As a children's librarian I have done lots of storytimes for kids of all ages. I told versions of The Hairy Toe or The Teeny Tiny Bone for years. The endings never seemed to satisfy me.

Most versions of this story ended like a campfire tale. The teller either grabbed the person next to him or her and shouted, "You've got it!" or the monster simply came in the night and retrieved its toe or bone and disappeared. I felt this story was ripe for a better ending, and a better beginning. The story began with someone digging up a hairy toe. Usually there was no reason given for someone to do that. And then, why would anyone want to keep it?

I began to think that most of the stories my listeners liked best had some sort of justice handed out in the end, which happens a lot in folktales. I wanted to give the story more meat, so to speak! I wanted a Hairy Toe with consequences and a reason for why someone would keep a hairy toe.

I knew this story had its roots in the South and I was led naturally to think about other stories that have their roots there. I thought of the tar baby stories. Then I created Old Tar Pockets and the consequences he faces when he unearths a hairy toe and stuffs it into his pocket.

A fascinating thing about The Hairy Toe is the history of the story itself. It is a very old folktale with a long oral tradition. You can read about it here.

• Hairy Toe Activity Guide

• Hairy Toe Cookie Recipe