Indian Epics

Author’s Note: This poem is over the story of Sita Stolen from Sister Nivedita’s retelling of the Ramayana.   I wanted to capitalize on some of the images I saw in the original story, because Sister Nivedita’s language is very beautiful and descriptive. Armed tooth and wicked brow, ten heads rest on one shoulder in mirror of the other. A twenty hands reach out with shield and all things of malice made from bronze, silver, and gold. Yellow bled red, eyes bloody instead of hands which could be convicted based on tint alone. Disguised, a proper prayer he does bear to the luxury of stunning eyes –             Oh, Sita,             we beg you,             be aware! Sita, peaceful and besotted, garnering her own palace in the kingdom of beasts waits in the forest for the preyin...

For this reading, I chose to read from Twenty Jataka Tales by Noor Inayat (Khan).  I read The Forest Fire , which is about a real bad-ass little quail. This story, like The Quarrel of the Quails, involves quails.   I think that is rather interesting because birds are shown differently in American and Western folklore.   It is obvious that quails are much more popular or well-known bird in India than perhaps an eagle would be.   I really loved this story, because it was firstly, beautifully written with such gorgeous strong imagery, as well as reminding me of the Ugly Duckling.   There is the same childish innocence yet emphasis on bravery that makes this story really appealing. The description of fire is great.   The “fiery red clouds” is a really appealing image, and the language could really persuade my imagination to capture the visualization of flames “hovering over the distant trees.”   But it wasn’t simply exposition or something the na...

For this week's first reading, I choose the Jatakas Tales of India as retold by Ellen C. Babbitt.  I read the story titled Quarrel of the Quails . There is a singular wise quail, who is the leader of the group.   Unfortunately, I think his little herd of birds is a bit slow-minded.   Also, unfortunately, there is a man that lives near their forest.   This man is apparently quite smart because he soon learns the tune that the leader uses to round up all his little amigos.   He’s called the Fowler. He uses the leader’s tune to round up the quails and catches them to sale them in town.   Eventually, the leader quail cannot tolerate the mass kidnapping of his followers and comes up with a plan.   He tells them to poke their head through the holes of the net and fly away together so he cannot keep them trapped.   The birds get away several times and the Fowler (and his wife) are growing very frustrated with the lack of income. He says the...