While growing up, I never tired of listening to old people talk about the olden days, particularly about the wild animals of their grandparents' times. According to them, "painters," "b'ars," and wolves were plentiful during the days of their grandparents. The stories led me to wish I lived back in the old days, because at the time, it seemed to me those were the days people had the most fun.

The wolves, it seemed, always traveled in packs, and presented a danger mostly to livestock; especially sheep, calves, pigs, and often dogs that tried to keep them run away. Evidently there were a few wolves in Breathitt County as late as 1873, because the Breathitt Fiscal Court Order Book for that year mentioned a wolf bounty being paid.

But the "painter," as the old people called the cougar or mountain lion, seemed to have been feared by everyone. There were numerous tales told about the big cat, most of them about the animal harming people, or trying to do harm to them. The shrill scream of a "painter" evidently sent cold chills up the spines of all who heard it, especially pregnant women, because many people believed the animal was attracted to such women.

The last firsthand account I heard about a "painter" was told to me many years ago by a man whose last name was Vires, as I have forgotten his first name. The time the story happened was probably just before or just after the turn of the 20th century. Vires said that he and his young pregnant wife were traveling over a lone woodland path one moonlit night when suddenly, from a heavy wooded area near them, they heard the woman-like scream of a "painter." The big collie dog walking along with them turned up his hackles and growled. The couple stopped, holding to each other. Though Vires hadn't seen but one "painter" in his life, and none had been reported in the area in years, he knew the animal was a "painter." He had no weapon except a large pocket knife, which he quickly used to cut down a bush and trim into a club. When the "painter" squalled a second time, he sicked the dog in its direction. The dog quickly located the big cat and began to bark at it.

As the dog bayed the big cat, and the creature hissed back, Vires and his wife walked away along the wooded pathway as fast as they could. But soon the dog's barking ceased, and all was quiet. The couple concluded that the "painter" had probably torn the dog to shreds and would be after them. They quickened their pace, while the husband held the club in readiness. Then suddenly they heard something running and charging toward them from the rear. A glance backward in the subdued moonlight showed a shadowy large animal running toward them. The woman screamed; and as the thing came within reach, Vires struck at it with all his might. The charging animal dodged the mighty blow. Then Vires recognized the animal was his faithful dog.

The event ended with no one harmed, except maybe by fright. The "painter," Vires said, was never heard of again.

Bears were apparently plentiful in our area when the first settlers came. But the big beast was considered more of a nuisance than a danger. They occasionally killed livestock, but mostly they left people alone. Though bear meat was strong, gamey, and possessed a smell, it could be eaten when no other meat was available. Also, bear skins made warm bed coverings and good rugs. Bear grease could be used to lubricate cart wheels or wagon wheels or to oil guns. The only time bears mauled people were when wounded or cornered, or when someone messed with their young'uns.

However, bears could be a real nuisance at times. They loved corn in the roasting ear stage, and sometimes would eat up a whole new ground of corn. Then the bear seemed to have an unsatiable taste for honey. A family often woke in the mornings to find all their beegums turned upside down and all the honey gone from them. They knew the thief was a bear, and the penalty for a bear that turned out to be a rogue was death. The owner then collected all his neighbors and their dogs, and the posse tracked down the bear and killed it. As a result, bears soon disappeared. Our forefathers just couldn't afford to compete with bears for food.