Reading Notes: Divine Archer, Part A

The Divine Archer by F.J. Gould

- "For four weeks the sun forgot to set, and he beamed on the city where the four babes ... were born" (Gould 3)

- "Anklets tinked on his ankles. A row of tiger's claws were hung across his breast, and a necklace of gems with a charm fastened to it enriched his neck. Curls adorned his head. Clad in wee yellow drawers, the little Indian prince crawled and played ..." (Gould 4)

- "'I know of a surety that there comes hither a lady whom I shall love beyond all things else in the world'" (Gould 11)

- "Angels danced in the sky. The gods rained down gay flowers, and the kettle-drums rolled in heaven; and on earth the citizens made noises with cymbals, drums, conch-shells, clarions, and sackbuts; and women sang songs (14)

- "'Holy sir,' said Lakshman, 'do not blow at me as if I could be puffed away" (15)

- "'Now I understand,' said the queen with a frown, 'why my right eye keeps throbbing, and I have bad dreams at night'" (21)

- the sulking chamber: "... Dasharatha hastened to the dark room. By a dim lamp, he saw his queen lying on the floor, her dress being old and coarse, and her hair all wild" (22) I love how dramatic this is.

- "So passed his night in grief, and the music still rang in the streets, but there was no music in the king's heart" (23)

- "and she clung to his feet - his lotus feet - and wept much..." (25) What an odd description!

- "The very trees withered, and the horses, elephants, and birds seemed to feel the loss of a prince who had been the friend of every citizen and every dumb creature in Ayodhya" (26)

- "'Lady,' said the great river, 'you will all return in safety and again cross my waves'" (28) I included a talking body of water in one of my stories!

- "They bade me lead them to the place of the dead, and, with trembling hands poured funeral water over the body, crooned a holy song of farewell, and dropped many a tear" (31)

- "Little did Maricha care for the task, for he knew the power of Rama; but he also knew the power of Ravan the Ten-Headed and so he consented ..." (40) Interesting character reveal here for Maricha.

- "And ah! bitter, bitter, thrice bitter was the fate that fell on Sita for her fault" (41)

The Archer (Source: Flickr)

 Bibliography: The Divine Archer by F.J. Gould. Website: Internet Archive.