66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan

clashed. Then they separated, dodged, and went at each
other again. When their shoulders or feet rubbed together,
blinding sparks flew off. Sparks flew from their eyes. They
drew blood from each other by scratching and tearing and
gashing; the air was filled with their roars and challenges
and the resounding blows delivered to each other. They tried
to coil their mighty tails and press the life out of each other. It
was impossible to judge in their entanglement who was
gaining or losing.
Finally Sugreeva was fisted, kicked, mauled, and beaten
so badly that he withdrew baffled and paralysed. He found a
pause and approached Rama and gasped: “Help me, I can’t
bear it any more… .” Rama said, “While you are at grips with
each other, it is impossible to know who is who; and I don’t
want to shoot you by mistake. Why don’t you pluck that wild
creeper with its flowers and garland it around your neck, so
that I can identify you while you whirl tempestuously about?
Now go back to your fight.” Sugreeva immediately tore off a
wild creeper which was hanging down a tree branch, put it
on as a garland, returned to the fray with renewed hope and
vigour, and fell on Vali with a thunderous shout. Vali,
pounding down with his fists and feet, with derisive laughter,
returned the blow and hit Sugreeva in the vital centres of his
life. Sugreeva had little doubt now that his end had come,
and threw a desperate glance in the direction of Rama. At
this moment Vali grappled him by his neck and waist, lifted
him over his head in order to dash him against a rock and