Tiny Tales of the Ramayana


Welcome to Tiny Tales from the Ramayana. This is a retelling of the Ramayana using two hundred episodes that are each just 100 words long.


Creative Commons. This work is released with a Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. That means you can remix and reuse individual stories or the contents of the whole book with attribution for non-commercial purposes, provided that you release your work with the same license. Find out more.
Attribution: Tiny Tales from the Ramayana by Laura Gibbs.
Version: December 23 2020.


You can access the book in a variety of formats, along with individual stories here at the blog (see story title list and links below).

Pressbooks. This is a web-based presentation of the book with all the stories on one page, chapter by chapter.  

Audiobook. There is a free audiobook you can listen to via SoundCloud. I've also made the mp3 files available for download if you prefer not to use SoundCloud and/or if you want to repurpose the audio (which is also released with the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license).

EPUB. You can use this epub file for ebook readers like Nook, etc. (I'm a fan of the app ReadEra.)

MOBI. You can download this free mobi file to load onto your Kindle. (Here's how to add a free MOBI file to your Kindle.)

Kindle. A Kindle version of the book is available for 99 cents.

Print. The paperback version is $6.25 from Amazon (free Prime shipping). 

Text file. This is a plain text file, no special characters. This option might be useful if you want to repurpose the entire book with your own formatting; see Creative Commons licensing CC BY-NC-SA above.

HTML. This is a super-simple very vanilla HTML version.

PDF. You can download a PDF copy of the book.

Website. The website has illustrations for all the stories, along with some notes, plus a clickable glossary of characters and terms. The reading is broken up into four parts (my students read two parts per week, finishing the book over a two-week period).

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TINY TALES FROM THE RAMAYANA
A Book of Two Hundred 100-Word Stories

ABOUT THIS BOOK

The Ramayana — Rama-Ayana, "Rama's Journey" — is the story of Rama and his wife Sita, avatars of the devas (gods) Vishnu and Lakshmi. Rama was born to vanquish Ravana, king of the fierce rakshasas (demons). There are many versions of the Ramayana in India, and Rama's adventures are also famous throughout South Asia. In this book, you'll see Rama's story revealed in a series of vignettes from the ancient Sanskrit Ramayana composed by the poet Valmiki, along with other Ramayanas from India and beyond. For first-time Ramayana readers, I've included a list of characters and additional notes at Ramayana.LauraGibbs.net.

The paragraph you just read about the Ramayana is 100 words long, as is this paragraph, and that's also the length of each episode in this book. The episodes go by fast, but you can slow down when you find one you like. Read it again. Let it sink in. You might even write your own versions of your favorite episodes, using your imagination to add details. Meanwhile, if you get confused by a particular episode, don't get bogged down; just keep reading! You can find more 100-word stories from the Ramayana, along with more stories from India, at 


