Adventure stories; Fantasy fiction; Tarzan (Fictitious character) -- Fiction
They understood, and also they guessed from the expression of his face
that he sought Tarzan from motives of affection rather than the
reverse, but of this Om-at wished to make sure. He pointed to the
stranger's knife, and repeating Tarzan's name, seized Ta-den and
pretended to stab him, immediately turning questioningly toward the
stranger.
The latter shook his head vehemently and then first placing a hand
above his heart he raised his palm in the symbol of peace.
"He is a friend of Tarzan-jad-guru," exclaimed Ta-den.
"Either a friend or a great liar," replied Om-at.
"Tarzan," continued the stranger, "you know him? He lives? O God, if I
could only speak your language." And again reverting to sign language
he sought to ascertain where Tarzan was. He would pronounce the name
and point in different directions, in the cave, down into the gorge,
back toward the mountains, or out upon the valley below, and each time
he would raise his brows questioningly and voice the universal "eh?" of
interrogation which they could not fail to understand. But always Om-at
shook his head and spread his palms in a gesture which indicated that
while he understood the question he was ignorant as to the whereabouts
of the ape-man, and then the black chief attempted as best he might to
explain to the stranger what he knew of the whereabouts of Tarzan.
He called the newcomer Jar-don, which in the language of Pal-ul-don
means "stranger," and he pointed to the sun and said _as_. This he
repeated several times and then he held up one hand with the fingers
outspread and touching them one by one, including the thumb, repeated
the word adenen until the stranger understood that he meant five. Again
he pointed to the sun and describing an arc with his forefinger
starting at the eastern horizon and terminating at the western, he
repeated again the words as adenen. It was plain to the stranger that
the words meant that the sun had crossed the heavens five times. In
other words, five days had passed. Om-at then pointed to the cave where
they stood, pronouncing Tarzan's name and imitating a walking man with
the first and second fingers of his right hand upon the floor of the
recess, sought to show that Tarzan had walked out of the cave and
climbed upward on the pegs five days before, but this was as far as the
sign language would permit him to go.
This far the stranger followed him and, indicating that he understood
he pointed to himself and then indicating the pegs leading above
announced that he would follow Tarzan.
"Let us go with him," said Om-at, "for as yet we have not punished the
Kor-ul-lul for killing our friend and ally."
"Persuade him to wait until morning," said Ta-den, "that you may take
with you many warriors and make a great raid upon the Kor-ul-lul, and
this time, Om-at, do not kill your prisoners. Take as many as you can
alive and from some of them we may learn the fate of Tarzan-jad-guru."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account