Week 6 Storytelling Post

Madoc stooped low in the cave, peering at the glint of metal that lay in the darkness. It was a ring. Curious. And even more curious still, there seemed to be a voice emanating from that ring!

"Do not pick up this ring. If you don this ring without first answering my question, you will not survive."

Squinting, Madoc leaned in closer to inspect the ring. Surely there was no way this could be true! A ring could not speak! And if it could, this was no ordinary ring. But in his situation, being lost in a cave, the only light source emanating from this very ring, he had little choice. He picked up the ring and slipped it on, hoping that it's light would lead him from the cave.

But the ring had spoken true because as soon as the ring settled on his finger, he dropped dead, the ring flying from his finger to rest beside him. 

****

Sometime later, Madoc's brother, Men, arrived in the cave, as he was also lost. He saw the ring glowing in the darkness and, following the same train of thought as his brother, stooped to pick up the ring, hoping it would lead him to his brothers and out of the cave. His hand reached out, but before he could touch the ring, the same voice resonated through the cave.

"Do not pick up this ring. If you don this ring without first answering my question, you will not survive."

At the sound of the voice, Men retracted his hand in surprise, but upon hearing the voice's warning, he scoffed. Rings could not speak. This was obviously a trick or perhaps someone did not want him to escape this cave, for he had many enemies. He reached out again, his hand enclosing itself around the ring. He placed the ring on his finger, and just as it settled, he caught sight of his brother and knew this was no trick. He died immediately, ring falling back into it's original position in the middle of the cave.

****

Finally, Raryn arrived in the chamber in which he had heard his brothers' cries. He saw the ring in the middle of the cavern and stooped to inspect it, just as his brothers had done. He heard the same, ominous voice repeat the same message. 

"Do not pick up this ring. If you don this ring without first answering my question, you will not survive."

Unlike his brothers, he was wary. Squinting into the darkness, he noticed the bodies of his two brothers. 

"Who is it that demands answers," he called into the darkness. "I will provide what answers I can, but I must know who asks this of me and who claimed my brothers' lives." 

Where once there was only a ring, there now stood a wizened old man. He stood tall and proud, strong despite his obvious age. "I am Dharma. Answer my question and I shall give you whatever you wish."

Raryn inspected the figure, trying to decipher his purpose, but he could not find one. "Okay, I accept your offer, Dharma. What is it that you would ask me?"

"What strengthens with age and gives man power over another?' the figure asked.

Raryn thought for a moment and, considering what he knew of Dharma, only one word came to mind. "Wisdom," he replied.

The figure smiled and spread his arms wide and the cavern was illuminated. "That is correct, what would you ask of me?"

"I would ask that my brothers were give life again and," Raryn thought of their enemies and of their banishment before finishing, "And I would ask that we be unrecognizable to those who look upon us."

Dharma nodded, "It is done."

As Raryn watched, his brothers gasped in a breath simultaneously and began struggling to their feet. He turned back to Dharma, but he was gone. 

Ring photo taken by bandita found on Flickr

Author's Notes

I was having a hard time with this storytelling post because the creative juices just weren't flowing, but then I read back over my notes from the readings this week and saw the story of the riddles and immediately thought of the Hobbit. I kind of crossed the two worlds together and put the characters from the Mahabharata into the setting of Middle Earth and changed the pond to a ring that would help them escape the cave. Madoc is meant to be Arjuna, Men is meant to be Bhima, and Raryn is Yudhishthira. I put their names in this Middle-Earth name generator thing so I could come up with creative names to fit the setting. I did not change Dharma's name because I thought it was too important for the story and I wanted to keep the god connotation that accompanies his name. I also had a hard time coming up with a riddle, so I just decided on a very simple question who's answer in this context is wisdom, which seemed fitting. 

Week 6 Reading Diary B: PDE Mahabharata

1. Krishna answered a message of war from Duryodhana.

2. Yuyutsu, Duryodhana's half brother left the Kauravas and joined the war on the side of the Pandavas. 

3. Bhishma was a powerful warrior and many believed the advantage lay with Duryodhana because of this. He turned the tide of the battle with the Pandavas and for a long time, the Kauravas were winning. His charioteer was killed and this turned the tide of the battle.

