(Back Cover)

To whomever may read this book. I would like you to know that the quality of this story was never sacrificed for time. There was absolutely no deadline on this writing, and I hope that makes all the difference in the world. I believe that a really great story has to fall together naturally, without being rushed by a deadline. Some people would say that I spent too much time on this. But, if it's still here long after I'm gone, then it was well worth the effort. To create, design, and finance everything involved with this book has taken nearly ten years. With this printing, this parable is here to stay!

(Part 1, of 4 )

In the year of our Lord, April the second, 1413, it was raining heavily, with peaking hurricane winds out of season. It was almost as if the atmosphere was enraged that a force to be reckoned with was entering the world.

In the twilight before dawn a young Indian woman by the name of Winona was screaming inside of her wigwam. Bluemoon was the father of the expected child. The baby would be born the child of a chieftain. They were of the Calusa Indian Nation, and they lived in Southwestern Florida.

Bluemoon supported Winona from behind while she suffered in labor. Then at last on the deerskin blanket a large baby boy was born. Bluemoon wrapped his screaming son in a warm blanket. Then proudly he stated, "His name will be Solomoon," which meant "one son." Bluemoon was a happy man, because there were very few boys in the tribe for some strange reason.

Winona continued to scream in pain as the violent storm ripped away part of the wigwam. Bluemoon couldn't believe that Winona gave birth to another baby boy. He was a tiny little twin, only about half the size of Solomoon.

"Oh no, hah! Look how small he is," laughed Bluemoon.

Winona smiled through her pain at that tiny twin that had taken her completely by surprise.

Suddenly the wind died down, the rain stopped, and the sun peeked above the horizon. Everything was peaceful for a moment until a frightened look came over Bluemoon's face.

"The small child must die," Bluemoon declared. As he raised his tomahawk to sacrifice the baby Winona grabbed his arm and pleaded, "Please, don't kill my little Jonah!"

Bluemoon lowered the tomahawk then said, "I will spare his life, but I cannot worry about him, for he is very bad luck!" Winona was happy that Jonah would at least get a chance at life.

Then Bluemoon held Solomoon up into the light that was beaming through the hole in the wigwam.
With promise in his eyes he stated, "Solomoon, I will make you a warrior and a great chief!" He then tied a small necklace around his neck and gave him to Winona. She loved her very odd twins and began to feed them the way nature intended.

The necklace was the same one that Bluemoon's father had put around his neck when he was born. It was a perfect arrowhead that was handed down by Solomoon's great, great-grandfather. According to his strange curse, a young warrior had to chip a perfect arrowhead before he outgrew the necklace. The father of the warrior was the only person who could take the necklace from his son's neck. If the warrior wasn't worthy of that task, then the mysterious necklace could suddenly shrink and take the child's life. It was a tragedy whenever the necklace took a feeble warrior. Natural selection had gone awry, and somebody had to stop it!

It was a time and place where any mortal man could be dragged away and torn to pieces by huge alligators and crocodiles. Bluemoon patiently taught Solomoon everything necessary to insure his survival. Baby Jonah had to learn those important skills from Winona, and that just wasn't the same as learning them from Bluemoon. Winona could only admire Jonah's courage, for she had never seen a newborn baby raise a hand to defend himself.

Life seemed so unfair for at least one of the twins. It was truly mythical how Solomoon grew quickly into a tall and powerful child of distinction. While Jonah just didn't grow, he remained tiny and puny. It was puzzling how life could have ever created a pair of twins like the dwarf and the giant twins.

With great pride, Bluemoon finally did remove the necklace from Solomoon's neck. But very sadly, he had only learned to tolerate Jonah's existence. He was very angry that there was no necklace to test Jonah's abilities. Winona hated that awful necklace, and she saw things differently. She saw Jonah as a fearless baby that came into this world ready to fight!

When the fabled twins were old enough they would have to start providing for the tribe. They would have to enter the swamp, and it was well known that many young warriors before them had never returned. When a warrior hunted in the swamp, they were being hunted. Bluemoon knew that Solomoon would survive, and that Jonah would just have to live on his luck.

Solomoon quickly caught on to the art of spear fishing, and became a good provider. Jonah was quite the opposite and was ordered by Bluemoon to carry back the fish. Then one morning in a heroic dash, Jonah sprinted off down the beach toward some kind of commotion. The hungry sea birds scattered and Jonah discovered a young sea turtle desperately trying to reach the ocean. Jonah grabbed the turtle and ran to show it to his brother. Jonah yelled, "Solomoon! Solomoon! Look what I found!

Solomoon said, "His paddle is broken, and he's beat up bad."

Jonah said, "I'm going to keep him!"

"You can't keep him. Let him go," advised Solomoon.

Jonah argued, "But he'll never make it!"

"He'll make it only if you let him go," added Solomoon.

