Sampathi asked his brother, “I can see you are fast my brother, but tell me, what can you do with your speed?”
Jatayu told his brother, “I will swoop down like a bolt of lightning and catch a fish with each of my talons.” Jatayu accomplished this task with ease to the astonishment of his older brother. Sampathi followed suit to avoid being outdone, and he too dove down effortlessly and caught a fish in each talon.
Jatayu was desperate to prove that he could best his older brother in some form or fashion. He challenged his brother to one final task, one that would prove who is superior. Jatayu told his brother the plan, “We will see which of us rules the sky. We will fly as high as the Heavens where the gods themselves reside. May the highest eagle win!”
Sampathi had always been curious to view the Heavens and he loved to compete against Jatayu. So without further ado, the two brothers soared high into the sky to begin the journey upward. They flew higher every minute, but this journey was not quick. Jatayu playfully asked, “Are we there yet?” every minute or two just to pester his older brother. Sampathi was about to kick his brother in the tail feathers, but they were quickly approaching the Heavens. Sampathi became distracted and quickly forgot about his pesky brother.
Off in the distance they caught a glimpse of the sun god. They called out and flew toward him. The sun god was not pleased to see two eagles here in his domain. He warned them to return down to earth or suffer the consequences. Sampathi realized the severity of the situation and told his brother, “It is time we leave this place and return home.” However, Jatayu was determined to prove he was superior, no matter the cost. The sun god was displeased with this defiance and began to channel his energy and send forth a solar flare of great magnitude to destroy the trespassers. Sampathi saw what was about to strike them both. He took off with tremendous speed towards his brother with the hope he might save his life. Just as the solar flare was about to strike Jatayu, Sampathi came between his brother and his imminent destruction. He spread his wings as far as they would stretch to shield his younger brother. Sampathi created a great shadow for his brother to hide in. Jatayu left unscathed but his brother Sampathi barely survived the encounter. His feathers were burnt off his body and his flesh was black as night. Without his feathers he fell from the Heavens at such a great speed that his brother could not see where his body had landed. Jatayu searched for his brother for the rest of his life, but could never repay the sacrifice Sampathi had made for him.
Bald Eagle
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Author’s Note:
I chose to tell the story of Jatayu and Sampathi. It was meant to resemble a bedtime story you might tell to two little boys who are brothers. I do not have a brother, but I have a younger sister very close in age and I know how competitive siblings can be.
I wanted to keep the main plot points. Since the original story did not have many details, it was easy to create a more interesting tale. I like having the freedom to add more to a story without rewriting the main parts. I really liked this story because Sampathi protected his brother. I would do the same for my younger sister. Siblings can drive you crazy, but you will still do everything in your power to save them from themselves.
I added dialogue to show the camaraderie and competition between Sampathi and Jatayu. Reading the interaction between the two brothers makes the story more believable and helps the reader understand why Jatayu would not back down from reaching the Heavens. I considered having Jatayu find Sampathi, but the original ending makes it more of a cautionary tale.
I chose a picture of a bald eagle because they are regal and strong creatures.
Bibliography- "When the rains cease"Narayan, R. K. (1972) The Ramayana
