Storytelling for week 9: The Ultimate Marksman

Arjuna raced through the forest, dodging branches and giant plants. He held up his bow and an arrow sliced the air, hitting the middle of his target.  A log came crashing towards him and Arjuna narrowly side stepped to avoid it. He continued on his training path through difficult terrain with seemingly impossible targets for any marksman. He completed this course with ease regardless of the level of difficulty. His weapons trainer Drona watched in awe as he completed a course no other student had before. He knew his student would be great.

Drona walked over to Arjuna with a blank look on his face. “No other student has ever shown more promise.” Arjuna thanked the Guru and went on with his training late into the night.

One month later, Arjuna had just finished his training for the day. He stayed late to clean his weapons while Drona left to go bathe in the river. Arjuna walked home for the evening when he crossed a bridge over the river. Arjuna heard a loud cry for help that he could not easily recognize. With bow in hand, he bolted towards the voice he heard down the river. As he passed a bend in the river, he caught sight of a massive crocodile with his jaws around a man. It appeared as though the man was holding the beast’s jaws open just enough to keep from being torn to shreds. Arjuna was a great distance away when he heard his name. The voice sounded familiar.

“Arjuna!” the man shouted. “Do not come any closer for I fear you too will become devoured by this great monster.”

Arjuna then realized it was Drona who was trapped in the jaws of this beast. He replied, “I will not come any closer but I will slay him from here.”

While the crocodile was thrashing around, Arjuna had to be very careful not to hit Drona with his arrow by mistake. There was very little room for error. He recalled his training where he was hitting difficult targets while dodging obstacles. This could not be any different from his training. He drew his arrow and visualized his target. In between his breaths at his natural pause, he let loose his first arrow. He hit his mark and severed the crocodile’s tail completely. Drona watched it float down the river in excitement but the crocodile howled in agony. Arjuna quickly pulled four more arrows from his quiver and fired them all in unison. Each arrow struck the reptile on each of its limbs, pinning the creature to the bank of the river. However, he would not release Drona from within his jaws.

 Drona called out to Arjuna, “Finish him quickly for my strength is dwindling.” 

Arjuna fired one last arrow that pierced the neck of the once mighty crocodile. The jaws of the beast finally relaxed and Drona fell onto the sandy beach. The guru ripped the fatal arrow from the flesh of the slain creature. Drona crawled off the shore and gave Arjuna the last arrow that defeated the predator. Arjuna kept the arrow so he would never forget the day he defeated the great river beast.

Arjuna

Author’s note-  I wanted to focus more on detail and action than dialogue. There is a lot of opportunity for detailed action in this story. I liked having the opportunity to make the story my own through detail and action. I made up the introduction to show instead of tell how great Arjuna was. I got a lot of my inspiration from the show Arrow. It is a show based on a DC comic book character the Green Arrow. The scene in the introduction is similar to a scene in the show. I also had in mind scenes from Ninja Assassin when Drona was telling Arjuna that no one has ever shown more promise. I was imagining the ninja master saying that to his pupil just like the movie.

 I chose to write about Arjuna and this story because I love stories with archery and action. It was really neat that Arjuna actually saved his master in the story. I would think it would be the other way around.I thought I could incorporate both into my story. I tried to stick to the story but it was fairly easy due to the lack of detail in the original version. This is definitely one of my favorite stories yet and I had a lot of fun writing it.

Bibliography- “Enter the Players” Narayan, R.K. (1978) the Mahabharata. 13