The sun baked hot, it was midday, and the temperature soared over 100 degrees. Even the birds stayed in the trees to keep out of the sun. The black water of the Everglades was still, deathly still. Suddenly the water starts to move slowly at first then more turbulent as something big starts to surface… First to appear are two eyes. Eyes twice the size of a large walnut. Almost 15 inches apart. Eyes that shine red at night in the glare of a bright light. Two geysers of water are shot forth as the two nostrils clear the surface of the water. The distance from the nostrils to the eyes is over two feet. Several scars from past battles are clearly visible. Next the broad back surfaces, over three feet wide and eight feet long. The water churns to froth as the powerful eight-foot tail swings back and forth propelling the great reptilian body forward.

Approaching the shore the giant raises itself on four stubby legs and climbs out of the dark waters. The beast measures over 18 feet in length, weighing over 2,000 lbs. For over 20 years this monster has been the ultimate ruler in the Everglades. Nothing had been able to dethrone it from its reign. Raccoons have tried to eat its eggs, cattle have tried to trample it even the mighty panthers have tried to make their mark on the creature. Man himself tried to remove the threat from the waters. All of them met their ultimate demise.

Miles away the thunder pealed as a summer storm starts to take form. Two young men stand on the edge of a clearing looking toward the towering thunderheads. Hoping, praying that the wind currents would drive them in their direction. They looked back at the field they had been working in all day. Dry sad looking plants thirsting for water was all they could see. There was very little to harvest this season because of the heat. Heat so intense that moisture was dried up before it even reached the ground. All day they had been tending to the withering plants. Barely one basket did they gather between the two of them.

Now burnt from the sun and throats parched from the lack of a cool drink, both boys were hopeful that the thunderheads in the distance would save their garden. The clouds drew closer and closer, the air started to cool, birds flew into the air to gather some relief as small as it was. The boys watched the birds for the moment, not noticing one cloud in particular. One which was darker and more menacing than the others. Suddenly the birds darted back into the trees and hid.. The air was suddenly filled with electricity as a giant lightning bolt shot from the cloud, hitting the old giant oak at the other end of the field.

Although the lightning struck almost 100 yards away, it was so powerful that both boys were knocked unconscious from the charge. When they finally came to they realized just how terrible the lightening actually was. The bolt struck the base of the tree, severing it from the trunk like a machete cutting through saw grass. In the process, the dried out wood burst into flame. The tree, without any support, toppled over. Right across the meager garden, by this time almost all the plants were burnt beyond saving.

The wind shifted and the cloud sped away as quickly as it had arrived. Nary a drop of rain fell, no not one. Both boys stared at the destruction, awed by the sight before them. Anger and hurt welled up inside them. They were hurt at a God that would allow this to happen, angry because they had labored all day, no all season to try and save the meager crop. Even the basket they had already collected lay in a burnt mass.

"What do we tell mother?" asked John Red Hawk. "Tell her that God is against us, " said his brother William Red Hawk. "Tell her that now we must die, tell her that now we can be with our father finally." William now growing more angry with each passing moment. He started to kick at the smoldering remains of their efforts. John grabbed his shoulders, "NO!" he exclaimed, "father met the monster of the black water and was taken home. We must avenge his death. This is a sign from God. We were once great hunters and now we’re dirt farmers. Let us leave our fields and find the beast that ate our father. The price it is worth can support the whole village for years to come." "Leave me alone" said William. "We’re mere boys, we cannot hope to capture such a great evil creature." "I’m sure that we’d both be killed instantly" "But" said John, "if God allowed the creature to destroy us then we surely cross over the river to be with father, think about it."

Thoughts raced through each boy’s minds. Visions long burnt into their memories flashed back again. Their father standing at the bow of the lead dugout, in charge of the hunt with the rest of the men of the village. Boys who were twelve summers or more were allowed to follow the hunters but they had to stay a certain distance away. The two boys followed and watched with fascination. There father was the best of all the men, time after time he caught and killed the prey himself. Every movement he made was recorded in the minds of his two sons.

