Flying Across the Ocean

Sita was trapped far away. No one could reach her. Hanuman said, 'I'll go.'

Sita is trapped on the island of Lanka, far across a wild ocean. The vanaras gather on the southern shore and realise none of them can leap that far. Then old Jambavan reminds Hanuman who he really is. Hanuman remembers his strength, grows as big as a mountain, and leaps across the entire sea in one mighty bound to find Sita.

A Whole Army at the Edge of the Sea

It had taken months. Months of searching every forest, every cave, every mountain. The vanara army had hunted for Sita in every corner of the south.

And at last, a great old eagle named Sampati had told them.

"Across the sea. On the island of Lanka. The demon king Ravana has hidden her in his garden."

The whole army cheered.

And then they came to the shore.

They stood at the very southern tip of the land. Where the sand turned wet under their feet. Where the wind smelled of salt. Where the samudra, the great ocean, stretched all the way out to the sky.

The cheering stopped.

The sea was huge. Bigger than anything they had ever seen. Hundreds of miles wide. Dark blue. Full of waves taller than any tree.

Lanka was so far away you could not even see it.

The vanaras stood very, very quietly on the sand.

Who Could Possibly Cross?

A young vanara prince called Angada stepped forward. He was strong. He was the son of mighty Vali. "I will try," he said.

He stretched. He bounced on his feet. He leapt as high as the clouds.

Then, in his honest voice, he turned back to the others.

"I think I can leap there," he said. "But I am not sure I can leap back. If you send me, I might be stuck on the other side. I am not the right one."

The vanaras were quiet.

One by one, the others tried. Some could leap ten miles. Some could leap fifty. Some could even leap a hundred. But the ocean, the vanaras whispered, was a hundred yojanas wide. Hundreds of miles.

Nobody could cross it.

The army's faces fell. Months of searching. The whole journey was about to fail. Right here, on the last beach.

In the back of the crowd, sitting quietly, was a strong young vanara with a kind face. He had a tail that flicked thoughtfully. He had eyes like soft fire.