Week 2 Storytelling - Of Mice and Mean Old Cats

There once was a kingdom of mice. The Mouse King was a kind man and was very blessed. He had three wives and his three wives had four sons, each strong and great in his own way, but it was known that Rama, the eldest, was the most loved of all the sons.

One day, Rama and his brother Lakshmana were out walking in the fields talking boasting about all the great things they would accomplish. An old shrew heard the conversation and stepped out in front of their path, hoping that they might be able to help him from a growing terror.  

“Oh, great Princes, sons of the King! My whole family has been devoured by a terrible evil! But, your powers are well-known throughout this land. Thus, only you can defeat the foul Thataka! Please help!” The shrew wailed, throwing himself at the feet of the young mice.

Rama and Lakshmana were caught off guard. Of course, they had never actually been in a battle, but they were afraid of disappointing the old shrew, so they insisted that he direct them to the lair of the great Thataka.

The great beast stepped out of the hollow of an old tree. Its eyes were a fearsome yellow, its legs bore great claws, its teeth were sharp and yellowed and its ears were large and capable of hearing the tiny mouse steps as they approached. 

                                                                

“Who dares disturb Thataka!” she yowled, stretching herself on front legs and flexing her claws.

“It is us! The great Princes of the Mouse Kingdom!” Rama roared back to the cat.

The three combatants sprung forward at the same time, meeting in the middle. Laksmana flew upward, scratching Thataka’s nose and clipping off the tips of her ears. From below, Rama drew his slingshot and tossed stones into her sensitive paws, making her hop in pain. She leapt into a nearby apple tree, concealing herself completely and the tree began to shake. The two brothers darted back and forth, attempting to dodge the apples threatening to smash them.

Rama was struck by an idea. He lashed his slingshot to two low branches of a srub, placed one of the apples in it’s pouch, and together with Lakshmana, he pulled it back as far as it would go. The apple launched into the middle of the tree. Thataka gave a great scream and fell from the tree, unconscious.

Rama and Lakshmana and the old shrew hugged each other and cheered. The cat would never bother the Kingdom again! 

Image Source: "Matt's Cat by Aidan - Flikr.

Author’s Note:

I chose the story of Thataka from the Public Domain Edition Ramayana. I decided to retell the story as a type of fable or fairy tale. I decided not to have the mice kill the cat, but just hurt her ego. I also left out the weapons, as I felt they weren’t necessary. However, I did change Rama’s bow to a slingshot in this story.

Week 2 - Reading Diary B: Public Domain Edition Ramayana

I am reading in the Public Domain Edition Ramayana. 

I have started noticing different elements of imagery in various stories. For example, in the story where Rama and his brother fight the demon, which has abducted Sita, Sita's fear is described as "trembling...like a plantain tree shaken by the wind." Also, when the demon is defeated, he falls to the ground "in a swoon like a hill riven by the thunderbolt," (Viradha, Public Domain Ramayana). 

I've also been wondering about the style in which the enemies are defeated. It seems like often the arms are either broken or cut off, and facial features are cut off as well. It doesn't seem like these things would cause much harm to a supernatural being (the cutting of ears and noses in particular), so I'm not really sure what the effect of this type of mutilation is in a cultural and historic context.

My favorite part to read from this section was of Shurpanakha and Ravana. I found it to be the most vivid and interesting. My favorite image was of Rama, Sita, and the deer.

Image Source: Sita Sings the Blues

Week 2 - Reading Diary A: Public Domain Ramayana

I just finished the reading for the Diary A assignment. I am following along in the Public Domain Ramayana.  I really like how the style is both different and similar to other epics I have read. The style mostly reminds me of the Epic of Gilgamesh, but it is interesting to see completely new mythology. Probably my favorite section of the Ramayana thus far is the story of Ahalya. To me, this particular tale has a lot in common with the myth of Cupid and Psyche. Where a beautiful maid (Ahalya, Psyche) is taken in with a god (Indra, Cupid) and is becomes aware of the fact that it is a god, and not a man, whom she is with. In the Ramayana, Ahalya's husband curses both his wife and the god, whereas Psyche, when violating the trust of Cupid and seeing his true form, is destined to wander the earth searching for her love. Both female figures suffer a similar fate until their punishment is fulfilled and are either reunited (Psyche) or rescued (Ahalya).

My favorite image was the statue silhouette of Rama and Sita as they go in to exile.

Rama and Sita; photographed by Indi Samarajiva.