66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan

and uttered reckless pleasantries. At this moment, he felt an
obstruction in the course of his flight. Jatayu, the great eagle
who had promised to guard the children of his old colleague
and friend Dasaratha, noticing the danger that had befallen
Sita, shouted a challenge and obstructed Ravana’s
passage, hurling himself on Ravana with all his might. It was
as if a mountain were hitting the speeding chariot. Before
starting the actual battle, Jatayu appealed to Ravana to
retrace his steps and take Sita back to Panchvati. He said,
“You don’t even have to go back; just stop and put her down,
and I’ll lead her back safely to her husband and you may run
away before Rama comes.”
Ravana laughed at this proposal. “Keep out of my way,
you senile bird, go away.”
Jatayu advised him, “Don’t seek your own ruin, and the
ruin of your whole clan, class, tribe, and all. Rama’s arrows
will end your career, have no doubt about it.”
“Stop chattering away like this,” Ravana commanded. “Let
all those heroes you talk about come, bring them all, and I
will deal with them. Whatever may happen, I’ll not yield this
treasure that I have acquired… . She will go with me.”
Sita grew desperate and burst into tears. Jatayu said,
“Don’t fear. No harm will come to you. This demon will be
destroyed by me. You don’t have to worry about it at all”—
and began his attack. The flapping of his enormous wings
created the power of a storm, which shook and paralysed