Once upon a time, there was a Beagle who lived to run. One day while chasing a rabbit, the Beagle ran straight into a farmer’s scythe and got split in half. The Beagle’s owner took him home, wrapped him up (mummy style) in bandages, and put him near a warm stove to mend.

The owner, however, had put him together wrong.

This is where the story has two versions. In the North Carolina version, the Beagle is put together with two feet up and two feet down. When the Beagle tires, he simply rolls over and resumes running on the fresher pair of feet. In the Mississippi version, his hind end is put on the front end with the result that he can run forever by running backwards or forwards. He wags both ends at the same time, and either end can catch a rabbit.

This is, by all accounts, a tall tale of the south referred to as the “calling of the dog.” We’re just glad that in both versions, the Beagle keeps on running.

Image found on Pinterest is one we’d very much like to credit upon receipt of information.