After being shunned away to the forest Sita and Rama had experienced nothing but warmth and beautiful weather. Today though would be unlike no other. They had built a beautiful and very large tent-like structure that almost made them feel as though it could be a home. Every night before falling asleep Rama would make fire not only to keep warm during the chilly nights but also to scare away any vicious creatures that would approach. This was no ordinary fire, it was a magical "safe" fire that would kill anyone who tried to cross it, and then it would burn out. When he would wake up and the fire was still lit he knew no one approached but if it was out then someone tried to cross and attack them. On this interesting morning, Rama had not felt the warmth of the fire but instead found himself to be shivering uncontrollably. Quickly Sita and Rama rushed out to see what was happening outside and to their surprise, they were surrounded by a terrible ice storm. They quickly found themselves growing hungry and hoped to be able to find some salvageable food. After exploring and trying to find absolutely anything to eat Sita began to get very tired. Rama as the loving and mighty husband that he was quickly picked her up and began carrying her home. They both wept many tears in fear of dying in starvation. Little did they know their tears were soaked up by the slick ice below them. Once they got home and bundled up and prayed for hope, they began to smell the savory flavors of their most favorite foods. They peered through the opening of their home and saw enough feasts to feed a town. They never knew why this happened but after this day they never went hungry again.
(Rama and Sita illustrated by Flickr)
Bibliography: Laura Gibbs, Sita and Rama Wander the Forest, Cite
Author's Note: This was my own twist on a story about husband and wife, Sita and Rama. How the actual story goes is that it was a hot day and Sita and Rama wandered around the forest looking for food. Sita got tired and Rama carried her back to their built home. Both of their sweat dripped on the ground and they noticed saplings that bore fruit grow. They called them Rama-fruit and Sita-fruit and they still grow and are eaten in India today!
Hey Luda! I thought the original was a cool story but it was very short, so I am glad you added all these extra elements to it! I have one question for you: what would happen to Rama and Sita if more than one evil creature tried to cross the "safe fire"? Since you mentioned that it would burn out after one attempt to cross it, I wonder if they would be vulnerable to attack if multiple enemies tried to cross one after another! I also like the ending where they get to eat their favorite foods, and I would love to hear what those specific foods are!
ReplyDeleteHi Luda! I enjoyed reading your story. You wrote it with a great dramatic tone that really sucked me in. I think it’s an excellent adaptation of the original, and I like your choice to make their tears, not sweat, the source of their food. Rama seems very affectionate and caring in your version, too, and I like your details about how he’s diligent about keeping the magic fire lit to keep him and Sita safe. Thank you for sharing!
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