He was born on the day of the Airborne Dreamers. Everyone in the village agreed that this was a favorable omen through no one was sure just exactly what it meant. He was filled with visions from an early age and he had the power or the ability to make those dreams come true. He was very sensitive to the thoughts and needs and hopes of others and he had the ability to share his dreams with them.

Jontu was his name and, while he wasn’t a great talker, the results of his efforts were plain to see. As he grew he became the Wizard Jontu; though this was mostly just a nickname. Jontu worked to see what was invisible. He couldn’t accept what was obvious for all to see without studying it for that which was not seen.

He dreamed of flying and loved to sing and dance - as long as the singing and dancing were out of earshot of the villagers. Jontu was too shy to do these things in public. As he grew to be an adult he maintained the face and nature of a child. His feelings were like a deep lake hidden beneath the earth. It took much work to reach this lake but the depth and and richness that were there would take your breath away.

Jontu lived on a hill a short walk from the village. He was generous to all who came to see him; telling them stories, giving them freshly baked bread, and listening to their troubles. Anyone who came by his house inevitably left with a lighter heart.

One day Jontu had walked far into the woods following the will-o-wisp till he came to a clearing amongst the trees. The day was so beautiful and the sun so warm that Jontu felt compelled to sing.

“At this moment, someone is flying, right now, they soar through the air,” he sang. Birds and squirrels paused in their daily routine to see who this was. Oh, they thought, it’s just Jontu, and they went back to their tasks.

At that moment Jontu was startled as he heard a voice singing along with his. The voice was soft and gentle and floated to his ears on the breeze. “Just now, someone is seeking, searching for someone who cares,” sang the voice. Jontu looked around with astonishment, not frightened but curious.

“Who are you? And what are you?,” Jontu asked. He looked about but could see no one. He looked up at the trees but the birds could not help him.

The voice laughed. “I am Norii, Jontu, and we cannot see each other. You cannot see me because I am a sprite; a being of no material substance, and I cannot see you because a sprite cannot see at all.

Jontu was beginning to be confused. “If you cannot see me than how do you know me? If I cannot see you then how am I hearing you?”

The voice that was Norii came now from behind him. “Oh, Jontu, you ask many questions. Are you always this curious? A sprite is a being of light and vibration and energy. I can use this energy to make waves in the air. Waves in the air are what you call sound. So you can hear me. If I make different vibrations you would perceive me differently. Now watch.”

Jontu looked around. Now in front of him he begin to see sparkles of color in the air. It was as if fireflies had developed the ability to flash in blue, red, yellow, pink and orange. Jontu was enchanted.

The lovely sparkles faded and Norii spoke again. “That is not easy, Jontu, and it tires me.”

Jontu was chagrined. “I am sorry, Norii, I didn’t know. What can I do to make it up to you?” Her laughter filled the air again. “Nothing, Jontu, just be my friend is all I ask. There are not many of us and even a solid like yourself is welcome company.”

Jontu was uncertain whether he had been insulted or not. “A solid? You call me a solid? What does that mean? I’m a person!”

“I’m a person, too,” Norii responded. “Being solid just means that you have substance; that you are made of flesh and blood. But being solid does not make someone a person. A person is someone who lives and dreams and experiences life and I can assure you that I, too, am a person.”

The sound of Norii’s voice grew fainter. “I must go and rest now, my solid friend, but I will come to visit you again.”

“When?” Jontu almost shouted, “when?” He was not sure how but he knew that this sprite had already become very important to him and he did not want to lose her.

“I will come to visit you when you would not be expecting visitors.” And with that, the voice faded away.

His mind was as troubled as the surface of the sea during a storm. Jontu could think of nothing else. He had trouble sleeping and his home made bread developed a scorched place on the bottom crust. This was unheard of and the people in his village wondered at it. Some of the older women nodded their heads sagely as only wise old women can.

“Jontu has met someone,” said one. “A girl perhaps?” said another. “But who could it be?” said a third. No one was unkind for they all cared for Jontu.

The next evening was the evening of the full moon. Jontu was very tired from his lack of sleep and he nodded off in the big chair by the fire just as the full moon rose above the tree tops. As he slumbered he began to dream. It was his favorite dream - the one where he could fly through the air like a bird.
As he began to fly, his first thought was - “there’s my house” - and then he was amongst the clouds. Jontu had just executed a perfect swan dive off a cloud when he heard his name being called.

