We are pleased to participate in the A to Z Blog Challenge for the month of April. The Story Crossroads theme for this year is “Becoming: Tales of Transformation & Calling.” We love exploring traditional tales from around the world within that theme.
About Old Stormalong and the Octopus:
From American maritime tall tale tradition comes the legend of Old Stormalong, a larger-than-life sailor whose stories circulated along the New England coast in the 19th century. He is part of the broader cycle of “giant sailor” folklore, similar in spirit to figures like Paul Bunyan, where human scale is expanded to match the vastness of sea and storm.
According to tradition, Stormalong was said to have been so enormous that ships were built around him rather than for him, and storms were believed to rise and fall in response to his presence. His origin stories vary—some say he was born on the coast of Massachusetts, others that he emerged fully formed from the sea itself—but all versions emphasize his identity as a sailor shaped by the Atlantic Ocean itself.
Symbolism and Themes:
Becoming Through Descent – Stormalong’s transformation begins when he leaves the safety of the ship and enters the unknown depths of the ocean.
Calling Through Crisis – The stuck anchor becomes a call to action that only he can answer, requiring courage beyond normal limits.
Transformation Through Confrontation – What begins as a mechanical problem becomes a mythic encounter, where strength, wit, and presence redefine what “possible” means.
50-word-or-less summary:
When Old Stormalong’s ship becomes trapped by a massive underwater force, he dives into the Atlantic Ocean to investigate. He discovers a giant octopus tangled with the anchor and wrestles it into submission. After a struggle beneath the waves, he frees the ship and returns victorious.
Finding the Story:
This tall tale comes from Rhode Island maritime folklore and is retold in modern collections such as Spooky New England by S. E. Schlosser. You can see it at AmericanFolklore.net. Or on Old Stormalong here. A Wikipedia entry can be found at Alfred Bulltop Stormalong.
Finding the Transformation:
In this story, becoming happens through descent into the unknown. Old Stormalong does not transform by staying aboard the familiar ship, but by entering the depths where control is uncertain. His identity expands through direct encounter with chaos, turning danger into mastery through action.
Is becoming always about rising to greatness—or can it also mean learning to meet what lies beneath the surface, where fear and strength are often the same thing?
Share your thoughts in the comments! While you enjoy this blog, Story Crossroads has year-round offerings. See our popular links and upcoming events at our One-Stop.
As for our past A to Z Challenges…
While you enjoy this blog, Story Crossroads celebrates the 11th hybrid summit & festival on May 2 & 4-6, 2026 – yes, in-person and virtual – and would be honored for you to join us.
Thanks to funding from National Endowment for the Arts; Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP) of Salt Lake County; Creative West; Utah Division of Arts and Museums; City of Murray; Salt Lake City Arts Council; Utah Storytelling Guild; Murray City Library; Pleasant Grove Library; American Fork Library and people like you.