Week 11 Storytelling: U Biskurom

In the beginning, man was one of the most ignorant creatures that inhabited the earth. They had no tools and nothing that they created seemed to work as it was intended. The Great God felt really bad for his hopeless creation, which he originally intended to be the ruler of the earth. In a desperate attempt to get mankind back on the right track, he sent U Biskurom to help them. U Biskurom was an incredibly crafty being, and the Great God had a lot of faith in his ingenuity.

U Biskurom exposed man to all of his favorite tools: the hammer, screw driver, ax, and pliers. He went on to teach them about gravity, the tides, and wind. Mankind spent years learning from U Biskurom. The Great God watched as his most prized creation learned to build some of the most marvelous structures that he had ever seen. When U Biskurom felt that man was finally ready to learn his final lesson, he exposed them to fire. Man was amazed by the fire and was eager to use it, but U Biskurom warned them of the dangers that came with his final gift before ascending back to the heavens.

(Some Ancient Tools: AncientMesopotamians)

 

When U Biskurom reached his destination, the Great God thanked him for helping mankind and offered to throw a feast to celebrate his success. Unfortunately, while U Biskurom was at the celebration, mankind had managed to start a huge fire that posed a threat to all of the animals of the earth. Feeling like he was at fault for exposing man to such a dangerous creation, U Biskurom returned to earth to put an end to the fire. Little did he know that the fire was a trap. Mankind knew that they could not advance at such a rapid rate without U Biskurom there to teach them and set the fire in a desperate attempt to get him to return. When U Biskurom arrived, the men quickly tied him up and tried to force him to continue teaching them.

Realizing that his life was in danger if he did not come up with another gift to offer, U Biskurom suggested that he could teach mankind how to bring things to life. Mankind had never thought that they could gain such power and was intrigued by the offer. U Biskurom convinced the men that he would have to return to heaven to get the power from the great god, and the men fell for his trick. Once mankind realized that U Biskurom was not coming back, they furiously launched an assortment of arrows toward the heavens. Mocking their actions, U Biskurom sent drops of blood down from heaven. To U Biskurom’s surprise, mankind actually believed that their arrows reached the heavens and slayed him. The Great God and U Biskurom laugh at the ignorance of mankind for many years, until they finally started giving them gifts again.

 

Author’s Note:

 I chose to rewrite this story because it was my favorite of the Khasi Folktales that I read for this week’s reading assignment. I thought that it was kind of funny as a satirical commentary on the greediness and selfishness of mankind. Overall, my story is very similar to the original version of UBiskurom, but I added a few extra details and made up the part about the fire.

 

Bibliography:

Folk-Tales of the Khasis by Mrs. K. U. Rafy (1920)

Week 10 Storytelling: Yudhistira and the Yaksha

In pursuit of an extraordinary deer that robbed a poor Brahmin of his possessions, Yudhistira and his brothers were led deep into a forest. With each deer sighting, the Pandavas were rejuvenated with a surge of confidence and the followed the deer farther and farther into the forest until they could no longer recognize their surroundings. In a desperate attempt to find their way out of the forest, Nakula climbed the tallest tree to reach a better vantage point. From the top of the tree, Nakula spotted a crystal-clear lake nearby. He was so exhausted and thirsty that he quickly scramble back down the tree and raced toward the refreshing body of water without saying a word to his brothers.

When Nakula reached the lake he immediately dove in, paying no attention to the mysterious voice that warned him against drinking the water. As soon as the lake’s water touched Nakula’s lips, he fell dead. One at a time, the Pandavas reached the lake and paid no attention to their dead brothers or the increasingly threatening voice that tried to warn them against drinking from the lake. When Yudhistira finally arrived, he took immediate notice to the pile of his brothers’ bodies and heard the furious yaksha’s voice. “Now that I have gained your attention, let me help you avoid the same fate that your brothers have so foolishly earned. If you can respond to my riddles, I will give you unlimited access to my water, but if you drink from the lake before our game is complete, you will suffer the same fate as the rest of the Pandavas. Are you ready to play?”

