Storytelling Week 5 Trapped in a Cave

                                                                 Trapped in a Cave


Vali was confident, mean, and always ready to fight.  He looked down on everyone.  He did not have many friends because of this.  The only person he truly respected was himself.  Many viewed this as extemely pathetic.  When the buffalo demon challenged him to a fight, there was no way he was turning that down.  He always had to prove he was the best of the best.  He could never let someone else win the battle.  He had way too much pride for that.  As usual, Vali won the fight.  This was no surprise to anyone.  He slaughtered the buffalo demon and threw its corpse towards Rishyamuka hill.  He showed zero mercy for the buffalo demon.  He was simply dirt at the bottom of his shoe.  The corpse polluted the altar of the sage Matanga.  This was a huge mistake on Vali's part.  Vali was then cursed by Matanga because of this.  Matanga would never allow Vali to come near his house again.  In the future, this would become a major problem for Vali. 

Mayavi wanted revenge for his father's death and decided to challenge Vali to fight.  Once again, Vali was not going to pass up a fight.  He could kill Mayavi just like he did everyone else.  He got ready and then told Mayavi he was ready to beign fighting.  He chased Mayavi into a cave to finish him.  He then insisted Sugriva to wait outside for him.  Sugriva waited and waited and there was no sign of Vali.  He thought for sure Vali was dead so he sealed the cave shut.  He did not have a single worry.   

After the long battle, Vali was beyond ready to leave the cave.  That battle gave him quite the workout!  As he approached the exit, he noticed it was sealed shut.  He was extremely angry!  Vali was not a very forgiving man.  He had to think of an awful punishment for him.  He decided he would send Sugriva into exile.  Sugriva could not get away with this.  He thought of another way he could punish Sugriva.  Vali even decided he would keep his wife Ruma a prisoner as well.  Vali was evil for using this as his method of revenge.  But don't you worry, Vali will not get away with his actions for too much longer.  Little did he know, karma would come bite him in the butt soon enough. 

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Authors Note:
I found Vali to be an interesting character so I decided to base my story on him.  I took this story from Buck's Ramayana and made it into my own.  

Bibliography:
Buck, William, and Vālmīki. Ramayana:. Berkeley: U of California, 1976. Print.

Reading Diary B Week 5

I thought Vali was a very interesting character in this reading block of Buck's Ramayana. 

• He is ill mannered
• He is easily angered
• He liked to fight
• He killed the buffalo demon
• This polluted Matanga's alter
• He was cursed by Matanga and not permitted to return to the hill again
• Dundhuvi's son Mayavi wanted to avenge his father's death and challenged Vali to a fight
• Sugriva accidentally locked Vali in the cave
• When he got out he was extremely furious and sent Sugriva into exile from the monkey kingdom
• Vali would go out looking for fights
• He kept Sugriva's wife prisoner
• Sugriva and Hanuman fled and went to the hill for safety where Vali was not permitted to go
• Sugriva challenges Vali to a fight
• Vali does not listen to his wife when she says to be careful
• Rama shoots Vali while he is in a fight with Sugriva
• Before he dies, his last wish he asks Angada to help Rama

Reading Diary A Week 5

I found the character Agastya to be very interested in Buck's version of Ramayana. 

• He is a small man
• Rama, Lakshmana and Sita come to Agata'shermitage
• He is famous for lowering the heights of Vindhya hills
• He is also the sage who put a stop to the two demon brothers Vatapi and Ilwala. 
• He warned Rama about the Dandaka forest dangers
• He knows so much about the forest and is extremely knowledgeable 
• He tries to prepare Rama for his travels
• He gave Rama a better bow
•  There is no one else like Agastya