“Jontuuuuu,” called the voice, “wait for me.” He was astonished and forgot to fly and fell straight down for several moments before he caught himself.
Out of the moonlight flew a . . a

It was a beautiful girl! Hey now, this was a really good dream! The girl in his dream flew up to and along side him laughing with delight. “So, Jontu, you decided to join me in my world.”

Jontu was astonished! The voice belonged to Nirii! For the second time in his dream, Jontu forgot hi was flying and made a really lovely dip and recovery as he overcame his astonishment.

“But, but, but . . .”, he repeated foolishly, “How, how how . . .”

Nirii laughed and swooped in a big circle, “I caught you speechless, Jontu! I told you I would come to you when you least expected me. Well here I am! Catch me if you can!”

Norii and Jontu flew through the night sky; chasing and laughing. Rounding a cloud they encountered a huge V-shaped flock of geese honking their way through the sky. Jontu joined the V at one end and Norii joined at the other and they flew along with the geese honking and laughing.

As they left the geese Norii pointed down to a flock of sheep sleeping in the moonlight.

“No,” said Jontu, “you wouldn’t!”

“Come on, silly,” replied Norii, “the sheep need the exercise!”

Adding action to words, Norii dived like a hawk toward the sheep with Jontu sputtering behind. At the last minute they pulled up over the startled sheep who scattered in several directions bleating as only disturbed sheep can.
Norii and Jontu laughed and laughed as they floated back among the clouds. They came to rest on a moonlit cloud which drifted over the sleeping countryside. There was no sound but that of the wind.

Norii looked at Jontu with merry eyes, “well, did I fulfill my promise? To come to you when you least expected me?”

“Most definitely! My dreams were never this much fun! Are you sure you’re real?”, asked Jontu and bit his lip immediately afterward.

Norii looked cross, “There you go again! I am as real as you are. Through your dreams you can see me, but if you keep wondering if I’m real, maybe I’ll stop coming to visit.”

It was at that moment that Jontu realized not only was Norii real but that she was coming to mean more to him by the moment.

“Please, I’m sorry - I don’t know why I keep asking that. Well, that’s not true either - I keep asking because you are like no one else in my life. Tell me more of your life”.

“My life is a life of flying freely throughout this world. I have lived inside the night moon; I have seen wonders too many to be told. I have floated at the crest of a windy sandune as a shining sunset sang a siren’s song.” And she sang in a soft, beautiful voice,

“Stay with me now just for a little while,
stay with me now until day is done.
Stay with me now just a little while longer,
for I will be gone until morning comes.

After a moments pause she continued, “I have ridden the cold winter wind across snow covered starlit prairies. I have shimmered like heat on a summer day as a small red haired child fed ducks in a pond. I have ridden the ocean’s great waves. And in all of this I have searched for someone to take away the lonliness by sharing all these wonders.”

Norii fell silent with her head down. Hesitantly, Jontu reached out and stroked her hair. It shown and sparkled with stardust. The next moment they were holding each other with arms that were as real as anything else in the world.
As they looked in each other’s eyes unspoken words were shared; the meaning was clear.

“Norii, I . . . “, began Jontu as the sky began to brighten with the coming morning. Before he could finish the words, the rising sun caught him full in the face and he found himself falling from the clouds, falling away from Norii who held out her arms to him.

Falling, falling, and landing with a thud . . . on the floor in front of his armchair before the smoldering embers of the fire. Jontu looked around as anyone would from dreaming. Dreaming? Had it only been a dream? His soul ached more than his head where he had hit the floor.

“I kept asking her if she was real. I chose to believe that she was. But was it all a dream? Or is there reality in our dreams?”

Jontu picked himself up and held his head in his hands for a few moments. Then with a sigh he began to move into his day. It was baking day so soon the house was filled with scent of fresh dough followed by the delicious smells of baking bread.

When some of the villagers stopped by his house, they found Jontu in melancholy state of mind and the bread he gave them! It was in the shape of clouds and geese and sheep and angels! They went away shaking their heads as they contemplated their odd-shaped bread.

After several days of walking around in a fog, Jontu decided that it was time for a road trip. Bidding his friends farewell, Jontu walked deep into the woods pausing from time to time to rest. Finally he came to rest at the top of a steep hill that looked over a broad green valley. Here he found rest for his body and his soul.

He thought and pondered over his dream . . . or his reality . . . or . . . . His mood ran from happy memories to gloomy wonderings and back. Finally he just sat and let his gaze take in the beauty of the valley before him. The sun warmed him and he began to feel sleepy when, just at the moment, a familiar shimmer appeared in the air around him.

“So here is where you’ve hidden,” said Noriis laughing voice. “I’ve been looking for you all day! What are you doing up here?”