Yudhistira knew that he did not have much of a choice and feared what might happen if he upset the yaksha. “I’m ready when you are.” he responded. The yaksha began with an easy riddle: “How can one acquire intelligence?” “That’s easy, wisdom is gained by serving the old.” Yudhistira responded. Noticing Yudhistira’s confidence, the yaksha wasted no time between riddles. “What is more numerous than grass?” “Another easy one, our thoughts may be the only thing more numerous than the blades of grass. After such a dramatic introduction, the least you can do is challenge me!” Yudhistira insisted. “What is the remedy against cold?” Yudhistira paused for a second. Yudhistira could not think of any proven cure for a cold but then it occurred to him: “Fire is the remedy against cold!” The yaksha was not amused by Yudhistira’s performance or his arrogance and decided to step it up a notch: “What is the soul of man? Who is that friend bestowed on man by the gods?” Yudhistira was far more familiar with these concepts than he was with those of the previous riddle, thus he responded immediately. “A man’s son is his soul, and his wife is the friend bestowed by the gods. Now let’s wrap this game up, I think it’s safe to assume that I’ve adequately responded enough of your riddles.” Unloading a final frenzy of questions, the yaksha shouted “What is the most valuable of all possessions? What is the best of all gains? And what is the best of all kinds of happiness?” Yudhistira laughed as he prepared to answer the final riddles, for these were questions to which he had already applied much thought. “The best of all possessions is knowledge; the best of all gains is health; and the best of happiness is found in contentment.”

The yaksha turned out to be a very honorable creature once he realized that he had been defeated at his own game and offered to revive all of Yudhistira’s brothers. As the Pandavas regained consciousness, he cautioned each of them not to act in haste and always be mindful of their surroundings (a piece of advice that will surely help them in the years to come).

 

Author’s Note:

When I saw this option on the list of prompts, I thought that it would be cool to take a look at some of the riddles from another version of the Mahabharata. After reading through the list, I chose a few of my favorites and recreated the story of Yudhistira and the Yaksha. Overall, most of my story is very similar to Narayan’s version. However, I tried to portray Yudhistira as a much more confident, almost arrogant character. When I read the original story, I got the sense that he might tend to lose himself in games and not pay much attention to how he might be offending those around him. Some of the riddles that I used also came from a different source, but I listed it in the bibliography as well.

 

Bibliography:

Narayan, R. K. (1978). The Mahabharata

Mahabharata – Ganguli translation

 

Image Information:

Clear Lake: AmegaSciences

Week 9 Storytelling: The Dice Game

Following his visit to Indraprastha, Duryodhana is consumed with envy and rage. He cannot bear the thought that his cousins are living lives of greater luxury than his own, and he’s never been angrier than he was in the moment that he saw Draupadi laughing at him. As Duryodhana and his uncle, Shakuni, walk back to Hastinapura, they plot ways of getting back at the Pandavas.

To overcome his envy, Duryodhana decides that he will convince his father to build their own assembly hall. It will be the largest, most spectacular building that the world has ever seen and its beauty will bring shame to Indraprastha, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Elevating Hastinapura well beyond the glory Indraprastha will not repair the damage to his pride. Duryodhana wants to strip his cousins of all of their possessions, but he could never stand against them in battle. Shakuni acknowledges his nephew’s dilemma and decides to offer his assistance.

“Years ago, I received a pair of enchanted dice. These dice will land on any combination of numbers that I will them to. Once your father completes the construction of the Crystal Palace, we will challenge the Pandavas to a game of dice and I will win all of their worldly possessions.”

Duryodhana is so excited about his uncle’s idea that he sprints the rest of the way back to Hastinapura and insists that his father has all construction stop until the Crystal Palace is completed. Out of his love for his son, Dhritarashtra agrees to his demands without questioning the urgency of the matter. Once the assembly hall is complete, everything is in order for Duryodhana to exact his revenge.

When the Pandavas arrive at Hastinapura, they are led directly to the Crystal Palace where Dhritarashtra explains the rules of the game.

“I have gathered you all here today to celebrate the completion of our new assembly hall. By my son’s suggestion, we will host a friendly game of dice in which those who are willing may gamble to multiply their wealth. The rules of the game are simple: Players will receive a pair of six-sided dice. The guest will receive the advantage of being the first to roll. Then the host will have 3 attempts to roll a combination that is equal in magnitude to the guest’s roll. If the host fails to do so, then the guest will see his wager doubled and returned.”

