Collected Folk Tales

by Alan Garner

  Hanuman took the gem and, bowing to Sita, made ready to depart. Then Sita gave him another message, by which Rama might surely know that Hanuman had found her.

  “Tell him, ‘One day my brow spot was wiped away, and you did paint another with red earth. And, O Rama, do you come soon, for ten months have passed already since I saw you, and I may not endure more than another month.’ And good fortune go with you, heroic monkey,” she said.

  But Hanuman was not satisfied with finding Sita. He dashed about the Asoka wood and broke the trees and spoilt the pavilions, like the Wind himself.

  The demons sent messages to Ravana for help, saying that a mighty monkey was destroying his servants, and Ravana ordered a mighty rakshasa, bow in hand, to slay Hanuman forthwith. And indeed he wounded him with a sharp arrow as he sat upon a temple roof, but Hanuman hurled a bolt at him and crushed him utterly.

  Then a host of heroic rakshasas proceeded against Hanuman and met their death. And another great demon came, and sent a million shafts against the monkey, but he, ranging the sky, escaped them all. Then the demon paused, and with concentrated mind pondered over the true nature of Hanuman, and with spiritual insight perceived that he was not to be slain by weapons.

  Therefore he devised a way to bind him, and therewith Hanuman was bound, and knew the bond unbreakable, and he fell to earth. But he reflected that it would be well for him to converse with Ravana, and so he struggled not, but let the rakshasas bear him off.

  But they, seeing him still, bound him yet closer with cords and bark. But that binding was the means of his release, for the power of the demon’s thought-bond was broken as soon as an earthly binding was added to it.

  Yet the wily monkey gave no sign that the ties were loosed, and the fierce rakshasas, crying to each other, “Who is he? What does he want?” and, “Kill him! Burn him! Eat him!” dragged him before Ravana.

  Questioned by Ravana’s minister, Hanuman answered that he was indeed a monkey, come to Lanka as Rama’s envoy to accomplish his commands and to behold Ravana. And he told the story of Rama up till then, and gave Ravana sound advice, to save his life by surrendering Sita.

  Ravana was furious and would have Hanuman slain, but the counsellors reminded him that the punishment of death could not justly be inflicted upon one who named himself an envoy. So Ravana cast about for a fitting penalty, and bethought him to set Hanuman’s tail afire.

  Then the rakshasas bound the monkey’s tail with cotton soaked in oil and set it ablaze. But the heroic monkey cherished a secret plan. He suffered the rakshasas to lead him about Lanka that he might better learn its ways and strength.

  Word was taken to Sita that the monkey with whom she had conversed was led about the streets of Lanka and proclaimed a spy, and that his tail was burning. Thereat she grieved, and praying to Fire, she said: “As I have been faithful to my lord, do you be cool to Hanuman.”

  Fire flamed up in answer to her prayer, and at that very moment Hanuman’s sire, Wind, blew cool between the flame and Hanuman.

  Perceiving that the fire still burnt, but that his tail was ice-cold, Hanuman thought that it was for Rama’s sake and Sita’s that the fire was chilled and he snapped his bonds and sprang into the sky, and rushed to and fro in Lanka, burning the palaces and all their treasures. And when he had burnt half Lanka to the ground and slaughtered many a rakshasa, Hanuman quenched his tail in the sea.

  Then at once he repented of his rash deed, and thought that Sita must have died in the fire.

  “It is small matter,” he said, “to have burnt Lanka. But if Sita has lost her life I have failed altogether in my work, and will rather die than return in vain to Rama.” But again he said, “It may be that that fair one has been saved by her own virtue. The fire that scorched me not has surely never hurt that noble lady.”

  Therewith he hastened back to the Asoka wood and found her seated there, and he greeted her, and she him, and once more they spoke of Rama, and Hanuman foretold that he would speedily rescue Sita and slay the rakshasas.

  Then Hanuman sprang up like a winged mountain and fared across the sea, now clearly seen, now hidden by the clouds, till he came to the mountain Mahendra, flourishing his tail and roaring like the wind in a mighty cavern. And all the monkeys rejoiced exceedingly to see and hear him, knowing that he must have found Sita. They danced, and ran from peak to peak, and waved the branches of trees and their clean white cloths, and brought fruits and roots for Hanuman to eat. Then Hanuman reported all that he had done, while the monkey host sat round about him there on Mahendra’s summit.

