Paul Bunyan is a mythical figure from American folklore. The Paul Bunyan tales have been told and retold for generations, but they are most often set in the 1800s or early 1900s. This time period is often referred to as the "pioneering era" or the "frontier days" because it was a time when many people were moving to new territories in the United States. The Paul Bunyan stories are often about how Bunyan and his crew helped to build the country, clearing forests, building bridges, and digging canals.