 

 

Following his father’s introduction, Duryodhana wastes no time before challenging his cousin, Yudhistira. When Yudhistira accepts the challenge, his deceitful cousin informs him that Shakuni will be playing in his place, but his bets will be funded by Duryodhana. Without any concern for keeping his enchanted dice a secret, Shakuni greets Yudhistira’s first twenty rolls with the exact combination of dice. At this point, Yudhistira is furious and orders that Shakuni trade him dice. Without any other option, Shakuni surrenders his dice to Yudhistira, who quickly identifies the enchantment. King Dhritarashtra is outraged by the treachery and orders his son and brother-in-law to leave his kingdom. Unfortunately, this is not the last that the Pandavas will see of their deceitful relatives.

Author’s Note:

When I read the original story, I kept wondering what type of game they were playing and how Shakuni could be an expert at rolling dice. I also really dislike Duryodhana, so I rewrote the story of the dice game to answer some of the questions that I had, and celebrate a small victory in that Duryodhana was banished from Hastinapura.

Bibliography:

Narayan, R. K. (1978). The Mahabharata

Image Information:
Rolling Dice: GeneticsAndSociety

Week 7 Storytelling: Sita's Banishment

Almost ten thousand years had passed since Rama’s return to Ayodhya. Sita spent the years happily by his side; she devoted her life to Rama and did everything she could to keep his subjects happy. On a cool winter evening, Sita came into Rama’s chambers to enjoy the warmth of the fireplace and share the news that she was pregnant. Rama was so excited and overwhelmed that he called a meeting with his closest advisors. At the meeting Rama’s advisors congratulated him and warned him about the challenges of parenting, but one advisor remained silent. At first Rama disregarded Bhadra’s silence. “Maybe he just doesn’t feel well.” he thought to himself, but his advisor’s lack of feedback eventually got the best of him. “Have you nothing to say in regard to this wonderful news?!” Rama shouted across the room. “My king, we have all prayed that the gods might someday bless you with a child but I fear what the people of this kingdom might say about any child that comes from Sita.” Bhadra responded. “What is that supposed to mean? The people of this kingdom have never spoken ill of my lovely wife.” The room was silent as each of the other advisor’s watched Bhadra try to come up with the most gentle way to break the news to Rama, each of them torn between letting the events unfold or stopping Bhadra. Once Bhadra gathered his thoughts, he continued “Only in the darkest of alleys do your lowest subjects challenge Sita’s loyalty, but rumors spread like a plague. Despite the test of fire, many of your subjects have come to doubt your wife’s loyalty during the time she spent in captivity. They say that the only reason Ravana kept her alive was that she offered herself to him.”

As rage and jealousy consumed him, Rama stormed out of the meeting hall and headed for Lakshmana’s room. When he reached his destination, Rama ordered Lakshmana to take Sita deep into the forest and abandon her. Lakshmana knew that there was no logical reason to banish Sita, but he did not dare to challenge his brother in such a furious state.

The next morning Lakshmana invited Sita to the forest and she happily agreed to accompany him, unsuspecting of the events that were to unfold. When they reached one of the most beautiful parts of the forest, Lakshmana stopped the chariot and Sita climbed out, marveling at the beauty of their surroundings. Upon seeing the joy on her face, Lakshmana began to weep.

 

(Nice Landscape: Beautiful Gardens)

“How can you be sad in such a wonderful place?” Sita asked.

“My queen, I am afraid that you do not understand the true purpose of this adventure. Unfortunately, one of Rama’s advisors has instilled doubt in his mind about your loyalty while you were in captivity. In an irrational rage, Rama stormed into my chambers and order me to bring you to the forest and abandon you. I have brought you to this enchanting corner of the forest because it is one of the most beautiful and safest places on Earth, and the only place that I could ever possibly leave you.” Lakshmana felt terrible and continued to weep.

“Lakshmana, this is not your fault. In a moment of weakness, Rama has fallen prey to his emotions. Rama acted rashly as his heart was consumed by jealousy. Who am I to judge him for such a flaw when my own greed is what drove Rama to chase after that golden deer, ultimately leading to my abduction? Rama will eventually overcome his emotions, but until that time I will remain in this beautiful garden and raise our child. I do not blame you for this unfortunate situation. Return to Rama and keep him safe.”

