Fordly VonBeaglesford

Fordly VonBeaglesford was a remarkable smell hound. Ever since he was a pup, when he and his pal Zeke strolled through town, people would stop and take notice. Many were compelled to holler at Zeke as they walked by, "That's a good lookin' smell hound you got there," and some would inquire, "What's that? Some sorta smell hound?" When Zeke would tell them Fordly was, indeed, a smell hound, all they could say was "Shoot! That's a good lookin' smell hound you got there."

It wasn't only his looks that made Fordly VonBeaglesford such a noteworthy smell hound; it was what the folks couldn't see that set him apart from all the others. Fordly VonBeaglesford was gifted with the most powerful nose this side of the Mississippi. Sure enough, Fordly's smelling prowess was unmatched by any other smell hound, or any other animal for that manner. Why, he once ground-scented one of Zeke's lost socks from 10 miles away!

Yep, Fordly VonBeaglesford sure did go on a number of crazy adventures with that nose of his leading the way. The trademark baying of Fordly VonBeaglesford was not uncommon to hear across the plain when he treed a fox or found a rabbit hole. The hound sure loved to follow his nose. He and Zeke was a match made in heaven as they both had a passion for discovery and a strong penchant for romping through the woods.

Why, I recall the time when Fordly VonBeaglesford and Zeke were gone for a couple weeks only to return with a sack full of money. Seems, Fordly got a whiff of a dollar bill Zeke used at the general store. When they left the store, Fordly went off tracking down all the lost bills scattered throughout every town here to Greenville! Not a bad pay off for Zeke who used some of the money to build a fancy new dog house for the old smell hound.

Tracking down money didn't last long for Fordly VonBeaglesford, not that Zeke didn't try to keep it going, of course. Fordly VonBeaglesford liked to discover new scents, so he really didn't like to track the same thing for too long. Which meant he didn't make too good of a hunting dog either. He'd be tracking a fox when he'd get a whiff of something new and track that instead, just to find out what is was. Drove Zeke crazy, that behavior did.

Now, did I mention Fordly VonBeaglesford's biggest weakness was his stomach? The smell hound loved to eat almost as much as he loved to smell; and he would eat just about everything his nose led him to. One thing he never got tired of was tracking down a nice big apple tree, full of ripe luscious apples. The smell hound couldn't resist a nice juicy apple, and the townsfolk had to hurry to harvest the ripe apples before Fordly could eat'em all up. You see, he made a deal with the local crows; if they knocked the apples down from the tree for him, he would lead them to carrion if they ever needed his help.

It's said that Fordly VonBeaglesford, with the help of the crows, decimated the apple trees in much of the Midwest. Rumor has it, even Johnny Appleseed had a hard time planting enough apple trees to keep up with Fordly VonBeaglesford's ravaging appetite. Folks in the Midwest went years without apples while Fordly VonBeaglesford was at the height of his reign of apple eating terror. This was before them supermarkets came 'round, you see. Even Zeke couldn't get him to focus on something else for his nose to follow.

Then it happened. Zeke went out one morning to take Fordly VonBeaglesford for their morning stroll and he was nowhere to be found. Some say he got greedy and tried to cross the Ohio River in search of more apples and the current took him all the way down to Louisiana where he developed a taste for okra, fried o'course. Others say the townsfolk, tired of his apple eating ways, sent him off on a steamboat down to Georgia where he fell in love with the peaches. All I know is, no one ever saw Fordly VonBeaglesford again, and the apple trees were soon full for all to enjoy once again.

The next fall was unlike any other here in these parts. Folks were so happy to have their apples back! You could walk through town and see an apple pie on every window sill. Fordly VonBeaglesford may have eaten all our apples for a few years, but he also made us realize what a gift the apples truly are and how lucky we are to have them. Over the years, the fall became a celebration of apples and apple pie became a signature dish of the region.

Sadly, good old Zeke was never the same without his trusty old smell hound by his side. He didn't go out much after Fordly VonBeaglesford disappeared. Some folks said they would see him milling around the old apple orchards during the fall calling for the hound. Towards the end of his days, he would always leave an apple on his doorstep in hopes that Fordly VonBeaglesford would someday return; though he never did.

It wasn't long before stories were being told about Fordly VonBeaglesford throughout the Midwest. Nowadays, not many are around who remember what life was like without apples. Still, the legend of Fordly VonBeaglesford has continued to grow over the years, and there hasn't been another smell hound like him since; and apple pie has never tasted so good.