Ramayana. Hanuman speaks with Sita.
Ravana came toward Sita, and when she saw him she trembled like a plantain-tree shaken by the wind, and hid her face and sobbed. Then he wooed her in every way, tempting her with wealth and power and comfort; but she refused him utterly, and foretold his death at Rama's hands. But Ravana waxed wood-wrath, and gave a two-month term, after which, if she yielded not, she should be tortured and slain; and leaving her to the horrid rakshasi guards with orders to break her will, Ravana returned with his wives to his apartment. Then Sita, shrinking from the horrible she-demons, threatening her with death and torture, and reviling Rama, crept to the foot of the Asoka tree where Hanuman was hidden.
Hanuman reflected that there was need for him to speak with Sita; but he feared to frighten her, or to attract the notice of the guard and bring destruction on himself, for, though he had might to slay the rakshasa host, he could not, if wearied out, return across the ocean. So he sat hidden in the branches of the tree and recited Rama's virtues and deeds, speaking in gentle tones, till Sita heard him. She caught her breath with fear and looked up into the tree, and saw the monkey; eloquent was he and humble, and his eyes glowed like golden fire. Then he came down out of the tree, ruddy-faced and humbly attired, and with joined palms spoke to Sita. Then she told him that she was Sita and asked for news of Rama, and Hanuman told her all that had befallen and spoke of Rama and Lakshman, so that she was wellnigh as glad as if she had seen Rama himself. But Hanuman came a lttle nearer, and Sita was much afraid, thinking him to be Ravana in disguise. He had much ado to persuade her that he was Rama's friend; but at last, when she beheld the signet-ring, it seemed to her as if she were already saved, and she was glad and sorry at once -- glad to know that Rama was alive and well, and sorry for his grief.
Then Hanuman suggested that he should carry Sita on his back across the sea to Rama. She praised his strength, but would not go with him, because she thought she might fall from his back into the sea, especially if the rakshasas followed them, and because she would not willingly touch any person but Rama, and because she desired that the glory of her resue and the destruction of the rakshasas should be Rama's. "But do thou speedily bring Rama hither," she prayed. Then Hanuman praised her wisdom and modesty, and asked for a token for Rama; and she told him of an adventure with a crow, known only to herself and Rama, that had befallen long ago at Chitrakuta, and she gave him a jewel from her hair, and sent a message to Rama and Lakshman, praying them to rescue her. Hanuman took the gem and, bowing to Sita, made ready to depart. Then Sita gave him another message for Rama, by which he might know surely that Hanuman had found her. "Tell him, 'One day my brow-spot was wiped away, and thou didst paint another with red earth -- thou shouldst remember this. And, O Rama, do thou come soon; for ten months have passed already since I saw thee, and I may not endure more than another month'; and good fortune go with thee, heroic monkey." she said.
Ravana came toward Sita, and when she saw him she trembled like a plantain-tree shaken by the wind, and hid her face and sobbed. Then he wooed her in every way, tempting her with wealth and power and comfort; but she refused him utterly, and foretold his death at Rama's hands. But Ravana waxed wood-wrath, and gave a two-month term, after which, if she yielded not, she should be tortured and slain; and leaving her to the horrid rakshasi guards with orders to break her will, Ravana returned with his wives to his apartment. Then Sita, shrinking from the horrible she-demons, threatening her with death and torture, and reviling Rama, crept to the foot of the Asoka tree where Hanuman was hidden.
Hanuman reflected that there was need for him to speak with Sita; but he feared to frighten her, or to attract the notice of the guard and bring destruction on himself, for, though he had might to slay the rakshasa host, he could not, if wearied out, return across the ocean. So he sat hidden in the branches of the tree and recited Rama's virtues and deeds, speaking in gentle tones, till Sita heard him. She caught her breath with fear and looked up into the tree, and saw the monkey; eloquent was he and humble, and his eyes glowed like golden fire. Then he came down out of the tree, ruddy-faced and humbly attired, and with joined palms spoke to Sita. Then she told him that she was Sita and asked for news of Rama, and Hanuman told her all that had befallen and spoke of Rama and Lakshman, so that she was wellnigh as glad as if she had seen Rama himself. But Hanuman came a lttle nearer, and Sita was much afraid, thinking him to be Ravana in disguise. He had much ado to persuade her that he was Rama's friend; but at last, when she beheld the signet-ring, it seemed to her as if she were already saved, and she was glad and sorry at once -- glad to know that Rama was alive and well, and sorry for his grief.