Chief Red Hawk raised his right hand for the procession to stop. All paddlers immediately stopped and the small boats glided silently and slowly across the water. Suddenly, from the right side of the chief’s canoe came the creature. The largest most terrifying monster any of the Seminoles had ever seen. He charged the lead canoe like a whale at a clipper ship. It slammed into the side just behind the chief, tossing him into the black water and his ultimate demise. The gator took the chief in his massive jaws and raised straight out of the water like a green torpedo. As the boys watched in terror, their father let out a loud war cry and stabbed at the monster with his knife. The water frothed with foam and turned pink with the blood from the chief’s body. The boys thought the blood was from the gator. At that time they had no way of knowing that the large teeth had already punctured the chief’s heart and he was bleeding profusely.

The beast rolled over and over in the death roll. The chief’s spirit had already gone to meet his God. But the way the gator tossed him about looked like he was waving to his followers and the boys to come and help. The boys however were frozen in awe as were the other hunters. Not one soul moved as the tragedy unfolded before them.

Finally the battle was over. The mighty beast simply swam away half sumerged. His defeated prey already crushed and swallowed inside his great bulk. Terrified, their leader gone, the hunters now raced from the scene. Moving swiftly past the boys, still silent and completely awed by what had just happened, their screams of fear rang across the vast everglades.

The harsh reality of what just occurred finally came to the boys. Every man who hunted these mighty creatures knew the danger. Still this was their chief and more important their father. Paddling their craft toward the scene, they called his name over and over, not wanting to believe what they knew in their hearts was really true. Over and over they called, not wanting to accept that he was gone. Finally as dusk approached they called is name in their native tongue, "HEE-MA-DAH ", in unison one last time. The answer they received sent a chill down their spine. It was the great bellow of a conqueror gator, which could be heard for miles. So loud and fierce even the birds took flight to get away from it.

Not a word was spoken all the way home. It was well past midnight when the boat finally nudged ashore at the village. Their mother stood with a single candle, waiting. The men had already returned and the terrible story was relived over and over again. Her concern now was for her sons. They repeated what she already knew, but they added accolades which made heart swell with pride. But, still she knew he was gone.

Once more now she stood on the shore holding a single candle. This time it was early morning. This time it was to say goodbye, possibly for the last time to her two sons as they prepared to depart. They had it in their hearts and spirits to avenge the death of their father and to save the village in his name. John had the small boat tied to the stern of their father’s canoe. Their mother had insisted that they use it. Finally Bill showed up carrying a small bundle under his arm. Questioning him as to its contents, he just muttered something under his breath and placed it next to his seat in the big canoe. Both boys kissed their mother. Holding them close, she prayed a native prayer for safety and good fortune and bid them God speed.

Hours have past, the brothers were wet with sweat from having to paddle the large canoe, plus pull the weight or their own also. Finally they approached the site where their father was killed. They began to chant ancient tribal songs of bravery, meant to mock their enemy. No response came from the dark depths of the black water below. As the sun slowly crept across the sky, both boys prayed for a sign from God that they would be in his favor. The clouds were scattered at different levels like wisps of smoke. As the sun descended it was almost like turning a light off and on several times every minute. Both brothers saw it at the same time. A bright flash every time the sun cleared a cloud.

Moving close to shore, neither youth could believe what they saw. There, stuck in the black mud was their father’s knife. The one he had used to slash at the giant gator. Bill reached out and grabbed the blade and tried to pull it into the boat. It resisted slightly and then gave way. Stuck into the haft of the knife were two enormous teeth. Unknown to the boys, the very teeth that had pierced their father’s heart Truly this was the sign they were seeking.

Making camp the boys prayed and sang throughout the night. They prayed for strength and sang the praises that they’d been taught throughout their youth. Finally dawn approached. Bill took the two teeth, still blood stained and made a hole on either side of them with the tip of his father’s knife. Taking two pieces of thin cord he made a necklace for himself and his brother. Then he took his father’s knife and with all his strength he could muster he drove it into the bow of the large canoe. Turning to his brother he said, "God gave us a sign that our quest will be fruitful. Our father’s steel will guide us to our prey. His strength we now wear around our necks. With this we shall surely be victorious.

The tall cypress trees created a canopy of green over the dark water as the two young hunters entered into what they believed was the hiding place of the great monster. Their beliefs were well founded as they saw the bones and other debris that the gator had brought back to it’s lair. Small trees had been bitten almost in two, smaller ones pushed out of the way by an immense bulk pushing against them. All the signs were there but the monster was not. In fact they had passed over the top of the killer without either of the two parties even knowing the other was there. The boys being almost totally silent and the gator sleeping 10 feet below the surface avoided any confrontation.