4. The six Gandhari swore to kille Iravat, Arjuna's son. Iravat killed five of them, but the fifth killed him.

5. Bhima's demon son, Ghatotkacha sought vengeance for Iravat's death.

6. Bhishma swore not to kill anyone born a woman, so Krishna suggested that Shikhandin go fight Bhishma with Arjuna. Arjuna did not want to win by another's hand, but he finally decided to fight with Sikhandin. Arjuna shot Bhishma with his arrows while he was distracted. Arjuna was very sad at the death of Bhishma. Bhishma asked that the Pandavas and Kauravas make peace, but Duryodhana was too angry. He did not die until the war had ended.

7. Arjuna's son was trapped behind the enemy line and the Pandavas went after him. Abhimanyu was wounded and could not see so Duhshasana's son killed him while he was distracted. Jayadratha stopped the Pandavas from going to rescue him and Arjuna swore to kill him. 

8. Arjuna killed him and cut of his head in battle.

9. Ghatotkacha fought Karna and used illusions to try to distract him, but he died in battle with the invincible dart Indra gave Karna. 

10. Bhima killed an elephant named Ashwatthaman, the name of Drona's son, and called that Ashwatthaman was dead. Drona asked Yudhishthira if this was true, and he told him it was, whispering that it was an elephant each time he did so. Drona forgot about his divine weapons and Dhrishtadyumna attacked Drona. The Pandava general cut off Drona's head.

11. Bhima fought Suhshsana and cut off his head and drank his blood for what he had done to Draupadi. 

12. Arjuna and Karna met in battle. Arjuna shot off Karna's head with an arrow and killed his brother. The Kauravas fled in fear.

13. Bhima and Duryodhana fought and Bhima broke his knee and kicked his head. This was considered to be against the rules, but was forgiven because of what Duryodhana did to the Pandavas and Draupadi.

Duryodhana and Bhima fight photo found on Wikimedia Commons

14. Duryodhana gave Ashwatthaman permission to attack the Pandavas while they were sleeping. Shiva was at the gates, though, so he set up an altar to worship him but he had nothing to sacrifice so he threw himself in the flames. Shiva took control of his body. He fought and killed Draupadi's brother and five sons. 

This came from the public domain version of the Mahabharata. 

Week 6 Reading Diary A: PDE Mahabarata

1. Surya gave Yudhishthira a copper pot that was always filled with food after he prayed to him for assistance.

2. Bhima would carry them when they grew tired and they were very religious and performed all their devotions while they were in the forest. 

3. Draupadi was upset because her husbands did not protect her when she was claimed by Duryodhana. She discussed this with Krishna and he said not to worry because the wives of those who wronged her would soon be crying over their dead husbands. Yudhishthira talked with Bhima and Bhima called him weak for not fighting Duryodhana.

4. Yudhishthira talked to a holy man who said that if Arjuna went to the mountains he would be undefeatable and that he would defeat all the enemies. The Great God fought with Arjuna after months of fasting and praying and granted Arjuna with great weapons.

5. Arjuna went to Indra (his father's) great city. Arjuna was cursed there to live unnoticed with women as a musician and dancer. He was worried, but Indra said it would be a good thing. He became very talented at music and dance. 

6. Bhima met Hanuman in the forest and learned that they were both sons of Vayu. They discussed many things, including the tales of Rama, and parted as very close due to their relationship.

7. Karna swore to kill Arjuna. He received an invincible dart in exchange for his armor and earrings. Karna was no longer invincible, but he had a hidden weapon that was a secret.

Indra and Karna photo found on Wikimedia Commons

8. Arjuna and Bhima drank from the pool, but they did not answer the voice that told them they must answer a question first. They both died immediately upon drinking. When Yudhishthira came to the pool, he asked who the voice was and they answered that they were a yaksha. He answered each of the questions posed until the voice was revealed to be Dharma. He asked for his brothers to be alive and them not to be recognizable for a year.

9. Their exile ends after 13 years

10. Kunti told Karna that he was her and Surya's son. She said that he shouldn't work with Duryodhana against his relatives. He said that he had the power to kill his four brothers but he wouldn't.