  When all had been told, that monkey host, the searchers of the southern quarter, cried, “Our work is done, and the time has come to return to our king Sugriva. Let us go.” Then Hanuman leapt up into the air, followed by all the monkeys, darkening the sky as if with clouds and roaring, and coming speedily to Sugriva, they spoke first to the heavy-hearted Rama and gave him tidings of Sita, and praised the work of Hanuman.

  Then Rama talked with Hanuman, and asked him many a question, and Hanuman told him all, and showed him the jewel and gave him Sita’s words.

  Next, Sugriva spoke and issued orders for a march of all the host towards the far south to lay a siege to Lanka, while Hanuman reported to Rama all that he had learnt of the strength and fortifications of the city, saying:

  “Do you regard the city as already taken, for I alone have laid it waste, and it will be an easy matter for such a host as this to destroy it utterly.”

  Now the monkey host went on its way, led by Sugriva and Rama, and the monkeys skipped for joy and bounded gleefully and sported one with another. With them went many friendly bears, guarding the rear.

  Passing over many mountains and delightful forests, the army came at length to Mahendra, and beheld the deep sea before them. Thence they marched to the very shore, beside the wave-washed rocks, and made their camp. They covered all the shore, like a second sea beside the tossing waves.

  Then Rama summoned a council to devise a means for crossing over the ocean, and a guard was set, and orders issued that none should wander, for he feared the magic of the rakshasas.

  3. THE SIEGE OF LANKA

  VIII

  Meanwhile Ravana in Lanka called another council.

  “You know how the monkey Hanuman harried Lanka, and now Rama has reached the ocean shore with a host of bears and monkeys, and he will dry the sea or bridge it and besiege us here. Do you consider the means of protection for the city and the army.”

  Thus spoke Ravana to his counsellors. And his generals advised him to entrust the battle to his son, Prince Indrajit, while others, the great leaders, boasted that they alone would swallow up the monkey army. But Vibhishana, the younger brother of Ravana, advised another course.

  “Force,” said he, “is only to be resorted to when other means fail – conciliation, gifts, and sowing of dissension. Moreover, force avails only against such as are weak or are displeasing to the gods. What but death can result from a conflict with Rama, self-controlled and vigilant and strong with the might of all the gods? Who ever thought that Hanuman should have done so much? And from this you should be warned and yield up Sita to her lord, to save yourself and us.”

  And playing a perilous part, he followed Ravana his brother to his own chamber and saluted him, and spoke yet further for his welfare.

  “From the day that Sita came,” he said, “the omens have been evil: fire is ever obscured by smoke, serpents are found in kitchens, the milk of cows runs dry, wild beasts howl around the palace. Do you restore Sita, lest we all suffer for your sin.”

  But Ravana dismissed his brother angrily, and boasted that he would hold Sita as his own, even if all the gods should war against him.

  Therefore he took counsel again with his generals of war, but again his brother opposed him, till Ravana cursed him angrily as a coward and a traitor. Then the brother deemed it the time when he should suffer no more of these insults, and rising into the air, he said to Ravana:

  “I sp
oke for your welfare: now fare you well.”

  So saying, he passed through the sky across the sea and came to the monkey host, and announced himself as come to make alliance with Rama. Most of the monkey leaders were for slaying him, for they put little faith in a rakshasa, but Rama spoke him fair, and engaged, in return for his help in the war, to set him on the throne of Lanka when Ravana should have been slain.

  They had now to find a way to cross the water. And Rama, spreading a couch of sacrificial grass, lay down upon it, facing the east, with praying hands towards the sea, resolving that either the ocean should yield or he would die.

  Thus Rama lay three days, silent, concentred, following the rule, intent upon the ocean. But Ocean answered not.

  Then Rama was angered, and rose and took his bow, and would dry up the sea and lay fish bare; and he loosed dreadful shafts that flamed and pierced the waters, awakening mighty storms, so that the god-hermits haunting the sky cried out, “Alas!” and “Enough!” But Ocean did not show himself, and Rama, threatening him, set to his bow an arrow blessed with a charm, and drew.