THE STORIES

1. Ravana Is Born
2. Ravana Petitions Brahma
3. Ravana's Brothers Petition Brahma
4. Ravana Confronts Shiva
5. Ravana Sings for Shiva
6. Shiva Rewards Ravana
7. Meghanada Becomes Indrajit
8. Shurpanakha Argues with Mandodari
9. Vaishravana Becomes Kubera
10. Ravana Occupies Lanka
11. Ravana Battles Yama
12. The Devas Hide from Ravana
13. Kubera Rebukes Ravana
14. Ravana Attacks Kubera
15. Ravana Rapes Rambha
16. Ravana Encounters Vedavati
17. Ravana Fights Kartavirya
18. Ravana Fights Vali
19. Ravana Battles Rama's Ancestor
20. Dasharatha Longs for a Son
21. Dasharatha Summons Rishyashringa
22. The Story of Rishyashringa
23. Rishyashringa Meets a Woman
24. The Devas Make a Plan
25. The Devas Answer Dasharatha's Prayer
26. Rama Amazes Kaushalya
27. Kaikeyi Saves Dasharatha
28. Dasharatha Goes Hunting
29. Vishvamitra Visits Dasharatha
30. The Story of Tataka
31. Vishvamitra Arms Rama
32. Rama Faces Tataka
33. Tataka's Sons Attack
34. The Story of Ahalya
35. They Come to a Deserted Ashram
36. The Story of Indra
37. They Go to See Janaka's Bow
38. The Story of Sita
39. Another Story of Sita
40. Yet Another Story of Sita
41. Sita Learns to Cook
42. Sita Surprises Her Sisters
43. A Stranger Comes to Janaka's Court
44. Sita Meets Two Strangers
45. Rama Comes to Janaka's Court
46. Parashurama Appears
47. Sons and Daughters Marry
48. The Story of Arundhati
49. The Story of Ramachandra
50. Sita Looks at Ayodhya
51. Will Rama Renounce the World?
52. Manthara Persuades Kaikeyi
53. Dasharatha Sends Rama into Exile
54. The Exiles Depart
55. Lakshmana Guards Rama and Sita
56. Dasharatha Grieves for Rama
57. Bharata and Shatrughna Return
58. Bharata and Shatrughna Go to Rama
59. Bharata Petitions Rama
60. Manthara Begs Forgiveness
61. Rama Visits Sutikshna
62. Rama Visits Sharabhanga
63. Viradha Attacks
64. Rama Comes to Panchapsaras Lake
65. Sita Tells a Story
66. Rama Visits Agastya
67. Agastya Arms Rama
68. Lakshmana Chases a Boar
69. Sita Visits Anasuya
70. Sita and Rama Wander the Forest
71. Indra Tests Lakshmana
72. Jatayu Appears
73. Shurpanakha Sees Rama
74. Khara and Dushana Attack
75. Word Reaches Ravana
76. Ravana Visits Maricha
77. Maricha Becomes a Golden Deer
78. Lakshmana Draws a Line
79. An Ascetic Approaches Sita
80. Jatayu Fights Ravana
81. How Ravana Tricked Jatayu
82. Sita Arrives in Lanka
83. Rama Realizes the Danger
84. Rama Grieves
85. A Rakshasi Sees Lakshmana
86. Shabari Welcomes Rama
87. Kabandha Grabs the Princes
88. Paths Cross
89. The Story of Vali and Sugriva
90. Another Story of Vali and Sugriva
91. Another Story of Hanuman
92. Yet Another Story of Hanuman
93. When Hanuman Was Hungry
94. The Devas Bless Hanuman
95. Hanuman Grows Up
96. Hanuman Finds a Guru
97. Dundhubi Challenges Vali
98. Matanga Pronounces a Curse
99. Mayavi Challenges Vali
100. Vali Returns
101. Vali Torments Sugriva
102. Hanuman Meets Rama
103. Sugriva Becomes Rama's Ally
104. Sugriva Fights Vali
105. Tara Mourns Vali
106. Sugriva Is Crowned King
107. Lakshmana Rebukes Sugriva
108. Hanuman Heads South
109. The Monkeys Enter the Cave
110. The Search Party Reaches the Ocean
111. The Story of Sampati and Jatayu
112. Sampati Turns his Gaze to Lanka
113. Who Will Jump to Lanka?
114. Jambavan Inspires Hanuman
115. Hanuman Leaps
116. Mount Mainaka Greets Hanuman
117. Surasa Attacks Hanuman
118. Simhika Attacks Hanuman
119. Lankini Challenges Hanuman
120. Ravana Comes to Sita
121. The Rakshasis Taunt Sita
122. Hanuman Addresses Sita
123. Hanuman Shows Sita the Ring
124. Sita Tells Hanuman a Story
125. Hanuman Runs Wild
126. Hanuman Fights the Rakshasas
127. Hanuman Warns Ravana
128. Hanuman Spreads the Fire
129. Hanuman Burns the Houses of Lanka
130. Hanuman Returns
131. The Monkeys and Bears Celebrate
132. Dadhimukha Reports to Sugriva
133. Rama Receives Hanuman
134. Ravana Seeks Advice
135. Ravana Speaks with Kumbhakarna
136. Vibhishana Comes to Rama
137. Rama Petitions the Ocean
138. Nala Builds a Bridge
139. A Squirrel Wants to Help
140. A Woman's Body Washes Ashore
141. Who Destroyed the Bridge?
142. Rama Marches to Lanka
143. The Army Meets the Enemy
144. Ravana Summons a Magician
145. Rama Sends Angada to Ravana
146. Indrajit Attacks
147. Sita Visits the Battlefield
148. Trijata Consoles Sita
149. Garuda Arrives
150. Rama Worships Durga
151. Ravana Awakens Kumbhakarna
152. Kumbhakarna Marches into Battle
153. Indrajit Attacks
154. Hanuman Goes to the Himalayas
155. Indrajit Conjures an Illusion
156. Indrajit Conducts a Sacrifice
157. Lakshmana Confronts Indrajit
158. Indrajit's Wife Comes to Rama
159. Rama Battles Taranisen
160. Rama Duels with Ravana's Son
161. Ravana Invokes Kali
162. Ravana Threatens Sita
163. Ravana Rides into Battle
164. Rama Duels with Ravana
165. Vibhishana Grieves for Ravana
166. Vibhishana Fetches Sita
167. Sita Rebukes Rama
168. The Story of Maya-Sita
169. Indra Grants Rama a Boon
170. Rama Goes Home
171. Rama Becomes King
172. Sita Rewards Hanuman
173. Hanuman Honors Rama
174. Sita Has News for Rama
175. The Story of Ratnakar
176. Ratnakar Becomes Valmiki
177. Valmiki Becomes a Poet
178. Narada Tells Valmiki about Rama
179. Valmiki Reads Hanuman's Ramayana
180. Gossip Spreads
181. Rama Makes a Decision
182. Lakshmana Takes Sita to the Forest
183. Sita Meets Valmiki
184. Sita Gives Birth
185. Another Story of the Twins
186. Shatrughna Hears the Twins Singing
187. Valmiki Takes the Twins to Ayodhya
188. Rama Summons Sita
189. Sita Arrives
190. Rama Makes Plans
191. Rama Makes a Statue
192. The Statues Speak to Rama
193. Rama Confronts Shambuka
194. Kala Comes to Rama
195. Rama Grieves for Lakshmana
196. Hanuman Seeks Rama's Ring
197. Rama Departs
198. A Story about Tenalirama
199. Another Story about Tenalirama
200. A Story about Shiva

STORY SOURCES

For story-specific sources, see the links above.

Devi, Shoshona.  Indian Fables and Folklore.
Lutgendorf, Philip. Hanuman's Tale.
Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version.
Pattanaik, Devdutt. Hanuman's Ramayan.
Pattanaik, Devdutt. Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana.
Ramakrishna. Tales and Parables.
Ramanujan, A. K. Folktales from India.
Rangachari, Devika. The Wit of Tenali Raman.
Sattar, Arshia. Uttara: The Book of Answers.
Tulsidas. Ramcharitmanas (see Ramcharitmanas.org for an English translation).
Valmiki. Ramayana (see WisdomLib.org for an English translation).

GLOSSARY. See the website for a clickable glossary of characters and terms.



Errata.

Need to fix printing error for the line break for Shurpanakha in the chapter title.

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