Author’s Note: I really didn’t like this part of Buck’s Ramayana, and I don’t know if this version made it any better. It always seemed like Rama had a higher level of understanding when others wronged him, so I thought it might be nice to portray Sita in the same way as she endures this injustice.

Bibliography: Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way

Week 6 Storytelling: The Tale of Mainaka

It was getting late and Papa Monkey had just finished tucking his son into bed. As Papa Monkey got up to leave the room, his son stopped him. “Papa, where do the clouds come from?” “Is that seriously what this kid thinks about as he’s falling asleep?” Papa Monkey thought to himself as he walked back to his son’s bed and prepared to tell the tale of Mainaka.

“Many years ago, all of the mountains had huge wings that they used to fly anywhere that they pleased.” “Wait! Are you telling me that mountains used to be able to move?!” his son interrupted. “That’s correct, but the mountains were clumsy and careless creatures. Whenever they got tired, the mountains would simply put their wings away and fall to the Earth, crushing everything below. The mountains destroyed many kingdoms and took the lives of countless animals. The animals begged the mountains to be more careful, but the mountains wouldn’t listen. The animals tried setting up traps to keep the mountains from taking to the sky, but they couldn’t make anything strong enough to bind the mountains to the ground. They tried building ceilings over their kingdoms, but none were strong enough to hold the weight of a mountain. When the animals felt that they had exhausted all of their options, they sought the help of Indra, the lord of heaven and god of rain and thunderstorms. When Indra heard of the destruction that the mountains were causing, he was furious. With his mighty thunderbolt, vajra, Indra descended to earth and removed the wings of every mountain, except for one. Mainaka, the son of the Mountain King, was carried to safety by the wind. When they had escaped Indra’s sight, Mainaka hid at the bottom of the ocean. Meanwhile, the wings of all the other mountains drifted upward and remain suspended in the sky as the clouds that we see today.”

 

(Indra with vajra: khabar)

 

“That’s so cool!” the son exclaimed. “But what ended up happening to Mainaka?” “After helping Hanuman with his jump to Lanka, Mainaka returned to the bottom of the ocean. To this day, he is the only mountain with wings, but he knows better than to fly above land and harm the animals.” Papa Monkey responded, then kissed his son on the forehead as he drifted to sleep.

 

Author's Note: I chose this story because I thought it was an interesting addition to the Ramayana. I also enjoy using the bedtime story writing style. I didn't really change much from the original story, but added a few minor details here and there.

 

Bibliography: Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way

 

 

Week 5 Storytelling: Vali and Sugreeva

When Sugreeva received news that the great warrior, Rama, had arrived at Mount Matanga, his heart immediately filled with hope. Sugreeva’s closest companion, Hanuman, had told him many tales of Rama’s heroic deeds, and the two of them were convinced that he could be none other than the human incarnation of Vishnu. “All of these years, I have lived in fear of what my oppressive brother might do to me if I set foot off of this mountain, but no more! On this day, Vishnu himself has come before me to return my kingdom!” Sugreeva thought to himself. When Rama reached the top of the mountain, he was greeted kindly and proceeded to ask his acquaintances if they had any news about Sita. “What little information that I have about your beautiful wife is nothing in comparison to the strength of my armies. If you will return my wife and my kingdom, then I will do everything in my power to ensure that you find Sita free from harm.” replied Sugreeva, followed by the story about how Vali took his wife and forced him to live on Mount Matanga. “It is not like me to intervene in the affairs of rivaling brothers.” Rama responded. “However, it is my life’s mission to eradicate evil from this earth. Your brother is a very malicious and violent creature, who has taken many lives. For this reason, I will accept the conditions of your proposal.” Upon this agreement, the 4 embarked on their mission to confront Vali.