  Then heaven and earth were darkened and the mountains trembled, lightnings flashed, and every creature was afraid, and the mighty deep was wrought with violent movement.

  Then Ocean himself rose from the water like the sun. Jewelled and wreathed was he and decked with many gems, and followed by noble rivers. He came to Rama with joined palms and spoke him fair.

  “O Rama,” said he, “you know that every element has its own quality. Mine is this, to be fathomless and hard to cross. Neither for love nor fear can I stay the waters from their endless movement. But you shall pass over me by means of a bridge, and I will suffer it and hold it firm.”

  Then Rama was appeased, but the charmed arrow he held waited to find its mark, and would not be restrained.

  “Where may I let this arrow strike?” said Rama.

  “There is a part of my domain towards the north, haunted by evil wights,” said Ocean. “There let it fall.”

  Rama let fly the flaming shaft, and the water of the sea towards the north was dried and burnt, and where the sea had been became a desert. But Rama blessed the desert, and made it fruitful.

  Ocean said to Rama, “O kind one, there is a monkey here named Nala. Full of energy he is, and he shall build the bridge across me, and I shall bear it up.” Then Ocean sank beneath the waters.

  But Nala said to Rama, “Ocean has spoken truth: only because you did not ask me I hid my power till now.”

  All the monkeys, following Nala’s orders, gathered trees and rocks, and brought them from the forests to the shore, and set them in the sea. Some carried timber, some used the measuring rods, some bore stones; huge was the tumult and noise of crags thrown into the sea.

  The first day fourteen leagues were made, and on the fifth day the bridge was finished, broad and elegant and firm – like a line of parting of the hair on Ocean’s head.

  Then the monkey host passed over, Rama and Lakshman riding on their backs. Some monkeys went along the causeway, others plunged into the sea, and others coursed through the air, and the noise of them drowned the beat of the ocean waves.

  Dreadful were the omens of war that showed themselves: the earth shook, the clouds rained blood, a fiery circle fell from the sun. But the monkeys roared defiance at the rakshasas, whose destruction was thus foretold.

  Then Rama, beholding Lanka towering up to pierce the heavens, wrought, as it were, of mind rather than of substance, hanging in the sky like a bank of snow-white clouds, was downcast at the thought of Sita prisoned there. But he arrayed the host of bears and monkeys, and laid siege to Lanka.

  IX

  Meanwhile Ravana’s spies, sent in monkey shape to gather news, brought tidings thereof to Lanka, and, advising their master of Rama’s power, counselled that Sita should be surrendered. But Ravana was enraged, and drove the spies away disgraced, and sent others in their place, but ever with the same result.

  No help was there, then, but to give battle or to yield up Rama’s bride, yet Ravana sought first to betray Sita to his will.

  He told her that Rama was slain, the monkey host dispersed, and a she-demon came in, bringing the semblance of Rama’s head and bow, and Sita knew them, and was grieving out of all measure, and crying aloud with many lamentations, and she prayed Ravana to slay her by Rama’s head that she might follow him. But therewith came in a messenger from the rakshasa general calling Ravana to the battle, and he turned to the field of war. And when he left, the head and bow immediately vanished, and Sita knew them to have been but counterfeits and vain illusions.

  Now the monkeys advanced upon Lanka, and swarmed about the walls, flooding the moat and striking terror in the hearts of the rakshasas. Scaling parties climbed the walls and battered down the gates with trees and stones. The rakshasas sallied forth in turn with horrid trumpetings and joined in battle with the monkeys, and all the air was filled with the noise of fighting, and terrible confusion arose of friend and foe and man and beast, and the earth was strewn with flesh.

  Thus an equal battle was fought till evening, but the rakshasas waited for the night, and eagerly desired the setting of the sun, for dark is the rakshasa’s time of strength. So night fell, and the demons ranged, devouring monkeys by thousands.

  Then the monkey chiefs began to roar and frisked their tails. Drums and kettledrums were struck, and seizing trees, the monkeys advanced again on the gates of Lanka.

  The rangers of the night issued forth from Lanka under the rakshasa Greyeye, and there was a deadly onset. The monkeys bit and tore and fought with trees and stones, and the rakshasas killed and wounded them with arrows and cleft them with axes and crushed them with maces.

