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“Go, Sita, you must leave the
kingdom now!” exclaimed King Rama. Even though they had loved each other and
were married, Rama was forced to send her into exile. Sita was scared. She
thought about all the dangers that lurked outside the kingdom. How was she
supposed to hunt, find shelter, and protect herself? Although these things
lingered at the back of Sita’s mind, she was too proud as a woman to let them
overtake her thoughts. As she pressed onwards, she diligently searched for any
signs of shelter or food in a dense wooded area.
Just then,
Sita heard a loud noise behind her that startled her. “Why hello there!”
shouted a short man with a high-pitched voice. Sita instantly started to run
away from the man. As she ran, she heard the man scream, “I’m not going to hurt
you! You just look lost!”. Sita, still on her toes, stopped running and walked
back to the man.
“My name is
Valmiki! What is your name?” said the man.
“I’m Sita”,
she said in a confused voice.
“Nice to
meet you, Sita! What are you doing all alone in the forest?”
Sita then
explained to Valmiki that her husband had sent her into exile and that she was
trying to find a new place to shelter and find food. Shocked that a beautiful
woman was alone in the middle of the woods, Valmiki instinctively asked Sita if
she needed any help. Initially, Sita was put off by Valmiki’s request.
“I’m a strong woman,”
she told Valmiki, “I can fend for myself in these woods.”
Valmiki chuckled to himself, knowing that she would not
survive without his help.
“You are a very prideful woman,”
Valmiki said, “but no amount of pride can conquer these dense, dangerous woods.”
Angry that Valmiki did not think
she could survive, she stormed away. As she walked down the trail, a giant hawk
swooped down and nearly attacked her. Frightened and now realizing that she
actually was in danger, she ran back to find Valmiki. After a couple hundred
yards, she saw Valmiki sitting on a stump with a snickering grin on his face.
“See, I told you that you wouldn’t
survive on your own out here”, he said. “Let me show you the way to my village.”
Sita agreed and followed Valmiki to
his village where she built her own home and gathered her own food. She was
prideful of her new home, but she knew she wouldn’t have made it if it weren’t
for Valmiki in the woods that day.
Authors Note:
I chose to retell the story of Sita being sent into exile where she meets Valmiki. I wanted to give her a prideful attitude because it is hard to just walk away from your husband. I also added dialog to make Valmiki seem like a Hobbit in the woods.
(Valmiki in the woods. Credit: Speakingtree.in)
Bibliography: Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way
I really liked how you chose to retell this story. I did not like it how she was sent away by her husband but your version of Sita going into o the woods makes it seem less scary. Valmiki being so giddy and approachable I think was a good call that captures his true nature. After all the awful characters that spring up in the woods it was right for you to have Sita not trust him at first. Also, I was happy to see you contrast Sita feeling independent then not being able to really defend herself to then her being able to make her own hut and food. You kept her being a strong woman but needing the presence of Valmiki at the same time. Good Work!!
ReplyDeleteInteresting retelling of Sita's exile, Tyler. Being exiled into the woods would call for some self reliance, and Sita seems to be embracing that fact. Although she's determined to make it on her own, the woods would be a formidable place for anybody not accustomed to surviving there. I like how Valkmiki seems to understand her desire for independence, and shows her a way to provide for herself.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your story this week! After reviewing your previous storytelling posts, it seems as though you are really improving on your storytelling abilities and creativity. I enjoyed how you portrayed Sita as a very independent, strong woman while also showing her child-like persona that believes she can overcome all challenges alone. Valmiki is one of my favorite characters in the Ramayana. I found your interpretation of his easy going, approachable personality to be very realistic and comforting to the reader. Overall, great job!
ReplyDeleteThis is a really enjoyable retelling of Sita's journey into exile. I like the twist that you put on it, making Sita too proud to ask for help. It is sad to see that she had to face danger in order to accept aid. At the same time, it is understandable that she does not want to admit that she cannot do everything by herself, especially as her husband just cast her aside. Good work!
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