were out of the water, the wily anglers dumped them into their baskets.

And meanwhile what happened to the bald miners up in those camps?
Well, that’s a story for another day.

The Peddler and the Trout

Answer each question. Give evidence from the tall tale

What miracle can the peddler’s hair ointment happen, and on whom?
Why could the anglers not catch fish anymore?
3. Find examples of language in this story that show that it’s a tall tale.
Another word for Ointment:
Jelly b. Lotion c. paste d. Powder

Explain how you chose your answer

5. The trouts found it difficult to swim because they
Grown old quickly b. Become too big c. the stream became slow d. Sprouted hair and long beards

Explain which details in the text helped you choose your