  Then seeing the monkeys hard pressed, Hanuman laid about him lustily, and armed with a mountain-top, he rushed on Greyeye. But the rakshasa brought down his mace on Hanuman and wounded him sore; then Hanuman heedless of the hurt, let fly the mountain-top and crushed the rakshasa to the ground. Seeing their leader slain, the others fled.

  Short was the peace ere Ravana sent out other leaders of demons. He sent out Longhand and Manslayer and Noisy-throat and Tall. That encounter was the death of many hundred rakshasas and monkeys, but at last the rakshasas drew back; like water rushing through a broken dyke they melted away and entered Lanka.

  But soon came Bigbelly and Threeheads, fighters with mountains and flaming maces; and the Prince Indrajit, the son of Ravana, came riding on a chariot with a magic figure of Sita, and he rode up and down the field, holding her by the hair and striking her, and he cut her down in the sight of all the monkey host. Hanuman, believing in the false show, stayed the battle and brought the news to Rama, and Rama fell down, like a tree cut off at the root.

  But Ravana’s brother, who had deserted the evil cause, spoke up and said: “It is a device.”

  Then Rama rose, and Lakshman with him, and took the force of the battle themselves, to come at Prince Indrajit. And it is said that the ancestors and gods, the birds and snakes, protected Lakshman from all shafts so that he could attain his purpose. He took an arrow, and prayed to its indwelling god: “If Rama be the first of all men in heroism, then slay this son of Ravana.” And drawing the straight-speeding arrow to his ear he loosed it, and it severed Indrajit from his head, and all the rakshasas, seeing their captain slaughtered, cast down their arms and fled. And all the monkeys rejoiced, for no rakshasa hero remained alive save Ravana himself.

  Bitterly Ravana grieved for his son.

  “The triple worlds, and this earth with all its forests, seem to me vacant,” he cried, “since you, my hero child, have gone to the abode of Yama. You should have performed my funeral rites, not I yours.”

  And Ravana determined to slay Sita for revenge, but a wise one of his court said, “You may not slay a woman, but when Rama is dead, then shall you possess her.”

  Ravana went with Bigbelly and Squinteye and Fatflank to the battle, followed by the last of the demon army.

  “I
shall make an end of Rama and Lakshman,” said Ravana.

  Nor could the monkeys stand before him, but were destroyed like flies in fire, and therewith both armies joined again, and there was deadly play on either hand, and either army shrank like a pond in summer.

  Now Bigbelly and Squinteye and Fatflank were hewn down, but Ravana came on, and scattering the monkeys right and left.

  He stayed not ere he came to Rama and Lakshman. He took his way where Rama stood aside, with great eyes like the petals of the lotus, long of arm, unconquerable, holding a bow so huge it seemed to be painted on the sky.

  Rama set arrows to the bow and drew the string, so that a thousand rakshasas died of terror when they heard it twang; and there began a deadly battle between the foes.

  Those arrows pierced Ravana like hooded snakes, and fell hissing to the ground, but Ravana lifted up a dreadful asura weapon, and let fly at Rama a shower of arrows having the faces of lions and tigers, and some with gaping mouths like wolves. Rama answered these with shafts faced like the sun and stars, like meteors or lightning flashes, destroying the shafts of Ravana.

  Then Ravana fought with a rudra shaft, irresistible and flaming, hung with eight noisy bells. It struck Lakshman, and he fell, nor could any monkey draw the shaft out of him. Rama stooped and drew it forth and broke it in twain.

  “Now,” said Rama, “is the time appointed come at last. Today I shall accomplish a deed of which all men and gods and every world shall tell as long as the earth supports a living creature. Today is my sorrow’s end, and all that for which I have laboured shall come to pass.”

  Then Rama set his mind upon the battle, but Hanuman went to Himalaya and brought the Mount of Healing Herbs for Lakshman, and made Lakshman to smell its savour, so that he rose up whole and well.

  Rama mounted upon his chariot, and seemed to light the whole world with his splendour. But Ravana loosed at him a rakshasa weapon, and its golden shafts, with fiery faces vomiting flames, poured over Rama from every side and changed to venomous serpents.