Once upon a time, long, long ago, a lonely fisherman was tending his lines far from shore in the Gulf of Mexico. The wind had pushed him beyond sight of land. The afternoon sun was warm, and with no fish biting, he grew very sleepy.

Soon the fisherman was fast asleep in his small boat, dreaming of his loving family back on shore. Suddenly, a rogue wave came out of nowhere, washing over him and capsizing his boat. As the boat sank, the fisherman found himself alone in the water, far from help. Gasping for breath, he feared he would surely drown.

Then a miracle happened. A sleek and powerful dolphin rose from the depths, scooping the fisherman from the waves. Grasping the huge fins, the fisherman climbed onto the back of the friendly sea animal. Swiftly, he was carried toward the faraway shore.

Upon reaching the shallow water, the fisherman let go and stumbled wearily onto dry land. He turned to thank the dolphin for saving his life, but the dolphin had already disappeared from sight.

As the fisherman made his way back to his cottage, he vowed to honor the noble creature in a very special way.

Wood carving was a skill the fisherman had learned from his father, and practiced since he was a boy. Soon he found a large, perfect piece of wood, and working carefully, he carved a most handsome dolphin. To honor the dolphin, the fisherman donated his masterpiece to the community. It was placed in a lovely park in the center of the village. Word of the fisherman's good fortune traveled quickly, and people came from near and far to view the magnificent statue.