Story Telling Week 5

Daniel Sits Down

I remember now, I remember what the preacher was saying. Let’s go back to that moment, see there I am again, wait was it raining last time, well anyway that doesn’t matter right now, listen to the preacher this is important,

“…and Daniel was a very godly man, and he was placed in this pit because that is what happened to them in those days, they were chastised and beaten and spit on by the people all because they believed. Now I know most of you know that the lions wouldn’t eat Daniel, but have you ever heard the real reason why Daniel was safe? Didn’t think so, well there is a story that most preachers don’t tell, but the next time you meet a non believer and they throw your belief’s into your face and ask them for proof remember this story. 

See brothers and sisters, when Daniel was thrown into the pit with the lions he was not alone. He was with his brother and another believer, and old man. Daniel was prepared to die, but he was afraid, not for his life but for the life of his brother and friend, and the crowd roared with their blood thirsty screams and chants. So loud that it shook the ground beneath Daniels feet. They screamed ‘Christian’ over and over again because that is what they called us. It was a dirty term, almost like some of the four letter words that people use today to describe one another. The lions paced behind their cage waiting for the doors to be opened to the pit so they could indulge in their meal. Their large teeth stained red from Christian blood. Daniels looked around and saw the people and felt the ground and smelled the breath of the lions and new his time was at hand. He fell to his knees and began to pray. When the lions were released they charged towards Daniel and the crowd's roars became even louder, so loud in fact that the foundation of the stands began to crack from the vibrations. Still Daniel just remained still in his prayer on his knees unmoved by everything. The lions charged closer until they were with in leaping distance. One lion leaped towards Daniel with his paws extended and claws still full of the flesh of former Christians aimed at the throat of Daniel. His blood stained teeth grew farther apart as his large jaws opened ready to devour Daniel whole. Closer he came until he was almost on top of Daniel, still Daniel did not move, though the lion did, yes the lion was thrown 300 feet into the sky and traveled so far that he when he landed he was no longer in the pit. The other lions stopped bewildered by what just happened, the crowd grew silent, still Daniel did not move, he just continued to pray. The brother of the lion began to circle Daniel, and soon this lion charged to make a meal out of this helpless pray, and this lion was struck dead. From the back of the pack of lions came a heart stopping roar, not the type of roar that is meant to scare, but rather the roar of a mother that has just lost two of her cubs. Still Daniel did not move. The mother cat came forward, she could here one of her cubs off in the distance crying in pain, while her eyes gazed upon the motionless body of her dead cub.

Did you know that lions can cry? Well they can, because from her eyes tears began to flow down the face of the mother cub, so many tears of pain that a puddle began to form on the ground. The crowd remained silent and looked on with horror at what this Christian had done to the poor lions. Their hearts broke for the momma lion and soon they began to grow hungry for vengeance and began to yell for the mother lion to strike down this Christian. The momma lion’s tears of loss soon turned into tears of rage and she too tried to attack Daniel only to fail and join her lifeless cub. The crowd became silent, the lions stared at Daniel in bewilderment, and then Daniel finally moved. He stood up, and the lions sat down, he walked to them and placed his hands on their head in mercy and began to pet them as one would pet a puppy. The crowd sat in silence as Daniel and his friends and family walked out of the pit and onto the street to freedom. 

Do you know why this happened brothers and sisters? It was because Daniel had faith. That’s right he had faith, not just in God but in God’s plan for his life. In life we run into problems when we do not follow our path, and we try to avoid the things that God has planned for us. Daniel was a great man, but the greatest thing he ever did was surrender. He was facing his death and he accepted that if this is his time to die then it is his time. Living your life like this is freeing. So the next time that someone walks up and tells you to give them proof you just look them in the eye, remember Daniel and tell them…”

Oh so that is what the preacher was saying, I couldn’t remember, seems like useless information for what is going on but for some reason I know it will come in handy later. Sorry to make you sit through that but I know I needed to remember it. We need to get back to the dealership something is about to happen that changes every thing. I need you to see it and to witness it so that you can stop Joshua Peavey from destroying the universes.