Then Hanuman suggested that he should carry Sita on his back across the sea to Rama. She praised his strength, but would not go with him, because she thought she might fall from his back into the sea, especially if the rakshasas followed them, and because she would not willingly touch any person but Rama, and because she desired that the glory of her resue and the destruction of the rakshasas should be Rama's. "But do thou speedily bring Rama hither," she prayed. Then Hanuman praised her wisdom and modesty, and asked for a token for Rama; and she told him of an adventure with a crow, known only to herself and Rama, that had befallen long ago at Chitrakuta, and she gave him a jewel from her hair, and sent a message to Rama and Lakshman, praying them to rescue her. Hanuman took the gem and, bowing to Sita, made ready to depart. Then Sita gave him another message for Rama, by which he might know surely that Hanuman had found her. "Tell him, 'One day my brow-spot was wiped away, and thou didst paint another with red earth -- thou shouldst remember this. And, O Rama, do thou come soon; for ten months have passed already since I saw thee, and I may not endure more than another month'; and good fortune go with thee, heroic monkey." she said.
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Ravana came toward Sita, and when she saw him she trembled like a plantain-tree shaken by the wind, and hid her face and sobbed. Then he wooed her in every way, tempting her with wealth and power and comfort; but she refused him utterly, and foretold his death at Rama's hands. But Ravana waxed wood-wrath, and gave a two-month term, after which, if she yielded not, she should be tortured and slain; and leaving her to the horrid rakshasi guards with orders to break her will, Ravana returned with his wives to his apartment. Then Sita, shrinking from the horrible she-demons, threatening her with death and torture, and reviling Rama, crept to the foot of the Asoka tree where Hanuman was hidden.
Hanuman reflected that there was need for him to speak with Sita; but he feared to frighten her, or to attract the notice of the guard and bring destruction on himself, for, though he had might to slay the rakshasa host, he could not, if wearied out, return across the ocean. So he sat hidden in the branches of the tree and recited Rama's virtues and deeds, speaking in gentle tones, till Sita heard him. She caught her breath with fear and looked up into the tree, and saw the monkey; eloquent was he and humble, and his eyes glowed like golden fire. Then he came down out of the tree, ruddy-faced and humbly attired, and with joined palms spoke to Sita. Then she told him that she was Sita and asked for news of Rama, and Hanuman told her all that had befallen and spoke of Rama and Lakshman, so that she was wellnigh as glad as if she had seen Rama himself. But Hanuman came a lttle nearer, and Sita was much afraid, thinking him to be Ravana in disguise. He had much ado to persuade her that he was Rama's friend; but at last, when she beheld the signet-ring, it seemed to her as if she were already saved, and she was glad and sorry at once -- glad to know that Rama was alive and well, and sorry for his grief.
Then Hanuman suggested that he should carry Sita on his back across the sea to Rama. She praised his strength, but would not go with him, because she thought she might fall from his back into the sea, especially if the rakshasas followed them, and because she would not willingly touch any person but Rama, and because she desired that the glory of her resue and the destruction of the rakshasas should be Rama's. "But do thou speedily bring Rama hither," she prayed. Then Hanuman praised her wisdom and modesty, and asked for a token for Rama; and she told him of an adventure with a crow, known only to herself and Rama, that had befallen long ago at Chitrakuta, and she gave him a jewel from her hair, and sent a message to Rama and Lakshman, praying them to rescue her. Hanuman took the gem and, bowing to Sita, made ready to depart. Then Sita gave him another message for Rama, by which he might know surely that Hanuman had found her. "Tell him, 'One day my brow-spot was wiped away, and thou didst paint another with red earth -- thou shouldst remember this. And, O Rama, do thou come soon; for ten months have passed already since I saw thee, and I may not endure more than another month'; and good fortune go with thee, heroic monkey." she said.
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