These two videos focus on how a whole gang of aggressors can be outwitted and defeated by patience, hope and (at times) some skilful manoeuvring. In the first example we see that a group of rivals, the heroes’ own paternal cousins, are so jealous that they plot to destroy his very first field crop. These men decide on a trick, herding a group of cattle through the hero’s ripening field of maize late in the night. But Lord Vishnu notices this shabby trick and is concerned. He helps protect the watchful and cautious hero, and his devout wife, causing those tall maize plants to spring back upright, as if nothing had happened. In the second example the hero is still a small boy. His mean uncles have taken him after he suddenly became an orphan. They treat him very badly and bully him severely.. But the little hero is resistant and survives. He knows enough to run away and, deep in his heart, he holds on to hope for a better life. These videos have been excerpted from The Legend of Ponnivala’s animated Episodes #7 and #3 respectively.