When they reached the base of the mountain, Rama and Lakshmana climbed to the top of the tallest tree and strung their bows, Hanuman stood at the base of the mountain, ready to protect his closest friend, and Sugreeva began to taunt his warmongering brother. Vali heard his brother’s petty challenges and could feel that he had finally set foot off of the mountain, unprotected by Sage Matanga’s curse. Vali equipped his armor and quickly departed toward his brother. When the two brothers finally caught a glimpse of one another, each one pounded his chest and let out a deafening screech. The battle had begun. Vali was much larger than his younger brother and clearly more experienced in hand-to-hand combat, but Sugreeva was agile and wise. For several hours, Sugreeva ran circles around his older brother, dodging Vali’s attacks, condemning him or his actions and trying to explain what really happened, but Vali would not listen. As the battle progressed Sugreeva grew tired, but Vali was used to long-lasting battles. When his brother stopped to rest, Vali raced toward him and kicked him with all of his might. Sugreeva fell to the ground, grasping his side, where Vali had broken several ribs. Rama knew that Sugreeva could not last any longer. As Vali approached his younger brother, both hands raised high above his head, ready to deliver the final blow, Rama quickly drew an arrow and delivered it to Vali’s heart.

 

(Battle between Vali and Sugreeva: ritsin) 

Vali removed the arrow from his chest and read Rama’s name from the head of the arrow. “Show yourself, coward!” demanded Vali. “I’ve heard stories about your noble ways and unrivaled marksmanship, yet you interfere with a conflict between brothers and slay one from the safety of the trees. You know nothing of honor, nor do you respect the rules of war.” At this moment, Rama emerged from the trees, his faced was red with anger. “How dare you challenge the honor of my ways! Your brother cared for you and did his best to protect you. He took care of your kingdom in your absence and you rewarded him by trying to take his life. He has lived in fear atop Mount Matanga all of these years, while you sleep safely inside the walls of your kingdom with his wife.”

In his final moments, Vali realized the corruption that came with his gift of strength. He had betrayed his own brother and treated him like an enemy. Vali sincerely regretted his actions and apologized for the years of torment that he had brought upon everyone. With his last breath, he gazed at Rama. “You are truly a great warrior. Watch over my brother and see to it that he is restored to his rightful position on the throne of Kiskinda.”


Author's Note: I chose to recreate this story because it was one of my favorite parts of the Ramayana. It was also one of the most significantly changed stories between the two versions that we've read, so I thought it might be fun to give my take on the events that occurred.

Bibliography: Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way.

Week 4 Storytelling: The Development of Manthara's Plan

As the perpetually angry Manthara entered the palace gates, she immediately took notice to the lively, festive atmosphere. All around her, people were smiling, laughing, and partaking of the king’s favorite wines. “Look at all of these ridiculous people, what right have they to be so happy?” she grumbled to herself. When Manthara arrived at Queen Kaikeyi’s room, she noticed three servant girls wearing extravagant jewelry. “Thieves!” she declared as she struck the nearest girl with her cane. “How dare you steal from guests in the king’s palace!” As Manthara reared back to assault another servant, Kaikeyi rushed to intercept the blow. “Subdue this rage!” Kaikeyi insisted. “These jewels have been given as gifts in celebration of Rama’s coronation.” “This can’t be!” she thought to herself, “How could that little demon that once shot toy arrows at my hindquarters be elevated to a position of authority in this great kingdom? This will surely bring an end to our people.” Manthara silently took a seat, with a look of utter dismay painted on her face as she pondered solutions to this catastrophe.

“How can these fools express so much joy when presented with such terrible news? If nobody else will stop this madness, then I must take these matters into my own hands. Unfortunately, it is too late to slay this monster. I am old and weak, while he is a trained warrior protected by numerous guards. Oh, how I should have responded when Rama first wronged me! I cannot simply approach King Dasaratha and beg him to reconsider. His unwavering love for his son will surely cloud his judgment, and I can’t waste time trying to convince an old man who cares more about his son than the people of his kingdom. That’s it! I may not be able to persuade Dasaratha, but my queen has been granted two wishes. If I could just convince her of Rama’s evil ways, then he may be banished and the more respectful Bharata can take his place on the throne.”

 

(Manthara Persuading Kaikeyi: LiveIndia)

 

“My dearest queen, how can you celebrate when such a threat has been imposed on your life?” “To what are you referring?” asked Kaikeyi in confusion. “You don’t understand the events that are to unfold. Rama’s spirit is but a serpent, hidden within a garden. His body is beautiful and his ways seem noble, but once he is installed as king of this earth there will be no power above him, no reason to hide his oppressive and malicious ways.” “What reason have I to believe these accusations? Rama has never wronged me. His ways are noble and his actions are just. Your words are treason!” Kaikeyi responded, baffled by such bold statements against a man that she regarded as a son. “I see now that my words have fallen on a closed mind. If this is how you truly feel then I must go, but please consider this: All your life, you’ve been in a position of authority over Rama, yet you act as though you understand how he treats those who are subordinate to him. By the time that you realize his true nature, I fear that it will be too late.” These words weighed heavily on Kaikeyi’s mind, as she began to fear for what might happen to Bharata and herself. Just as Manthara opened the door to leave her chambers, Queen Kaikeyi shouted, “What would you have me do?” and Manthara’s plan was set into action.


