Rahan. Episode Forty Nine. The Blue shells. by Roger Lecureux. A Puke (TM) Comic.

Rahan, son of the fierce ages.

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Episode Forty Nine.

The Blue shells.

Text by Roger Lecureux.

Since he knew how to use the wind, the son of Crao no longer hesitated to face the great river.
That day he was sailing towards unknown islands, when

Rahan does not know these fish! Are they dangerous like the "blue-skins"?

The dolphins jumped around the raft, passed under it, and reappeared further away.
They want to scare Rahan!

But as they did not push the skiff, Crao's son understood that it was a game.
He had proof of it a moment later.

Page Two.

Rahan will find food on the island. He no longer needs these fish.
Catch!
One after the other he threw his fish.

And he laughed at the curious spectacle of dolphins leaping out of the water to catch them in flight!
Ha-ha-ha! Higher! Even higher!

Ah, why aren't the "Blue-skins" as amusing, as harmless as you!
As he had just thrown away the last fish.

The great dolphin sprang up very close to the raft, not to menace it, but to beg.

He placed his heavy head on the skiff.
And the son of Crao, surprised, lost his balance and slipped into the water.
Argh!

Page Three.

Worry once again took hold of him.
The dolphins were pushing him with their “noses”

They could strike, or bite Rahan.
But it looked like they wanted to play with him!

He dove and the dolphins followed him.
His fears dissipated when he was certain that these strange beasts were indeed playing!

Amused, he grabbed one of them and let himself be carried towards the surface.
Since you want to play, let's play!

The dolphin and his "Rider" sprang out of the water and dove back together!
Ra-ha-ha!

Page Four.

From the shore, astonished men watched this astonishing ride.
Twice, three times, ten times, they saw Rahan and the dolphin reappear.

It was the son of Crao who was the first to get tired.
Thank you “Beast with-no-Name!”
But Rahan is not a fish and you tired him!

The herd escorted the Raft for a moment longer then disappeared into the depths.
Goodbye, “Beasts with-no-Name!”

The skiff, shortly after, ran aground on a beach, near a village.
Would Rahan have frightened “Those-Who-Walk-Upright”?

The village was deserted. The fire that still burned proved that it had just been abandoned.
Where are you men of the Shore!? Why are you hiding?

Page Five.

Rahan is not an enemy!!
He swears it on the “mother of mothers”!!
In the nearby thickets where they had taken refuge the fishermen hesitated.

Their leader was the first to come out.
Since you do not belong to Mbong's clan, Tamak believes you!
Let us exchange gifts of friendship!

Removing his blue shell necklace, Tamak put it around the neck of the son of Crao.
Welcome to our island, brother!

Rahan thanks you, Tamak.
Alas, he has no gift to offer you in exchange.
What are you saying?! And this necklace? And this weapon?!!

The chief pointed to the ivory knife and the claw necklace.
No, Tamak! No. Rahan cannot give you either!

Page Six.

Rahan would also like to make an offering to Tamak, but he could not give this necklace that his father left to him when he died.
And the idea of being dispossessed of the knife which had so often saved his life was unbearable to him!

Rahan has nothing to offer you Tamak. Take back your necklace and.
No! Custom requires that we exchange presents!

Indignant, the chief issued an order.
Seize him!

Seize him!
We will release him when he decides to respect custom!!

They could take the collar or the knife!
But they want to let Rahan make the offering himself!!

Page Seven.

A clamor suddenly arose.
Boats, coming from a neighboring island, were approaching the shore.
Mbong is coming!
Mbong is coming!

Panic gripped the fishermen who rushed towards the forest.
No one thought of the son of Crao.

Who saw the arrivals jump onto the beach and rush towards the huts.
All brandished sturdy harpoons.
Search everywhere! Do not leave any "Gonuk" in these houses!

Hum. Tamak harshly enforces the customs of his clan, but Rahan prefers him to Mbong.
While his men pillaged the village.

Mbong had just caught sight of the son of Crao.
Look! Tamak offers us one of his own and a necklace of Gonuks!!

Page Eight.

The colossus approached with his gaze fixed on the necklace of blue shells.
Never has Mbong seen so many Gonuks at once.

Tamak gifted Rahan this necklace as a token of friendship.
You have no right to take it!
Ha-ha-ha!

As Mbong stretched out a greedy hand, the captive's legs rose, throwing the colossus to the ground.

