A
DinoPals Tale
By
Robert Alan Silverstein
(not yet illustrated)
1.
Life in The Wild Jungle
Once upon a time there were some PeaceOSaurs who lived
deep in the heart of The Wild Jungle.
The PeaceOSaurs worked together and played together.
They shared their good times and their bad. Everyone
tried really hard to look out for each other, and do
what they could to make life better for their families
and friends.
The PeaceOSaurs were young and old, and big and small,
so it was only natural that sometimes they had different
ideas about the way some things should be. Sure, there
were disagreements and arguments, now and then. But
peace was a priority for the PeaceOSaurs -- it was important
to them to try to get along. So they were usually able
to work out their problems without anyone getting hurt,
although sometimes they had to call on their friends
to help them solve their disputes.
The PeaceOSaurs really loved their lives together. It
seemed pretty obvious to them that this was the way
life should be. But it wasn't always easy for them living
in the heart of The Wild Jungle. You see, not everyone
shared their way of seeing things.
In fact, almost everyone else in The Wild Jungle seemed
to subscribe to a different point of view. They seemed
to think that "survival of the fittest" was the rule
of the land. The other inhabitants of The Wild Jungle
called themselves MeOSaurs, because they believed it
was fine to take what you want when you want it.
Of course, it wouldn't be fair to say that the MeOSaurs
were completely bad apples. They cared about their families
and friends. And they looked after them, when it didn't
cut down too much on their me-time. But generally the
MeOSaurs really put the wild in The Wild Jungle.
The PeaceOSaurs tried really hard to get along with
their neighbors, and usually things worked out pretty
well. For a while, anyway.
You see, because the PeaceOSaurs worked so well together,
they were able to accomplish a lot. They had the best
kept homes in The Wild Jungle. They had the best foods;
the best clothes; the best games. And they had plenty
to go around.
The MeOSaurs, on the other hand, never seemed to be
able to get it together that well. They spent a lot
of time arguing and fighting. They were actually quite
creative, too, but they spent a lot more time figuring
out how to destroy things than create them.
Fortunately for the MeOSaurs, the PeaceOSaurs were all
too happy to trade or share their abundance with their
neighbors.
And usually the PeaceOSaurs' kindness would win over
the hearts of the MeOSaurs so that the MeOSuars had
a feeling of respect for them, and generally left the
PeaceOSaurs alone, except when they needed things.
Actually, there were long stretches when the MeOSaurs
even got along well with the PeaceOSaurs. Many MeOSaurs
and PeaceOSaurs were friends. And many MeOSaurs were
receptive when their PeaceOSaur friends tried to teach
them ways to get along with each other better. For a
while it would almost seem like the PeaceOSaur way of
listening and sharing and trying to get along was contagious
and just might become the MeOSaur way of life, too.
But inevitably, the peaceful coexistence between the
PeaceOSaurs and the MeOSaurs would suddenly shatter.
Usually it was because the MeOSaurs were jealous and
tired of always getting PeaceOSaur handouts.
"It
isn't fair that the PeaceOSaurs have everything!" the
MeOSaurs would argue. "This is our land. They're not
even MeOSaurs like us, why should they have it all!"
Or, "It's all the PeaceOSaurs' fault that we MeOSaurs
can't get along -- They bring out the worst in us! We'd
be better off without them in our neck of The Wild Jungle!"
So, eventually the MeOSaurs decided it was time to take
all of what the PeaceOSaurs had for themselves, because
in their minds, it was all rightfully theirs anyway.
Other times there didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason
why things suddenly turned ugly. But when it did, the
PeaceOSaurs had to move on to another part of the Wild
Jungle and start anew.
Now, the thing is, the PeaceOSaurs could have fought
for what was there's. Some of the PeaceOSaurs were small
and would never be able to defend themselves under the
rules of The Wild Jungle, it's true. But some of the
PeaceOSaurs were bigger than anyone else in the whole
Wild Jungle, and they could have easily defended themselves
and all of their PeaceOSaur community as well.
But the PeaceOSaurs refused to fight. "If we fight now,
we'd have to fight again later, and then again and again.
We'd become just like the MeOSaurs," they'd say. "We'd
have to give up our way of seeing things. Greed would
overcome us and we wouldn't get along with each other
anymore. We'd forget that a peaceful way of life brings
us the best life."
The PeaceOSaurs tried their best to talk it out with
the MeOSaurs, using all of their peacemaking skills.
But when reason failed and their lives were in danger,
it was time to move on.
This is the way life was for the PeaceOSaurs, over and
over again, until one day they'd reached the end of
The Wild Jungle, and there was no place left for them
to move on to.
2. In Search of a Better Place
What could they do now? Never ones to despair, the PeaceOSaurs
calmly discussed the situation. It wasn't long before
they agreed to build a ship and set sail to find a better
place. A place where they could be free to live in peace.
Working together, they drew up plans for a glorious
sailing vessel.
A few of the MeOsaurs had come by to the edge of the
beach where the PeaceOSaurs had gathered. Some of the
MeOSaurs taunted the PeaceOSaurs and laughed mockingly
at the blueprints.
"You'll
never be able to build a ship like that!" they scoffed.
Some of the MeOSaurs, especially the younger ones who
had PeaceOSaur friends, wanted to help build the ship.
But their parents wouldn't let them. Sadly they hugged
their PeaceOSaur friends and returned to their parents'
sides as they were commanded. The young MeOsaurs watched
sadly as their parents and neighbors shouted nastily
at the PeaceOSaurs.