Author's Note: Manthara's (or Kooni's) actions were one of the most sudden and underdeveloped parts of both versions of The Ramayana that we've read. I wrote this story to elaborate on Manthara's thoughts upon learning about Rama's upcoming coronation. I chose not to provide a more logical incentive for her actions because I think that she is a highly irrational character. I also tried to provide better dialogue between Kaikeyi and Manthara to expose how she might have instilled fear into Kaikeyi to motivate her to go along with such an absurd plan.

Bibliography: Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way

Week 3 Storytelling: Jatayu and Sampathi

It was getting late when Jacob and Samuel’s father came into their room and told them that it was time to get ready for bed. As the boys finished their nightly routine, their father carried them back to their room and tucked them in. “What bedtime story do y’all want to hear tonight?” he asked kindly. “You decide,” replied Samuel. “Yeah, tell us something that we haven’t heard before!” added Jacob. The father paused for a moment to decide on a story, then he began:

“There once were two brothers, named Jatayu and Sampathi. However, this was no ordinary pair of brothers. Jatayu and Sampathi were the two most majestic eagles that ever lived, with beautiful feathers and wings that spanned almost thirty feet. Like the two of you, Jatayu and Sampathi loved to compete with one another in every way possible. One day, Jatayu challenged Sampathi to a competition to see who could fly higher. Without responding, Sampathi took off toward the sky and Jatayu raced to keep up. The two birds flapped their wings with all their might, soaring past the highest trees, tallest mountains, and, eventually, the clouds.  At an instant, Jatayu blew past Sampathi and turned back to taunt his older brother. ‘What’s the matter? Can’t keep up?’ Jatayu asked mockingly. As Sampathi glanced in his brother’s direction, he noticed faint waves of smoke rising from his wings. In their competition, the two failed to realize that they had climbed well into the outer layer of the atmosphere, where there is little protection from the sun’s powerful rays. ‘Jatayu, your wings! We must descend!” Sampathi begged, but Jatayu would not fall prey to his brother’s trickery. Sampathi realized that his brother would not end the competition and hurried to get ahead of him. Just as Sampathi managed to protect Jatayu in the shadow of his wings, the older brother burst into flames. The flames greatly injured Sampathi’s wings, sending him in a downward spiral toward the Earth. Jatayu dove after his brother in a desperate attempt to save him. Jatayu reached Sampathi in time to wrap him in his wings, just before hitting the ground. When they awoke, Sampathi no longer had his wings. Fortunately, a sage happened upon the brothers and offered himself to care for them in their time of weakness.”

 

(Two Eagles Soaring: Intimate Love Divine)

 

“Goodnight, boys.” The father got up and headed for the door. “What?! How can you expect us to go to sleep after such a sad story?” Samuel insisted. “Well, if you must know, legend had it that Sampathi’s wings would be restored in the presence of a great warrior by the name of Rama. Rama’s mission was to remove all of the evil spirits from the world, but we’ll save that story for tomorrow night.” The boys smiled at their father as he turned off the light and they drifted to sleep, anxious to hear the next night’s story.

Author’s Note: In the original story, the two brothers were not competing, but trying to catch a glimpse of heaven. During their climb, they crossed paths with the sun god, who grew very irritated and attacked them. I thought that the idea of a competition between two brothers would make for a better bedtime story. I also liked how the story could be tied into The Ramayana as a whole.