As the turtle sluggishly swam away, the twins were very surprised when it turned around and looked back at them as if to say, "thank you." Then the turtle darted off into the depth. The Indian and the turtle had crossed paths, and the Indian's luck was about to change.

Shortly thereafter, Winona took Jonah into the swamp just to prepare him for the inevitable. And without any concern for his own life, Jonah wandered off and quickly discovered a small cave. Jonah yelled, "Mother, come here! Look what I found!" Winona ran over and tried to stop her son from cramming himself into that cave. She ordered her fearless son out of there at that instant. Jonah came out all right though, for he had found a huge yellow rock.

Jonah said to his mother, "It's really heavy, and look how soft it is." Then Jonah crushed that yellow rock like it was a gift sent down to him. He did it right before his mother's eyes while she watched with fascination.

Winona asked Jonah, "How in God's name did you do that?"

Jonah answered impishly, "I don't know. I just did."

Winona thought for a minute then she said, "Jonah, you need to show Bluemoon how you do that. He needs to see your very special power."

Jonah said, "I don't think I could do it in front of him."

As the years passed by, Jonah's only concern in life was to help the sea turtles. All he cared about was herding the turtles to water and searching for his yellow rocks along the shore. When he wasn't helping the turtles, he could always be found searching for those shiny yellow rocks. He had developed several unique gifts, but as of yet, he was not sure why.

In the sixteenth year of the twin's lives, Solomoon had reached a height of six foot, six inches. While little Jonah stayed stunted at a height of three foot, three inches.

Finally the time had come. Bluemoon angrily stated, "Jonah you must leave and go support your own needs and stop living off the tribe." Bluemoon turned to Winona and explained, "All he wants to do is help the turtles and look for those useless yellow rocks. He's old enough to leave the tribe now!"

Winona pleaded, "Please don't make Jonah leave. It's not his fault that he's so small and can't do what Solomoon can! He's too small to defend himself against the cannibals!"

Bluemoon gave in and said, "I will give him a Bluemoon tattoo." For some reason, the cannibals believed that it was bad luck to harm the offspring of a chieftain.

In his wigwam, Bluemoon gave Jonah some advice along with the tattoo. He said, "Walk the beach then cross the ocean, keep the morning sun to your left until you reach an island" (now Cuba). "Follow the morning sun on that island, then cross the ocean again to the second island" (now Haiti). Follow the morning sun on that island, then cross the ocean again to the last island (now Puerto Rico). Jonah almost felt like Bluemoon was being nice to him until he yelled, "There you will find more of those useless yellow rocks!" Bluemoon really didn't want to send Jonah away, but he had to for the good of this story.

While Jonah received his tattoo and advice, Winona put together a survival pouch for her son. She hugged him tearfully and said, "Jonah, I will always love you."

After their tearful embrace, Solomoon gave Jonah his best spear. Solomoon said with surety, "Good-bye little brother, I will see you again someday."

Then Bluemoon pointed to the south and said, "Good luck Jonah." Poor little Jonah was devastated as he walked away with tears in his eyes. His life was suddenly without purpose, and he didn't know how he was going to continue on with it. But then he recalled the confidence in Solomoon's voice when they parted. He decided to be strong and forge ahead with the security of Solomoon's best spear.

There was danger everywhere in the swamp, and young Jonah had to use all of Winona's teachings in order to survive. He had conquered panthers, poisonous snakes, and many dangerous animals that all wanted to sink their teeth into him. All the eyes in the swamp and Bluemoon watched with respect when the tiny brave destroyed the biggest alligator in the swamp.

Jonah quickly learned the rule of the swamp, and that rule was, "either kill, or be killed." He didn't want to massacre all the great predators in the swamp. So he built a shelter to protect himself until he could build a boat for his long journey into the unknown.

After battling nature for weeks, Jonah finally got a chance to look inside Winona's pouch. Inside her pouch was the finest shark's tooth that he had ever seen. She knew that it was natures perfect knife, and that it would bring him good luck. So he crushed together his yellow rocks to form a clasp over the marrow of the tooth. Then he tied it around his neck for good luck. Jonah had used his amazing gift to make his very first work of art.

The next day Jonah awoke to the surprise of his life. It was Bluemoon's boat washed up on shore, and Bluemoon was nowhere to be seen. So Jonah quickly threw the gator tail into the boat and hurried off into the unknown with the sun to his left.

Day after day in the sweltering sun, Jonah paddled and wondered if he was going in the right direction. He had made a big mistake by letting the gator tail hang over the side of the boat. It was a huge beast that came from out of nowhere. A gigantic shark swooped by his boat and swiped his gator tail. Jonah paddled so fast that it was not long before the first island appeared.

