Indian Epics Spring 2018

        On one mid-summer morning, a naked woman emerged from the woods from behind Mr. Whittaker's home. She crouched in his little garden to gorge on strawberries. When Mr. Whittaker saw this through the window, he immediately called for the police. The juice from the strawberries dripped down her face, making it look like she'd been drinking blood. Long black hair flowed down her back, unbound and matted. The police came to take her to a hospital, but she fought them intensely, clawing and biting. She screamed and growled like a wild beast.         The consensus at the hospital was that she was a physically healthy young woman, likely in her early 20's. Her mental health, however, could not be estimated due to her utter and complete lack of cooperation. She had to be restrained or sedated at all times or else she wreaked havoc on the hospital. Later, she was transferred to a mental hospital where a psychiatrist took special interest in her cas...

Edit: This story has been transferred to my  Portfolio . Click  here  to view the most up to date version.         There was once a king who very much enjoyed hunting. He spent many days in the forests and wilderness of his kingdom. On one occasion, he spotted a particularly large and beautiful deer. His heart was dead set on conquering the creature. The king urged his horse faster and faster, racing after the deer beyond his companions. At the very last moment, the king saw a chasm ahead and yanked the reins. He and his horse skidded to a halt just before falling over the cliff. The deer had not been so lucky and laid at the bottom, still alive but gravely injured.         The king looked down at the creature he had been determined to kill, and his heart broke. He could not kill the animal now that it had been wounded. It wouldn’t be proper sport since he had an unfair advantage. But he also couldn’t leave the animal to di...

Edit: This story has been transferred to my Portfolio . Click  here to view the most up to date version.         All who knew Gria and Rahim were envious of their relationship. They seemed very happy with one another, and they were joyful for a time. But, shortly after Gria became pregnant with their first child, she seemed grave. She did not eat or sleep. Many thought it was due to a bad pregnancy. In fact, the child was stillborn. After this, Gria’s mood seemed to return to normal. Rahim was upset about losing the baby, but he was happy that he had his wife back. Many months after this, Gria became pregnant again. Once more, her mood plummeted and the child was born dead.         This cycle repeated for seven children total. Gria recovered fully after each loss, but Rahim grew more tired and depressed. He could not understand how his wife was so unaffected. After all, she was the one who carried the children inside of her for months...

        Once, there was a young woman named Kumba who lived a very hard life. Her story begins with a man. He was very handsome and a king. He promised Kumba expensive gifts and his endless love. She of course adored him. They spoke of marriage and a future together. After a time, Kumba became pregnant. She did not worry because she knew her love would marry her and they would start their lives together. But, when she told the man of his unborn child, his expression was cold and stony. He told her he would have nothing to do with the baby and had her physically removed from his palace as she cried.         Kumba’s family was very proud and moral. They did not know of her affair or the child. So, she had the child in secret and hid her pregnancy from everyone. When the child was born, it could not have been more perfect. The little boy did not cry but smiled up at his mother right after birth. Kumba wept but knew the child could not stay wit...

        For thirteen years, Kings Amari and Khalil waged war. The fighting had begun when King Amari’s sister, the princess, was mysteriously killed by thieves while traveling in Khalil’s kingdom. Amari made the assumption that the other king must have organized this assassination. Khalil was offended by the theory and the two began to inflict their wrath on the other.         Thousands of soldiers died in the battles they waged. Citizens were taxed and forced to join the fighting. At first, most of the residents didn’t mind this. The princess who died had been kind and very giving to the people while she was alive. They wanted to see her avenged. King Khalil’s people were outraged at the accusations and taunts from the other kingdom. But over time, both sides grew tired. Most had forgotten why the war was even started. Only the kings remained determined in their rage.          King Amari had a single son wh...

        My sister, Adeline, and I were born into a very wealthy family. Our father was often gone for work and when he was home, he was not always a kind man. He often made our mother cry. But, because of him, we lived very cushioned lives and wanted for nothing. We had servants and maids and nannies. Our closets were filled with clothes and shiny shoes. The playroom was always stocked full of sparkling new toys and dolls.         With this wealth came certain expectations for our family. Us girls were to always look our best and could only play with the children of other well-off families. This never bothered me much, but Addie fought it hard. She liked to play with the poor boys in town. I can't remember how many times our nanny would drag her home by the ear with Adeline's clothes and shoes ruined with mud.         As we got older, my sister got in trouble less often. But this was not because she did only as she was t...

Edit: This story has been transferred to my  Portfolio . Click  here  to view the most up to date version.         In the Kingdom of Thallos, the streets were flooded with its residents and guests from all around. People of all ages crowded about, swathed in the finest of cloths and covered with jewels. The prince of the kingdom had recently come of age, and he had proposed a trial to determine who might be worthy of his marrying. The prince was very moral and kind. He knew many women might be deceitful so that they might share his power and wealth. He decided that his future wife needed to be put to the test before he chose her for his partner.         The kingdom was well known for something special. A great fire burned in a pit in the courtyard of the palace. But this flame was special, for it burned continuously. A strike of lightning had erupted the pit, and the inferno continued to burn there for years despite snow or rain...

Edit: This story has been transferred to my Portfolio . Click here to view the most up to date version.         When Ravana and Mandodari were young, they fell in love at first sight. She was beautiful and he was strong. As time went on, Mandodari noticed her husband’s weakness for other women. Though she was lovely and good, he wanted to be with more than one woman. So he married a second wife. But this was not enough. He married a third and a fourth. Ravana could never have enough wives and lovers despite the fact that his queen was the most beautiful, kind, and intelligent of them all. She stood by him and loved him despite all of this.         Then, he set his eyes upon a married woman–Sita. He kidnapped her from her husband, Rama, and brought her to his domain to rape and defile her. This was too much for Mandodari. She begged Ravana to let the girl go and return her to Rama. He refused to listen to her. When Sita consistently refused to ...

        Once, there was a farmer and his wife. On this farm, there were cows, horses, chickens, and pigs, but there were no children. The couple found happiness in their work and had great love for one another, but there was a gap in their lives that they could not fill. Try as they might, they could not have children. The wife was especially depressed by this. She longed for the joy of motherhood. The farmer wished for a child as well, but he also worried who would take care of them when they grew old. They experimented with many natural remedies and prayers to all kinds of gods of different religions.         On a particularly dreary morning, an old witch wandered out of the woods and knocked on the couple’s door. The farmer’s wife, a very kind woman, allowed her in and offered some food. The witch gratefully accepted. When she had finished eating, she looked gravely at the wife’s stomach.          “Something is...

        I met Janine in a bar less than a year ago. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. She had this long blonde hair that looked impossibly soft. The second I saw her I knew I had to know her. For some reason, she was just as enraptured with me. Within a few months we were married. I never thought I was the kind of person to rush into a marriage, but I felt it was right and so did she. I'd never been so in love before.         Not long after that, I started to notice things that were odd. Janine would get out of bed in the middle of the night and not come back for hours. When I asked her about it, she claimed she had forgotten to do something for work and was on her laptop in the next room so as not to disturb me. The next time it happened, I checked the whole house for her, but she was gone. I didn't question her though. I thought there must be some kind of explanation. It was like I was under her spell and she could do no wrong...