Bibliography: Narayan, R. K. (1972) The Ramayana

Week 2 Storytelling: Dasaratha's Fatal Mistake

            When Dasaratha was a young man, long before his ascension to the throne, he loved to hunt in the local forest. He enjoyed the pleasure of bringing back various trophies, at which his friends and family would marvel. One day, when Dasaratha was hunting in the forest, he heard what he perceived to be the sound of an elephant drinking from a nearby stream. Dasaratha had never seen an elephant in the forest, and knew that ivory would make for an excellent trophy. In his excitement, Dasaratha hastily strung his bow and fired an arrow over the small hill that lied between him and the stream. Much to his dismay, Dasaratha’s arrow was received with the cry of a young boy. Upon hearing the cry, Dasaratha abandoned his bow and raced over the hill. Dasaratha reached the boy just in time to hear his final request. The boy told him about his parents, who were old and blind, and requested that Dasaratha return to them with the pitcher of water that he was fetching. Dasaratha gave the boy a proper burial and set out in search of the elderly couple.

 

 

 

 

(King Dasaratha with his bow: Revealing Illusions of Maya)

            When he arrived at the small hut that the young boy had described, Dasaratha let himself in, as he knew that the boy’s parents were blind. “Son, is that you?” the couple inquired. “I am afraid not,” replied Dasaratha. “My name is Dasaratha. I am a hunter from the local forest, and I have returned with your pitcher of water.” “We appreciate this act, but where is our son?” The couple sounded worried. Dasaratha could not bring himself to speak; he fell to his knees and wept. “Where is our son?” the couple insisted. Dasaratha described the events that had transpired, and offered his most sincere apologies. “Do you understand the implications of what you have done? Our son is our eyes and our legs. Without him, we are nothing. We cannot see, we cannot eat. By killing him, you have taken our lives as well. With this, our dying breath, we wish upon you this same fate. May your son be taken from you, and may the pain that you suffer be your demise.” Before Dasaratha could intercede, the couple took one another by the hand and left this world.

 

 

Author's Note: I chose to recreate this story because it was the only area of our reading that I felt was underdeveloped, especially since it was supposed to be the cause of Dasaratha's death. I didn't change anything from the summary that Dasaratha provided, but tried to elaborate on his thoughts and how he interacted with the boy's parents.

 

Bibliography: Narayan, R. K. (1972) The Ramayana

Week 1 Storytelling: The Weasel and The Squirrel

There once was a greedy weasel who sought to become the wealthiest creature in the forest. Every day, he would set out in search of treasures and unsuspecting animals from whom he could steal. When the weasel finally felt that he had acquired enough wealth, he decided to visit the great oak tree that all of the other creatures liked to frequent. He brought with him many of his most prized possessions in hopes that the other creatures might envy his fortune. As the day progressed, the weasel’s audience grew as more and more animals stopped to marvel at his belongings. The weasel was quite satisfied with his success until he noticed a squirrel that walked right passed his pile of shiny objects, without so much as a glance in his direction. The weasel was so surprised that he stopped his display and abandoned his possessions to pursue the squirrel. “Excuse me! Did you not see my spectacular collection?” the weasel inquired. “I did” said the squirrel. “Then why didn’t you stop?” insisted the weasel. “Your wealth neither impresses nor concerns me,” and with this response the squirrel wandered away, leaving the weasel in utter dismay.

 

 

(Money Can't Buy Happiness: ChristArt)

 

The weasel returned to his display, but could not get the squirrel out of his head. Eventually, his frustration got the best of him and he set out in search of the squirrel’s tree. When the weasel arrived, he was greeted and welcomed up as if the squirrel was expecting him. “What brings you to my tree?” the squirrel asked innocently. “Honestly, I was baffled by your lack of appreciation for all the nice things that I have devoted my life to collecting” replied the weasel. The squirrel could no longer bear the weasel’s preoccupation with his wealth. “For many years, I have watched you scurry around in search of anything of value that might bring you the acceptance of others. I actually feel sorry for you. It’s been years since you’ve been happy and when you finally achieved a sense of accomplishment, it was taken by something as simple as another animal failing to acknowledge your wealth.” In that moment, the weasel realized the error of his ways and began to regret the years that he had lost in pursuit of worldly treasures.

-Happiness is the greatest treasure-

 

Author's Note: This tale was inspired by Aesop's fable, The Cock And The Jewel. In the fable, the rooster is merely looking for something to eat when he comes across a jewel. The rooster alludes to its worth, but ultimately deems it worthless to him. Though my characters and overall moral vary greatly from the original, they share a common appreciation for the lack of importance of worldly possessions.

 

"The Cock And The Jewel" from Aesop for Children, illustrated by Milo Winter (1919)