With relief that bordered on trembling, Jontu spoke, “Wishing I could fly, of course. But sadly as a solid I’m stuck on this perch.”

Norii’s chuckle sent shimmers cascading through the air and her voice sent shimmers up and down Jontu’s spine, “So you don’t want to start the conversation with ‘are you real’”?

His feelings for her rose to the surface as he answered, “Norii, you are more real to me than anything I could have ever hoped for. And my feelings for you have grown in the short time I’ve known you. But here, above this valley, all I can do is longingly wish you were real in my world . . .”

And with this tears rolled down Jontu’s cheeks.

Her voice was soft and full of feeling and her presence caressed his cheek like a warm summer breeze, “I know, Jontu, I know. We are each real and we are each prisoner in our own world. My dear, what is to be done?”

“All that I know is that I will take any of you that life will allow, Norii, be it like this or in my dreams.” replied Jontu.

“I must leave you now,” Norii’s voice said sadly, “I must return to the sky and rest. Come to me Jontu, come to me in your dreams.” Her voice and shimmering self floated freely upward.

Jontu sat until the sun slanted over the western sky. His deep feelings felt that they must burst skyward and join his love but they did not know how. Finally, with a sigh too deep for words, Jontu arose and began the trek towards home. Never had he felt so hopeless and yet he could not give up hope.

While he was still several miles from his village, Jontu began to hear a noise in the distance that disturbed him. And even thought it was almost night, a flickering glow appeared in the trees above his path ahead.

As he hurried forward he realized that something was on fire. Not something - a house fire! He rushed up to the wooden house. He knew the family - a farmer, his wife, daughter and a new baby boy! Where were they? He called their names but there was no answer. He threw himself against the door - once, twice, a third time - and was rewarded with a splintering of wood as the door broke from it hinges.

Thick white smoke billowed from the open doorway. Taking a deep breath he plunged into the opening. Staying low he continued to call the names of the family. Suddenly he tripped over an obstacle - it was a leg. There he found the wife holding her baby covered with an old cloth. Carefully Jontu dragged them through the door and into the clear night air.

Taking only a moment to see that both were breathing, Jontu hurled himself again into the burning building. The smoke had given way to crackling flame and Jontu felt the heat of it on his skin. His clothing was smoldering as he found the father - the man was unconscious with burns on his face but he also stilled breathed. Jontu shouldered the man and carried him outside as well.

The wife and baby were now crying and coughing. “Tend to your husband,” shouted Jontu as he ran once more into the flames. Now he felt great pains in his arms and legs as the flames blocked his way. Still Jontu pushed on into the back room. Coughing great coughs, he felt his way over the floor until his burned hand encountered the little girl’s hand.

Jontu picked her up and sheltered her in his arms, refusing to allow the flame to touch her further. The flames howled their anger and lashed out at Jontu, striking his face, his back, his legs and filling the air he breathed with smoke and flame.

Stumbling, half crawling, Jontu emerged that last time from the burning house. The roaring flames lept high into the surrounding trees and before he lapsed into unsciousness, Jontu heard the shouts of the villagers as they came to offer help.
He awoke in his own bed but not in peace and comfort but in great wracking pain that roamed his body like a pack of wolves.

He tried to speak but only croaking sounds emerged followed my great pain. The old women of the village were at this side immediately, “shh, Jontu, shh - you must not try to speak. You are injured and must save your strength.”
His eyes spoke questions that the women answered, “yes, Jontu, the family you saved are all well and sound. They suffered burns and from smoke, but they will all recover. Your courage has made you our hero all over again.”

Jontu relapsed into unconsciousness. He drifted in and out of sleep. He knew that he would not recover. During his wakeful periods, the family he saved came to see him. The women how tended him knew he had not long to live - his burns were too severe. He regained enough strength to speak in soft whispers and he shared with his friends in the village how to share his earthly belongings.

One evening he awoke and the sun shown in though the open window. He had dreamed again of Norii. The old woman sitting with Jontu was startled from a doze by a shimmering shower of color that appeared in the room over Jontu’s bed. Her surprise became astonishment as a voice was heard in the room.

“Now we will be together always and forever, my Jontu, now we will become one, my love.” The voice became silent. Jontu smiled through burned lips and whispered, “Norii . . .”. Then his eyes closed and his breathing stilled. The shimmer that was Norii was joined by a new shimmer in the air. The two entwined and danced as they rose through the window into the darkening skys.
And now, as real as real can be, Jontu and Norii are one forever.