In the darkness the whale spoke to Jonah. “What a lot of trouble you
have made for yourself,” he said. And he told Jonah how God had made
arrangements.
Jonah was not unhappy. In the whale’s mouth he was uncomfortable, but
he had a great deal to think about. His mind was filled with wonder.
So it turned out that God was at home everywhere; that He commanded the
fish of the sea, as well as the hosts of the air, and the creatures of
the land. That was an extraordinary thing.
What an upset to theology.
Jonah asked the whale many questions. And the whale, who had often
thought about such things as he rested among the weeds at the bottom
of the sea, answered him as best he could.
“Do you deny,” said Jonah, “that God created man in His own image?”
“No,” replied the whale, “but on the other hand, do you suppose God
has only one image? And then it depends, besides, on who is looking;
because people do not see things all alike. Well, do you suppose a
whale does not also look like God?”
“A whale does not look like God at all,” replied Jonah firmly.
“Still,” said the whale thoughtfully, “the most beautiful sight in the
world, in my opinion, is a female whale. And you must admit I have seen
as much of God as you have. So you see what difficulties you make for
yourself.”
But Jonah would not believe that God looked like a whale. And they
discussed other aspects of theology.
The whale swam through the waters green with daylight, or black with
night, rising to the surface now and then to breathe. Out of respect
for the sanctity of the prophet, he did not attempt to eat any of the
small fish which fled in terror from his path. “We will fast together,”
he said kindly to Jonah.
In his warm, black prison, Jonah slept, and woke, and thought about
God. His spirit lifted; he felt peaceful, resigned, and almost happy.
Gone was the bitter sense of defeat, the shame of betrayal. What if his
heart ached still? he had God again. And what a God, now that he saw
Him: the thunder of sea-surges, the holy calm of the desert, all peace,
all beauty, were His ... one need not seek it, it was there, it was
everywhere. Jerusalem was His--Tarshish and Tyre....
“I am your God, Jonah, and where you go, there you will find Me.”
Tyre was His, too. The Master strode through the streets of the city
with thunder on His brow, with love and sorrow in His hands. And His
prophet walked beside Him, wrapped in glory, like a king.
When they came to Judith’s house it was Jonah who blessed it with
gently outstretched arms.
“My sister,” he said; “my poor, faithless love.”
The whale asked Jonah what he was doing. “I was dreaming,” said Jonah.
“I think you had better pray,” said the whale. So Jonah prayed.
“Lord, I have sinned,” he said humbly. “I was unhappy; and I ran away.
And for that reason You cast me into the sea; the waves passed over me.
“The waves passed over my soul, Lord.
“I went down to the bottom of the hills; the bars of the earth were
about me. But I did not perish. You heard my cry, and You remembered
me. I thank You, Lord.
“Look, I am not vain any longer; I do not wish anything for myself.
Let me do Your bidding again, with a quiet heart.”
And he added with a cry, “Give me peace, Lord.”
The whale swam on, past schools of appetizing fish, down through the
dim flower-branches of the sea’s deep bed, up through sunny foam.
Hungry, weary, but hopeful, the great fish waited patiently for God to
speak.
On the third day, God spoke. And the whale, lashing the waters with his
tail, sped like an eager minnow to the shore, and vomited Jonah forth
upon the sand.