This monograph reports on a study of six child prodigies whose talents are manifested in writing, music, and mathematics. The boys, aged 3.5-9 years, were observed in natural settings and while practicing their talent specialty, and interviews were conducted with the boys, their parents, and their teachers. The study concludes that prodigies focus on a single specialized talent, while otherwise possessing high, but not extreme, general intellectual ability. An enormous amount of work, practice, and study are needed to develop the prodigious talent, and prodigies need a great deal of assistance from parents and teachers. Only certain bodies of knowledge seem conducive to early prodigious mastery. The prodigy's arrival must come at a time when the culture values and supports development and recognition in the domain in which the prodigy is talented. It is concluded that: (1) by expressing such a specialized talent, the prodigy reflects a very specialized way of thinking and understanding, an evolutionary strategy that is an exception to the prevailing rule of human general adaptability; and (2) in several important ways, the process of mastery of a domain is the same for anyone seeking to learn it, whether or not they are exceptionally talented. Includes nine footnotes. (JDD)