Jaibhagwan

Jaibhagwan By Sarah Wylde

A Dragon’s Tale

In the vale lived an old storyteller named Fravindad. On many a night, he told stories that gave dreams to the children, and to the adults, a reminder of days past. “Please,” begged Horatio. “Tell us a story about the dragons.”

“Dragons?” Fravindad asked with amusement. “Are you sure that’s the story you want?”

The word dragons drew the people nigh. All left their work and play to sit and hear the tale. However, Fravindad knew that the work still needed to be done before even. “I will tell you a tale, however, it must be after eventide.” With a kick of his feet blowing dust into the air, he chases everyone off. “Come back after last meal and we will enjoy the story of dragons then.”

As the sun set a fire was lit and Fravindad weaved his story as the stars peaked down from the heavens to hear for themselves.

“No one wants to admit there were ever dragons in the Earth. Kings of old, kept dragons to protect their realms and their treasures, but eventually, these kings died out and no one knew how to bring these wildfire breathing behemoths to heel. Without the Kings, the dragons did as they pleased and their whims terrified men.”

“Just one flap of a dragon’s wings could cause a hurricane making the sailors dread their passage through the open waters. Their fear of these intense beasts brought forth those who for great sums of money or treasure would hunt down these scaly creatures and remove them from the land. Leaving in their wake such destruction, that no one knew what had been done by dragon or man. The Earth is left scorched and without hope and finally, the dragons were gone, and their rule has ended.”

“Over three centuries have passed, the Earth began once again to be filled with life. Peace had settled over the lands and sea. The dragons hadn’t been seen for so long they had become a myth. Everyone assumed there were not any left, but they were unaware of the few who remained. These dragons are of the great dragon Erardo. They never deviated from their calling to protect and bring honor. So, they hid deep within the belly of the earth and waited for the day they would rise again.”

“One sunny afternoon, a dragon, named Jaibhagwan, left his sanctum. He had grown restless of his captivity and decided to explore the topside of the earth. The place of men and see what had become of their former estate. Flying up from within a volcano, he flapped his wings with eagerness as the wind rustled his scales. He laughed because it tickled. So, he shook himself all over to settle the sensation as he climbed higher than he had ever been before.”

“Smiling, he soared above the land and sea. It was a spectacular sight. But he had to fly away from the sun, because the light hurt his eyes. It almost blinded him after being down below for so long. Away he flew like the wind itself, laughing and dancing through the sky. When suddenly he heard a sound. One that he had never heard before. Not ever, not when he was young, and never as an adult.”

“What was it?” asks the children.

“It was a cry.”

“A cry? Like for help?” asks one of the adults.

“No, no, it was a cry for one who had been abandoned. It was mournful and full of fear. Jaibhagwan listened so intently because the sound carried itself to him over the ocean, but the sound didn’t come from there. So, he circled until he came unto a forest. The trees were so dense he could not land within the forest. He had to come into it through an opening which faced the sea. He did his best not to knock the trees over with his oversized limbs. But the sound of the crying became more intense and now it wasn’t curiosity which drove him, but concern.”

“Trampling the brush underneath his large, clawed feet, he worked his way through and found a small child crying in the woods. Jaibhagwan looked around with his keen eyes and he sniffed the air, but no one was there except the child. Reaching down with his wing, he scoops the child up to take a better look at him; causing the child to stop his woeful tears as they each gazed into the other’s soul.”

“It was seeing into the other that Jaibhagwan drew back in fear himself. In so doing drops the child.”

The crowd gasps at the thought of a child being dropped from high in the air.

“Without effort, he catches the boy and draws him close. He looks into the boy’s eyes once again and sees into his soul. The child is like him, but different. ‘Who is this? What does this mean?’ He tries speaking to the child, but he doesn’t answer. Not in a way that made sense to the dragon. The boy spoke in what seemed to be gibberish language. But the boy didn’t understand the dragon either. The only thing they both understood was what they could discern in each other’s souls.”

“Jaibhagwan watched and waited for several days before returning to his home. He knew he could not leave the child behind. He was defenseless and could not care for himself. So, the honorable dragon drew the child close to him with his talons. Gently as to not tear the scaleless creature and flies back to the volcano. However, something in his heart whispers the child cannot go there and now he is becoming terrified. The child must continue, but he cannot come to where he dwells. He would never survive.”

“Now, Jaibhagwan cries out himself, what can he do? How can he leave this child without protection. He cannot, but he cannot walk among men either. He remembers the tales told to him about how the dragons had been hunted to extinction. Inside his heart, he hears, ‘go back to where you found him.’”

“Flying back into the woods, the child fell asleep wrapped in the dragon’s tail. Jaibhagwan had lit a small fire by a snort from his long snout. He didn’t need it for himself, but the child found comfort in it. As the child slept, the dragon cried. ‘What am I to do? I cannot leave him behind. He needs someone to care for him. Will not someone answer me?’”

As the night grew long, Jaibhagwan fell asleep and in his sleep he dreamed. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. A light of great intensity stood before him. “Jaibhagwan.”

“I am here.” He says.

“Jaibhagwan, I have heard both you and the child crying. I am here to answer you. To give you hope and show you what to do. Do you remember what you saw when you looked into his soul?”

“Yes. He is like me.”

“Yes, not as a dragon, but a man. He is to be a great man.”

“Why was he left alone?”

“He is not alone. I made sure you would find him.” Says the Light.

Jaibhagwan is puzzled by the answer. “Why me?”

“You can teach him things he needs to know. He will become a great leader among men, but he needs guidance. Will you accept this responsibility?”

“Men will not allow this. They will hunt me down.” He says.

“If you will take him as your charge. I will make sure no one will come after you. But you will need to teach and guide the boy. Will you do this?”

“Jaibhagwan considers the proposal. ‘The child is young. Whether or not he becomes a great man is not the issue. He needs protected and love.’”

“As if he is reading the dragon’s mind, ‘I know you care for the boy. He does need everything you’re thinking and more. Will you do this?’”

“Looking at the child wrapped in his tail. Jaibhagwan says, ‘I accept your request for as long as you need me.’”

“Suddenly the light disappears and Jaibhagwan falls back to sleep. When he awakens in the morning, he notices, his appearance has changed. He is no longer a dragon but looks like the boy who was asleep in his arms except he is an adult human. ‘What is this?’ He asks.”

“Deep inside his heart, he hears, ‘Do not be afraid. You need to be like him to show him what he will become. Know I will be with you always and thank you for doing what others refused to do.’”

“Jaibhagwan learned everyday what it meant to be man and taught the young boy to do the same. That boy grew up to be a great warrior named, Timo, the leader of our people. Whose blood runs through your veins. Who always did what was right and good and stood up to tyranny and vanquished those who dared to cause harm against man or beast! He never wavered from the Light nor Jaibhagwan’s teachings and neither should you. Goodnight my children.”

A shout rose up from the people as they went to their homes. Fravindad turned for a walk outside the camp. He looked into the heavens.

Without anyone noticing, Horatio followed Fravindad at a distance, and he heard Fravindad say, ‘I am ready when you are.’”

Suddenly, a bright light filled the sky, one might think it was lightening and Fravindad disappeared. Horatio wasn’t sure what he saw, but he could have sworn, where storyteller once stood had been replaced by what looked like a dragon who flew into the night never to be seen again.