When Professor Emeritus Larry Torres starting writing down his 'Ole Johnny Mudd' series, he was remembering the tall tales related to him by the old sheep herders and cowboys of his youth. They were tall tales composed about a mythical cowboy, by men who had a lot of time to think as they were pasturing their flocks and herds. When some local newspapers started asking for them, he started illustrating them to make them more interesting to children, friends and neighbors. As the tall tales began flowing from his pen, he added several unwritten episodes from his own past, essentially becoming Johnny Mudd himself. The 'Ole Johnny Mudd' tales have been shared by several generations of his followers.
Cuando el Profesor EmŽrito, Larry Torres comenz— a documentar su serie de 'Mano Juan Fango', estaba recordando los cuentos exagerados que le fueron relacionados por los pastores y vaqueros de su ni–ez. Eran cuentos exagerados de un jinete m’tico, narrado por hombres que ten’an mucho tiempo para pensar mientras cuidaban sus reba–os de ovejas y vacas. Cuando algunos peri—dicos locales comenzaron a pedirselos, Žl los ilustr— para rendirlos m‡s interesantes para los ni–os, sus amigos y vecinos. Cuando los cuentos exagerados comenzaron a hacerse conocidos, el profesor les agreg— m‡s episodios, tomados de su propia ni–ez, por fin convirtiŽndose en Mano Juan Fango Žl mismo. ƒl ha compartido los cuentos de Mano Juan Fango con generaciones de sus aficionados.