The first island was a very forbidding place, and Jonah just wanted to turn around and go home. But he couldn't, because he turned his back for one minute and the boat drifted away on him. He swam after that boat for all that it was worth, but the current just took it away toward the morning sun. When he got back to shore, the cannibals were waiting. So, Jonah took off running for all that he was worth. His life and this story could have ended at this point if the cannibals hadn't recognized the Bluemoon tattoo. Jonah did get captured, but the tattoo gave him unharmed passage to the end of the island.

When Jonah finally did reach the end of the island something incredible happened. It was very mysterious and almost too good to be true. When it was time to build a boat, Bluemoon's boat washed up on shore. He could only assume that the current, or some strange force, had brought the boat back to him.

The cannibals on the second island were much bigger, and they didn't recognize the Bluemoon tattoo. The word traveled faster than Jonah could walk after he wiped out half the tribe of cannibals. After that bone breaking battle the other cannibals just watched him walk by, because none of them dared to confront the mighty dwarf.

While on route to the third island, Jonah had to battle against Mother Nature's fury. It was a powerful hurricane that nearly swept him out to sea. But with great luck, or by some strange fate, Jonah was cast forth onto the third island.

Now Jonah had lived a life with more threats than any hero in a storybook should be forced to endure. But it was all worthwhile because the yellow rocks on that island were much bigger, and far more plentiful. Also, turtles were hatching everywhere, and Jonah began to take his turtle herding very seriously.

After such a dramatic arrival on the third island Jonah was expecting something special to happen, but it never did. He wondered why his father sent him to an island that was completely deserted. His life went on the same way for many, many years, and it was a very lonely existence. He did find another cave in which he amassed a huge rock collection, but he still hadn't proved to us that he was a true sculptor.

By the year of 1502, the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon had conquered and governed the island of Hispaniola. Jonah wasn't aware of the Spanish intrusion on the second island, but he was aware that hundreds of Indians had intruded on his island. Those Indians spotted Jonah occasionally, but they just thought that he was a secluded old hermit. Jonah could only watch as the Indians argued and fought over his yellow rocks. He couldn't imagine what had happened to make those Indians so greedy over his rocks. He knew that with all that greed trouble would soon be on its way.

By the year of 1508, Jonah had reached the age of ninety-five years old. He was still in good health though, for time had been his only friend.

It happened on a dreary day in that same year, when Jonah looked out over the ocean and saw a giant ship sailing toward his island. He'd never seen a ship so big, and he realized that his life there would never be the same.

It seemed that Jonah's foresight into the future had turned into reality. It was bound to happen, and nothing could be done about it. For history would attest to the fact that one of the Indians had paddled over to Hispaniola to show Ponce one of Jonah's yellow rocks.

As the Spaniards paddled toward shore, Jonah spotted an Indian on board, and wouldn't you know it, he was trying to stay out of sight.

Then the inevitable happened, Ponce de Leon set foot on Jonah's island. Jonah observed the man of distinction in his elaborate blue clothing, barking out orders to his entire crew. Jonah couldn't hear what was being said, but he could tell that their nature was violent. There was a man with a patch over his eye that stood out from the crowd, because he bent over and picked up one of Jonah's yellow rocks.

Oneye shouted, "Look Ponce, I've discovered gold!" Then in a split second, Ponce hauled off and punched Oneye on the same blind eye.

Ponce screamed at Oneye, "You've discovered nothing, for all the gold on this island is mine, for you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me!" After that was settled the crew whooped it up.

The new invaders worried Jonah so he hurried back to the protection of his cave. He hated being confined to his cave just to stay out of their sight, but he feared that they might take his life and steal his rock collection. Still to this day that huge rock collection remains hidden on Puerto Rico.

Throughout the next five years, Jonah spied on the men from the darkness of the bushes, until one night in March of 1513. Jonah overheard Ponce de Leon talking to his crew about leaving the island in two days. Ponce said, "Gentlemen, it seems that Diego Columbus, the son of Christopher, has won the Governorship of this island over me. We've been preparing for several weeks now and our destination will be the island of Bimini. The Indians of this island have informed me that Bimini has a magical fountain of youth with the power to make an old man young again." The men stirred with excitement.

Ponce continued, "Gentlemen, listen up! I'm not finished! It doesn't bother me to lose the Governorship of this island, because I've acquired enough gold to sink a ship. As a matter of fact, I'm afraid to bring it all with me, because I don't want my ship to sink." All the men chuckled as Ponce finished, "So rest up men, we'll leave on March the third."

Jonah immediately went back to his cave knowing that he would be on that ship. So, the next day he stockpiled plenty of food for his long journey into the unexpected. The invaders had ruined his life on the island, and his life was nearly over. So, the only hope he had was to find the youth fountain.

