Every forest has its own stories—but what if one witness could experience centuries of change firsthand? Forest Legend: The Tale of Ol' Split Toe blends fantasy, adventure, history, and environmental themes into an unforgettable journey through Michigan's forests. Now available in audiobook format and narrated by author Dan Ellens, this sweeping tale follows an extraordinary deer whose life spans generations, revealing both humanity's impact on nature and nature's remarkable resilience.
The Tale of Ol' Split Toe
Date Published: 03-31-2026
Narrator: Dan Ellens
Run Time: 10 hours 6 minutes
Mother Nature struggles to maintain equilibrium in a changing world while fire, disease, logging, human displacement, and war repeatedly destroy forests of centuries-old trees. Split Toe, a deer chosen at birth for a unique education, travels through time to understand the interconnected workings of a Michigan forest. He meets humans along the way: Ice Age hunters who trap and kill a mastodon; Mukwoh, a young Ojibwe hunter who stalks Split Toe through swamp and forest; loggers clearcutting Michigan’s white pines; Edra, a woman advocating for the trees; Angus and Grace, pioneers who become a first generation of family farmers; scientists from the future studying the impact of nuclear radiation.
Split Toe witnesses two hundred years of conflict building between modern humans -- who fight to control the natural world -- and Mother Nature, who repeatedly reaches for balance. He wonders whether human ways will ultimately overpower Mother Nature, until he meets a boy who changes everything.
- A unique time-travel fantasy told through the perspective of a deer Richly woven Michigan history and wilderness lore
- Themes of conservation, resilience, and coexistence
- Perfect for listeners who enjoy thoughtful adventure with environmental depth
- Narrated by the author for an authentic storytelling experience
This audiobook may be an excellent choice for listeners who enjoy:
- Environmental and conservation-themed fiction
- Time-spanning adventures with historical elements
- Animal protagonists with memorable narrative voices
- Stories rooted in real landscapes and regional history
- Young adult fiction that also appeals to adult readers
- Reflective fantasy that explores humanity's relationship with nature
- Audiobooks narrated by their authors
Dan Ellens is an outdoor enthusiast who is passionate about connecting people with nature.
He spends nearly half of each year off-grid in an isolated, hand-built, electricity-free treehouse nestled within Winterfield Pines Nature Sanctuary with woodstove heat, handpump water, and oil lamp lighting.
Dan was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and grew up in southeast Michigan. He has a Mechanical Engineering degree from Calvin University and an MBA from Michigan State University. Dan is retired from a full career in industry and international business.
During 1996, 1997, and 1998, his family lived as expatriates in Bangalore, India, the inspiration for “A Time for India”, Dan’s second book, now in its second edition.
When Dan’s children were small – 10 years old - he took them each on an outward-bound, father-child adventure. The journal of those four trips became Dan’s first book, “Turning Ten: Great Adventures in the Great Lakes”, now in its second edition.
Dan is an accomplished woodworker and carpenter. His lifelong love for old-school carpentry inspired “Building the Bunkee: A Photo Anthology of Custom Log Cabin Construction and One Man’s Retirement Dream”. Dan is a hobby artist who is passionate about rescuing, restoring, and finding new homes for fine art. In the wilds, he sees cooking and baking without modern conveniences as their own adventure and creative expression. “Treehouse Letters: The Unabridged Michigan Forest Life Journal” includes entries about his art and his back-woods cooking … and many other things that one might think about while in a tree.
“Forest Legend: The Tale of Ol’ Split Toe”, Dan’s upcoming novel – his debut fiction piece written while sitting in his treehouse nest - brings experience from decades of life in the forest together with a rich understanding of mid-Michigan’s pioneer history and changing landscape. In this sweeping adventure, Dan explores the resilience of nature through the eyes of a majestic, time-traveling deer.
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