Any large gator near this size could stay under for over two hours. A gator can slow his heartbeat down and just lay there without using any energy at all. The boys on the other hand were really tired. They had paddled all this way with two boats and all their equipment that they thought they would need. Now, exhausted they hid their boats out of the travel lane of the gator and found a place in the trees high above the reach of any predators that might be below. Death and destruction were the master here, so much that not even the fierce glade mosquitoes ventured about. Silence was so thick, that no birds fluttered about, no small animals scurried, nothing moved. Except…..

Around midnight they heard it. Actually they heard the sound of the water being pushed aside as something huge was coming into the opening. The moon cast an eerie glow over the scene below. Trapped in the massive jaws of the gator was a full-grown steer. From the markings on the exposed brand the boys identified it as belonging to their neighbor to the south of them. What was really amazing is that the farm was over ten miles from this spot. With no visible effort, the huge gator merely tossed the carcass up on the shore, crawled onto the bank and went to sleep.

Sleep finally overcame each of the young hunters. But not before they made sure that they tied themselves into the trees. They certainly did not want to toss and turn in their sleep this night. Dreams troubled each boy’s sleep, actually they were nightmares. They relived the day when their father was taken from them by the instrument of death below them. So terrible were the memories that Bill cried out during the night. So loud were his cries that he woke his brother in the next tree. Worse yet he woke the gator laying below them. But luck, or something was there with the two young warriors. They were above and behind the monster, consequently as the beast looked around he did not see the two young men who had tied themselves into the trees above. No to mention both of them were frozen with fear.

Now that the gator was awake, he was hungry, so he simply turned his head, opened his massive jaws and simply bit away a complete hindquarter of the steer. Bill watched in fascination and now he had a plan. Slowly untying his cords he climbed over to his brother and whispered his idea. Now content, the gator resumed his slumber. Not so for Bill and John, they planned throughout the remainder of the night. As dawn broke over the horizon, they heard rather than saw the beast slide down the bank and exit the lagoon, heading out to cause another day of destruction and death. Now the boys knew that they had a lot of work to do. From their canoe they retrieved rope, pulleys and their personal tomahawks. Bill also retrieved the bundle again and carried it with him. He unwrapped it and John saw a large chunk of meat, bloody but very prime. Asking Bill why he had brought such a valuable food stuff with them, he watched with amazement as Bill waded chest deep through the muck toward the beach where the remains of the steer lay. There he stuffed the meat into the bloody mass. Just as quickly he returned to where his brother was waiting. For the next three hours the boys worked harder than they ever had before..

They were preparing for battle, one so severe that either one or both could and most likely would perish. They watched the sun with anxious eyes for they knew with certainty that the beast would return when the sun reached its zenith. The heat was getting intense now and both boys were near the point of exhaustion. But still, they pushed on, driven by the picture in their minds of their father waving for them to help.

Bill heard it first, dismissing it as just another noise in the swamp, but then John heard it too. The boys moved with such speed that no one would have believed they’d done anything that day. In fact, they moved with that speed to save their own lives. All was ready, the battle lines were drawn. The weapons were primed and prepared for engagement. The enemy now approached. As if sensing something was amiss it stopped just inside the lagoon. Turning its giant head from side to side. As the gator looked their way both boys ducked behind a cypress tree. Satisfied that all was as it should be, the beast exhaled a giant gust of air and moved toward the shore. The smell of death was in the air that the beast had exhaled. It sent shivers of fear down the spines of both young men.

All day the half-eaten steer had lain in the sun, festering. The flies now buzzed around it eating the rotting meat. But at the approach of the beast even the flies left the area. Bill smiled to himself as he watched the beast approach what was soon to be the beast’s last meal of freedom. His mind went back a week ago when the boys had begun planning this adventure. John was getting together all the tools that they would need. Bill on the other hand, went to see the tribal medicine man. Now the medicine man was the oldest member of the tribe. He was as the tribe believed, because of his age to be the smartest of all the male members. Actually he was probably the most cunning because he had stayed alive by tricks and deeds that no one else knew about. No one else that is, except Bill.