The PeaceOSaurs sighed and turned to their task. They
hummed happy tunes to focus themselves over the chorus
of mocking insults that filled the air from the MeOSaurs.
None of the PeaceOSaurs had ever worked on such a large
and complicated project before. But they knew each others'
talents and skills well, so it was easy to divide up
the tasks for this new endeavor. They had always worked
so well together before, and so work on building the
Great Ship went smoothly and quickly as well.
It wasn't long at all, much to the MeOSaurs' surprise,
before the Great Ship was finished. No one, not the
MeOSaurs or the PeaceOSaurs, had ever seen anything
so grand and beautiful.
"Eh,
but it's too BIG to sail!" the MeOSaurs mocked.
"And
besides, good riddance to you all anyway!" Proud of
their accomplishment, the PeaceOSaurs admired the vessel.
They turned to the MeOSaurs with a little sadness but
a little thankfulness, too.
"Thank
you for allowing us to share our time with you, while
we were here," they said. "We wish you all the best
in your lives."
Most of the MeOSaurs grumbled and swallowed and coughed
uneasily. They didn't really know what to say and instead
turned gruffly around and headed back into the jungle.
Some of the younger MeOSaurs though, brought food and
supplies from the bounty that had been taken from the
PeaceOSaurs. The older MeOSaurs grumbled and shook their
heads, but they didn't stop their children this time.
The younger MeOSaurs hugged their friends one last time,
and there were tears in everyone's eyes.
They stood with the PeaceOSaurs for a moment in silence.
No one said anything, but it felt so comfortable to
be quiet together. The PeaceOSaurs looked lovingly at
the thick green trees of the jungle, and the blue, blue
sky and their MeOSaur friends. They were thankful for
all of the things they had shared together in The Wild
Jungle.
The PeaceOSaurs turned to look out over the ocean and
felt thankful, too, that they were about to go on a
wonderful journey. They were excited as they envisioned
their lives together in the better place they knew they
would find.
They closed their eyes a moment and when they opened
them again, they looked around at each other and smiled,
knowing each of them understood what each of the rest
was feeling, without even speaking a word.
They said their goodbyes and boarded the ship. The PeaceOSaurs
waved farewell as they looked back a moment at their
friends and the land that they had known. As the ship
set sail, they turned to face the distant horizons,
unafraid of the unknown vast ocean of blue that separated
them from the new home they would someday find.
3. Beyond the Unknown
The journey across the sea was long and harsh. Fierce
storms tossed the great ship about as if it were a toy,
testing the PeaceOSaurs' courage and the strength of
their sailing vessel.
The calm days often dragged on so long that one might
thing they would threaten to drive the PeaceOSaurs mad
with boredom. But although it is true that the PeaceOSaurs
faced every task by working diligently with pride in
their work, they did not need to keep busy with work
in order to have peace of mind.
While some folks submerge themselves in 'keeping busy'
to keep themselves from having to face their own thoughts,
the PeaceOSaurs' passion for work came from their desire
to make life better for themselves and their families.
The peace of mind their work brought them resulted from
knowing they did their jobs well, and that the work
they were doing made a difference in making life better.
So this is why the PeaceOSuars were just as comfortable
with what others call empty moments. They could just
as easily relax, play and entertain each other with
the same fulfilling passion for living they found in
their work.
So it was that many, many months passed quickly by.
One day when a dove landed on their vessel, with a branch
in its beak, the PeaceOSaurs were filled with excitement,
for they knew that land could not be very far away.
Indeed, the very next day, far off in the distance,
they could clearly see the faint outline of a tree-filled
landscape. It took three more days to reach land, and
each day brought more excitement and anticipation than
the last. Finally they reached the island. They anchored
the Great Ship and swam ashore together to see what
they would find in this new land.
4. Welcome, Friends
No sooner had the PeaceOSaurs gathered on the sandy
shore, when they saw a whole crowd approaching from
down the beach.
They stood and waited expectantly.
"Hi!"
the natives exclaimed when they were closer. "We're
the DinoPals. Welcome, friends."
The PeaceOSaurs told the DinoPals that they had traveled
a long distance across the sea in search of better place
where they could live in peace.
"Well,"
one of the DinoPals said. "We live in peace here where
we share this wonderful land. You are welcome to share
it with us," she offered. All of the other DinoPals
agreed.
The PeaceOSaurs were filled with joy. They could tell
from the DinoPals' gentle nature that they would be
very happy here.
And indeed, they would all live happily ever after together.
But first they had a great feast and celebration. The
PeaceOSaurs brought all of their provisions from the
Great Ship to share for the festivities. And the DinoPals
brought them to their village near the island's shore
where there were plenty of delicious foods to share
with the PeaceOSaurs, too.
They ate, and danced and sang, teaching each other the
tunes and steps. It was all new and exciting and they
had so much fun. The celebration went well into the
night, and when they awoke the next day, they all had
so much to be grateful for.
The DinoPals and PeaceOSaurs have lived in peace for
many, many years since then. Every day to them is a
day for giving thanks, for the life and love that they
share together.
But every year, on Thanksgiving Day, they have a special
holiday to celebrate the anniversary of the very first
day they met. They sing and dance and feast and remember
all of the things they've shared, and rejoice in the
thought of all of the wonderful things yet to do together.
