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Deep in Thunder Cave
stands a door to the
Basement of the Mountain!

Do you dare find the key?

 
      Jasper and Zebbie are orphans. Or are they? Determined to find out, they secretly leave their village and go alone into the forbidden forest to seek their lost parents.
         Almost immediately, they wish they hadn’t.
      Threatened by wild beasts, imprisoned in a monstrous castle, kidnaped, bombed, then trapped in the dark depths of Thunder Cave, they survive only to find themselves faced with a terrible choice: death by thousands of lightning-sharp spears, or by drowning.
         That’s when their troubles really begin.

   

        Full of hair-raising adventure and humor, with a touch of mystery and magic, Thunder Cave is a story not only of danger but also of discovery, as two hardy, and amusing, young heroes learn that help comes in unexpected ways, and that the key to the Basement of the Mountain lies deep within themselves.
   
© October 31, 2001 by D.G. Jones.
 
Discover the Adventure . . .
 
[ What is the Millennium EditionTM ? ]   [ Synopsis ]   [ Read excerpt and sample pages ]
 

THUNDER CAVE in the news:
 
Featured in the Utah Spirit magazine, July 1, 2005 issue: "Thundering Back to the Past", article by Jan Hopkins of the Davis County Clipper, Bountiful, UT.
 
April 19, 2005 issue of the Davis County Clipper: "‘Thunder Cave’ delivers fun tales".
 
December 16, 2001 issue of the Davis County Clipper: 'Thunder Cave' – retold.
 
"Thunder Cave" Retold by LDS Mother, Reaches Across the Nation, story posted on Mahonri: Finding Light in the Darkness at www.mahonri.org of December 4, 2001.
(The site has since changed hands.)

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After twenty years in the making,

KitkoohTM Publications presents

the "modern" version of a classic, multi cultural fairy-tale . . .

 
 
art by Jack Sears

Jeremiah Stokes' THUNDER CAVE
 
The Adventures of JASPER and ZEBBIE
and the good GIANT WIGWAH

 
retold by D.G. Jones
 
from the 1932 and 1945 editions
Written by Jeremiah Stokes, Illustrated by Jack Sears

 
          cover                                   first page           
               COVER - 2001 edition               1st PAGE - 2001 edition                    
cover & first page, THUNDER CAVE   Millennium EditionTM  
click on image for enlargement
(Note: Actual size and color of book may vary slightly.)
ISBN 0-9718474-0-1

printed in large type with BIG pictures

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Click on image to read sample pages.
 
         

To read pages in PDF format (Adobe Acrobat Reader required) click on a link below:
Page 64 PDF         Page 65 PDF         Page 66 PDF         Page 67 PDF
         
 
Sample from the "Seventh Adventure"   (Millennium EditionTM)
 
 |  Compare to other editions  | 
 
. . . Solomon and Jasper followed in the Giant’s wavering shadow, and Zebbie came last, moving with halting footsteps, unsure what he was most afraid of -- the black empty tunnel behind him, or the huge door up ahead outlined distinctly by a mysterious glow.
      Step by step, the company advanced, silent and secretive, hugging the wall as if to hide, all the while keeping their eyes fixed on the vague but ominous portal. The absence of sound in the dark, empty room intensified a feeling of hushed excitement, and the blackness itself seemed full of eyes.
      They had continued along for some minutes, when all of a sudden Zebbie cried out, “What’s dat big black thin’?” And before anyone could think, the lad took aim and -- “Bang!” went his gun.
      At that same moment, the faint light around the secret door winked out, and a low rumbling sound began echoing all around them. Louder and louder it grew until, all at once, the whole party was engulfed in a terrific whirl of wind that all but swept the boys and Owl off their feet. In the tremendous rush of air, the flame of Wigwah’s swinging lantern flickered once and died.
      Instantly pitch black settled down upon the company like a heavy blanket -- so thick they could hardly breathe. Then, as the friends stood there stunned, the noise and wind receded as quickly as they came. Silence fell again upon the room, as profound as if the very breath of life itself had been whisked away . . .
 
(from Jeremiah Stokes' THUNDER CAVE Millennium EditionTM, by D.G. Jones, © 2001)   

The adventure begins!  Once upon a time . . .
 
Sample pages and images: click on a picture below to see a larger view.
 
       
 
 
     

       

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Synopsis
 
"Jasper and Zebbie are two young boys with cheeks like polished chestnuts and smiles like the sun; but when their parents disappear their troubles begin and they are forced to leave home on a dangerous quest with only hotcakes in their pockets. Their search leads them into the very depths of Thunder Cave where they enter the mysterious Basement of the Mountain and discover a fascinating underground world. There, they find themselves at the mercy of a strange little people; witness a battle to the death with the evil Giant Lackajohn; take a trip to the top of the Rainbow; and, with the help of four new and unusual friends, gain at last the object of their quest in a fabulous and unexpected place — the Toy Shops of Kris Kringle."
 
(from the "Introduction" to Jeremiah Stokes' THUNDER CAVE Millennial EditionTM, by D.G. Jones, © 2001)   

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What is the Millennium EditionTM?         
 
Millennium EditionTM is a commemorative edition, containing a six page Biographical Note on Jeremiah Stokes and Jack Sears as a tribute to the men who gave generations of children Thunder Cave. It is also a slightly more"modern" version created from the two original versions (the 1932 and the 1945) by Jeremiah Stokes.
 
The 1932 edition of Thunder Cave contained twenty-one adventures (chapters). The 1945 edition was revised and shortened to eighteen, ending in the Toy Shops of Kris Kringle. Changes in the 1945 text are striking; some are definite improvements. In a project spanning decades, D.G. Jones has painstakingly compared the editions, incorporating the 1945 into the original while remaining true to the moral princles within Thunder Cave and Stokes' other writings.
 
With more simplicity and continuity in dialect and the same quaint wording, the commemorative "Millennium EditionTM" combines the best of both editions with cultural sensitivity, more solid plot, faster-paced action, and character development.
 
    Who is older: Jasper or Zebbie?  Grey Wolf or Crow Foot?
 
    What did Giant Wigwah promise Jasper and Zebbie?
 
    Do the Indians become their friends?  How?
 
    What happens to Solomon Swift in Santa's Toy Shops?
 
    Who was responsible for the disappearance of the boys' parents?
 
You must read the Millennium EditionTM to find out.
 
For the project, Jones researched dialects, Native American culture, and Stokes' other writings. Editing, additions, and retelling follow Stokes' writing style, his intent as recorded in the 1932 "Preface and Dedication", and Sears’ illustrations, bringing the unforgettable characters to life for the 21st century.    [Read more . . .]

--© 2001, A. Kitkooh
August 31, 2001. Updated April 2013.  
 

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