Bill had befriended the old man several years ago and became his assistant. Now he came with a request from his friend and mentor. He was prepared to use blackmail if the medicine man would not help him. He would tell the tribe of all the things this man had done to attain his position. Unknown to Bill the old man was expecting his arrival. A fake he may be, but he still was the oldest one there, He had to learn something. As Bill started to speak, the old man raised his hand. He told him to go home to the family livestock pen and bring him the fattest pig he could find. Puzzled yet curious as to his mission, Bill did as he was instructed. He selected the fattest pig in the pen and carried it squealing and kicking to the clearing where the old man stood waiting. A fire burned and a smoking pot was hung from the cooking irons. The old man was putting a wide variety of plants into the pot, and the smell was as sweet as sugar cane at harvest time.

Handing the pig to the old man, Bill watched while he methodically butchered the swine, carving a large ham almost half the size of the animal itself. The remains he threw to his two dogs who always were at his side. "Now", explained the old man. "As I place this meat into the pot you are to quote the words that I taught you as a youth". Bill did just as he was told. It only took a second for the old man to dip the meat completely in the mixture then he pulled it out again. "When the beast swallows this meat he will fall into a sleep that will enable you and your brother enough time to dispose of it. But you must act quickly for I have never tried this on a evil creature so large before." "Are you sure it will work" asked Bill. The old man smiled and pinched a small piece of meat, smaller that his fingernail and tossed it to one of the dogs. Within seconds the creature was sleeping peacefully at his master’s feet.

"Psst, Psst" John was trying to get his brother’s attention. He was pointing to the beast who was at that moment devouring the remains of the steer. "We must be careful that he does not go into the water now, for if he does he will drown, and then all will be lost." Bill asked his brother if he remembered what he had to do next. John gulped and nodded, he knew all too well what had to be done and he was not looking forward to it.

"Hey gator, over here yipyip!" John yelled as he ran out from the cover of the cypress he was hiding behind. The beast jerked up his head and turned in that direction. You could almost see the hatred in his eyes. Strength could be seen welling up inside him getting ready to spring forward in combat. It was a well known that gators were very fast on their feet for a short distance. They have been known to run down a horse within a 100- yard distance. The boys were counting on this animal’s size to be a hindrance also they had rolled some tree trunks in the way to slow him down some. In fact he landed on top of the first three with his initial lunge at John.

Now John was supposed to lead the beast away from the deep water of the lagoon, meanwhile Bill was climbing through the trees to position himself directly over the top of the gator’s back. As the animal was occupied with his younger brother, Bill lowered a large lasso around the tail of the beast. The rope led back to a large tree fork and then to another tree that had been chopped in two and ready to fall. As the gator moved forward the noose tightened and then the slack was taken up, causing the tree to fall, hopefully dragging ole mister gator along with it. The element of surprise was what the boys were counting on. However they had not quite compensated correctly for the immense weight of the animal. Plus the medicine man’s potion was starting to take effect on the beast. As the full effect took hold the beast simply let go and fell into a deep sleep. This was all well and good except now he became a dead weight. The line was as taut as a bowstring, and the second tree stood suspended in midair.

Puzzled as to their actions now the boys took this opportunity to examine their captive more closely. The animal’s eyes had glassed over but still were open and the size was so large that neither could believe what they saw. Prying open the massive jaws with a stick the measured the largest tooth they found at over nine inches. The ones they still wore around their necks were over six inches.

"KO-HE-THE", both the boys heard the familiar voice of their mother at the same time. They could not believe their eyes when she and all the men of the village cruised into the lagoon. "KO-HE-THE, my sons", she said as she embraced them both. The rest of the tribe examined the huge beast. They all crowded around the boys and clapped them on the shoulders, for they were proud. Now the work began.

Two large dead cypress trees were felled and the gator tied between the two of them and with everyone's help he was dragged into the water. Unable to sink and drown because of the tress he just floated there like a cork from a bottle. His tail was pinned with smaller trees and tied off onto the larger logs. After making sure all the knots and lashings were secure they tied the canoes all around the float to give extra support and control. In the lead of course were the boys in their father’s canoe. After all they had been through they didn’t seem the least bit tired.

All the way back to the village the they sang, all of them. Not the traditional tribal songs but songs praising the actions of two young boys who avenged their father’s death and saved the village in the process. Many businessmen came to the village and made offers for the purchase of the giant beast. All were refused until one day a deal was struck. They didn’t sell the giant, they leased it to a big attraction park on the west coast of Florida. The deal was that as long as he was there, all the bills for the village would be taken care of. And you know something, he’s still there today because I saw him…