Author's Notes

This is a retelling of Thataka and her son's battle with Rama. I changed quite a bit of the story and I know that Rama kills Thataka first and then her son's seek revenge but the main thing I think was important was to keep with the spirit of the story about destiny. So yes I took some artistic license but I believe I told this part of my story so that as a whole the reader can look at it and say I recognize that part of the story as Thataka and her son's. Also most of you have commented on the all over nature of my stories and to that I would like to offer an explanation. Every story is part of a larger whole, this is not just a retelling of individual stories I am telling from this weeks reading but rather this is a complete rethink and retelling of the Ramayana so a lot of it won't make sense to read as an individual entry, it is important to read each storytelling post so that you don't feel like you are just thrown into the story with out any background to what is happening. I hope this clears up any of the confusion.

Bibliography

Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana. New Delhi: Vision, 1987. Print.

Attribution

"Daniel-In-The-Den-Of-Lions FrancoisVerdier" by François Verdier - http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/Francois-Verdier/Daniel-In-The-Den-Of-Lions.html. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Daniel-In-The-Den-Of-Lions_FrancoisVerdier.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Daniel-In-The-Den-Of-Lions_FrancoisVerdier.jpg

Reading Diary 5

The battle is different, everyone dies in this version, everyone dies, oh wait it was just a vision.

The Rakshaha are given more power in this version, they are not just overpowered like in the other version.

Again it is hunaman that is a key figure in this portion of the story.

The bear believes that if he dies the army dies.

Dharma is talked about.

Lakshmana's single battle is told in this version in greater detail.

In this version I wouldn't describe Ravana as evil so much as misguided.

Ravana and the old man is a story that I don't remember in the last version I read.

Suka is another character that is more detailed in this version.

Ravana's letter changes this story, and brings to the forefront the back story of Rama and reincarnation. Ravana becomes a very sympathetic character at this point.

Rama seems to accept Sita instantly in this version but there could be more.

Hunaman and Bharata, i did not know must have missed it in both versions but Rama had to return before Bharata killed himself.

When Rama returns he is greeted by Bharata which is described like a scene from the bible. the story or jesus washing the beggars feet.

The hunch back asks Sita for forgiveness. Still this part seems to go away from karma or Dharma because the hunch back is told that his betrayal of Rama was good because it freed the men and gods from Ravana. So the hunchback's actions were not negative?

The people are the ones that questions Sita and make Rama doubt her. So it s at this point that she is shunned. In the last versions he was shunned before this so once again same story but different ways of telling the story. Rama orders her to be abandoned.....I think the other version made more sense but once again Dharma is brought up.

Reading Diary A

Hunaman is a huge figure in this version of the story. In the previous version he played a major role also but in this version there he is even bigger.

The Search for Sita in this story is more in depth than the last story which I think is not needed. In this version Buck expands on the entire search, but I like the previous version better because the story is better served if Buck had focused only on Hunaman, instead of the rest of the search.

In both versions the monkeys spend time with the lady before Hunaman travels across the lake. I am not sure what this is supposed to represent, and not sure why this is here. I think both versions could have left this part out.

In this version Hunaman Jumps across the body of water, in the previous version he grew and stepped across the version, doesn't make that much of a difference but it is another way that Buck distinguishes his version. Seems to be room for a lot of interpretation in this story.

Sita in captivity is much the same as the last version, but one difference is that Sita only has one year to live.

The description of the city as Hunaman travels through it searching for Sita really brings the city alive.

Buck does a good job of giving us the inner thoughts of the characters which adds elements to this version that were glossed over in the first version and example of this is when Hunaman finds Sita. He whispers to her to get her attention. The story gives his inner thoughts which explains why he is whispering to her. In this version of the story characters actions seem thought out, and there is an awareness of the consequences of their actions, in the previous version it seemed like the characters just did things and then the consequences happened.

Another example of this is when Hunaman is captured and has his tail set on fire. He travels through the city and sets fire to it. In the previous version he just set fire to it and went across the water, but in this version he looks at the damage he had done and begins to realize that he may have hurt Sita and before he leaves goes to check on her, still if he has the power to grow and she trusts him and he is able to escape then why doesn't he just grab her on his way out and take her back to Rama. It would avoid the entire war. I doubt that Ravana would follow because by this point it is mainly pride that keeps him from returning her.