Before the moon disappeared Jonah took one of the dinghies and paddled out to the ship. It took all his strength to climb aboard, and the only place to hide was at the bottom of the ship. It was like a moving dungeon, it was dark and creepy, and far worse than he had ever expected. Jonah wasn't afraid of dying, but he was afraid that he might never leave that horrible place.

The next morning everything was calm until Ponce screamed, "Where's my dinghy? Who didn't tie off my dinghy?" All the men backed off because they knew that Ponce was a violent man.

The decades had now turned to a century, and it was Jonah's one-hundredth birthday, and he was living the worst days of his life. He was forced to give most of his food to the rats, or else.

It was torture at its worst having to watch the men above him through the cracks in the floor while they ate like kings. So Jonah decided that he would leave that morbid place just before dawn when the crew was in their deepest sleep. He was ready to make peace with his Maker, one way or the other.

In the low candle light Jonah moved quietly, but he didn't let his eyes adjust properly and bumped into something on the floor. That something was someone by the name of Dipsy, and he was passed out on the floor. Dipsy wasn't sure if he was dreaming when he focused on Jonah. Jonah tried to retreat back to the bottom of the ship, but he just wasn't quick enough. Then Dipsy latched a hold of old Jonah's neck without mercy.

Dipsy slurred, "Well, well, well! Look what I caught me, an old midget Indian."

The entire crew awoke when Dipsy dragged Jonah down to Ponce's quarters. Dipsy kept yelling, "Stowaway on board!" Dipsy pounded on Ponce's door and said, "Ponce get up! I caught an old midget Indian stowed away on board!"

Suddenly it started raining heavily, and the ocean got very rough, with peaking hurricane winds out of season.

Then Ponce responded to the pounding on his door, "Dipsy, if you're waking me for no reason, you'll walk the plank!" Ponce placed his Old Testament on the nightstand then he opened the door and saw Jonah for the first time.

Ponce asked Jonah in a very mean voice, "Who are you?"

Jonah answered proudly, "My name is Jonah!"

A curious look came over Ponce's face then he asked Jonah, "Well, what are you doing on my ship?"

Jonah replied, "I came aboard to go to the youth fountain!"

Ponce yelled in Jonah's face, "It's not the youth fountain; it's the fountain of youth!"

At that moment Ponce realized that his ship was in danger from the sudden storm. He told Jonah, "You're a jinx to this expedition. All hands on deck, we're going to watch Jonah Jynx walk the plank!"

Then Ponce carelessly ripped Jonah's golden shark's tooth from his neck and sliced his finger wide open. Then a smile came over Jonah's face, which angered Ponce even more. Ponce screamed at Dipsy, "Get him out of here! I'll be up in a minute!"

Then Dipsy muckled a hold of old Jonah again without mercy and dragged him up on deck.

Ponce must have thought that he was having a nightmare, because he had just fallen asleep to the Biblical story of Jonah. It couldn't be real that there was another Jonah on board his ship. But it had to be real, because his finger was really bleeding. So he wrapped his finger in a panic, then he lit the wick to his matchlock and headed up to do away with Jonah.

Meanwhile up on deck, Jonah started to go into a trance in preparation for his death. He recalled the special people and events in his life. Of course, his first thought was of his loving mother, Winona. Jonah truly loved her more than anybody because she always believed in his existence. He remembered when she called him, "her little chieftain."

He also recalled when Solomoon gave him his best spear and said with surety, "Good-bye little brother, I will see you again someday." Jonah's entranced mind told Solomoon, "I will see you in heaven big brother, for my life is near its end."

Little did Jonah know that Solomoon was still alive and fast asleep inside his wigwam. He was sleeping soundly until Jonah's telepathic thought triggered him to go into an unforgettable dream. In his dream he was able to see what was happening through the eyes of Jonah. That very rare telepathic power was just one more part of Jonah's incredible mystique.

Then Ponce arrived up on deck with the wick of his matchlock still burning. He screamed out orders to the crew, "Lower the sails! Bow into the wind!" Ponce got his ship straightened out then he turned to Jonah. Jonah had just completed his thought about seeing his big brother in Heaven. Then Ponce slapped his face and awoke him from his trance.

Jonah yelled at Ponce without fear, "If you make me walk the plank you will never find the youth fountain!"

Ponce screamed at Jonah again, "I told you it's the fountain of youth; not the youth fountain!"

Ponce ordered Dipsy to put Jonah up on the plank. Then he lifted his matchlock and pointed it at Jonah. The wick was almost down to its end. Then Ponce yelled, "Jonah Jynx you either walk the plank, or you're a goner!"

At that precise moment a strong gust of wind came up and blew Jonah off the plank and into the ocean. The matchlock fired and it just missed Jonah, as a drop of Ponce's blood fell from the trigger.

Jonah managed to surface and he swam for his life in the violent ocean, but with his great age and hunger his chances of survival were minimal.

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