Storytelling: The Mahabharata

Deep in the woods there was a man named Eka. Eka was a young man who lived in the woods his entire life. He knew nothing else other than the woods so all he could imagine about life was in the trees that surrounded him. The woods were his life. He loved every inch of them. As he grew up he traveled all around and up and down the various places that the trees could offer him, he met many wanders trading them directions for stories of the great and marvelous cities and the great men that dwelt within the walls. Though his fascination of the cities inspired him, Eka lived for the trees. As he grew up he learned he needed to be good with either a sword or a bow to ward off any dangerous predators that would come near him. Eka chose the way of the bow and as he grew up he practiced and practiced with the bow. For hours every day he would shoot, but he was not very good. He wanted to give up but he couldn’t do it, for his own life he had to get good with the bow.

One morning as the sun was coming up he heard a man walking through the forest whistling a tune as he went. Eka was curious, thinking that the man must be lost he went to him to offer directions, but as he looked upon the man’s face he felt a new sort of curiosity come over him. He had seen this man’s face before. He wasn’t someone who came walking through the woods, he never forgets the faces of the people he meets, he was a face on a picture that someone had given a long time ago.

“What’s your name stranger?” Eka yelled out to man strolling through his forest, “You need to some directions?” he yelled again but only silence was answered in return. “HEY!” Eka yelled even louder this time to get his attention as he ran over to the strange man. “What is your name and do you need directions?!?!” Eka yelled in the old mans face.

“My name is not of your business and no I do not need directions” the old man said to him in a calm manner and continued to walk on past Eka.

            “I wont have it, you are in my woods, I demand your name” Eka said sternly, “Why have I seen your face before on a picture with a bow and arrow” He questioned him.

            “Ooohh, so you are a bow man are you? My name is Dro, I am a master archer back in the city” Dro said in a still voice.

            “A bow master? Will you teach me? I have been practicing for years, and I need to be better while I live out here. Please, teach me!” Eka said eagerly to Dro.

            “No” Dro answered.

            “What do you mean ‘No’” Eka questioned.

            “I mean, no” and Dro walked away leaving Eka behind without another word.

Ekalavya Cutting Off His Thumb

Link to Photo

The Mahabharata

Link to Story

Authors Note:
I really enjoyed this part of the story so I wanted to focus my story on it. I wanted to make the story something kind of like Jungle book or Tarzan, so I made Ekalavya into a man who has only ever known the forest. I also just shortened the name of the characters so that I could make them a little easier.