Pecos Bill (/ˈpeɪkəs/ PAY-kəs) is a fictional cowboy and folk hero in stories set during American westward expansion into the Southwest of Texas, New Mexico, Southern California, and Arizona. These narratives were invented as short stories by Tex O'Reilly in the early 20th century and are an example of American "fakelore". Pecos Bill was a late addition to the larger-than-life characters, such as Paul Bunyan or John Henry. The origin story of the character depicts him as a feral child who was raised by a pack of coyotes. Years later, his long-lost brother convinces Bill that he is not a real coyote. In some tales concerning his final fate, Pecos and his love interest Slue-Foot Sue supposedly end up on the Moon, apparently never to return. In the animated film adaptation Melody Time, Sue alone is stranded on the Moon. A disheartened Bill then leaves civilization to rejoin the coyotes, who start howling at the Moon in honor of Bill's sorrow for Sue.