From a height the fishermen had seen.
Rahan gives us a lesson in courage!
Even tied up, he dares to resist Mbong!

Men rushed in and tied up the ankles of the son of Crao.
You will see what it costs to oppose Mbong!!

Page Nine.

It is with this fat that we attract birds from the sea!
A strong smell of decomposed fish welled up when Mbong opened the skin pouch.

And smeared the face and torso of the captive with Grease.
It would have been too easy to kill you immediately!

Mbong and his men moved away.
Rahan had been let his ivory knife, but tied up as he was, he could not reach it.

Large screaming seagulls were already circling above the beach.
One of them dived then another.

A moment later their swarm attacked the son of Crao.
The beaks struck from all sides. The chest, the neck. The face.

Page Ten.

Fearful for his eyes, Rahan could only shake his head.
And Mbong, over there, laughed, and laughed.

However.
If Rahan is suffering this torment, it is our fault!
We must save him, brothers!
We have always been afraid of facing Mbong, but this time, we have to!

A moment later Tamack and his Clan emerged from the forest.
The panicked seagulls fled towards the sea.
And the son of Crao was finally able to open his eyes.

He saw the fishermen rushing towards Mbong's men.
Tamak has arrived in time!
Tamak had to redeem himself!

Surprised by the ardor of the fishermen, the plunderers returned to their boats.
Do not back down! Fight! Fight!!

Page Eleven.

Ra-ha-ha!
The clamor of Rahan who threw himself into the melee drowned out the exhortations of Mbong.

Will you show yourself as “Courageous” as when Rahan was at your mercy!?
The harpoon flew towards the son of Crao.

Who plunged towards the legs of the colossus, who dodged on dry land, but the water hindered his movements and he was thrown off balance.

It was a brief melee and.
No more movements, Mbong!
Rahan's cutlass is more formidable than the beaks of seagulls!

If you don't return to your territory, Mbong will join "The territory of the Shadows"!
Already surprised by the fishermen's response, the raiders were dismayed by the defeat of their leader.

Page Twelve.

A moment later they moved away on the great river, towards the island from which they had come
Rahan pushed Mbong towards Tamak.

Rahan owed you a present. Here he is Tamak!
It is the most beautiful present!
For many moons Mbong and his family.

Pillaged our village to take over the "Gronuks"!
Rahan does not understand very well.
So these shells are so precious!?

Yes. They are of great value in all these islands.
They allow clans to obtain what they want.
So this jar is worth two “Gonuks”!

Each clan therefore has its reserve of shells.
Alas no.
The “blue Gonuks”, the most sought after, are only found on our island!!

Page Thirteen.

The bottom of the moon lagoon is covered in them!
And the other clans envy us
Why doesn't Tamak share "Gonuks" with them?

Tamak would like it!
But it is dangerous to fish for the "Gonuks", because the moon lagoon is infested with blue-skins!!

Shortly after Tamak, led the son of Crao to the Lagoon.
This one evoked a crescent moon.
Rahan wants to see.
It is dangerous, brother!

Rahan dove into the clear water and was immediately amazed.
The bottom of the lagoon was indeed lined with blue shells!

This is the “treasure” that the clans are fighting over! Oh!
Rahan had expected an attack.
But he did not expect it to be led by so many sharks!

Page Fourteen.

If Rahan does not strike first, he is lost!
These sharks reminded him of playful dolphins.
But, this time, it was no longer a game!

The son of Crao knew the ferocity of the "Blue-skins" whom he had often fought.
He narrowly avoided one of them.

Tamak watched with anxiety the swarming of sharks.
His heart sank when reddish scents rose to the surface.

But this blood was not Rahan's!
It was that of the shark he had just gutted.
Fight over his insides, “Blue-skins”!

Ra-ha-ha!
The victorious cry rolled across the moon lagoon.
Tamak was already extending a brotherly hand.

Page Fifteen.

Does Rahan understand why blue “Gonuks” are so rare!
Our fishermen no longer dare to dive into the lagoon!

And the rarer the "Gonuks" are, the more value the clans of other islands place on them!!
Rahan got it right!

The son of Crao was pensive.
Today Mbong pillages a village to obtain "Gonuks".
Tomorrow, another clan will plunder Mbong's!

Why are “Those Who Walk Upright” fighting over common shells!
Like “Blue-skins” killing each other!

These ideas tormented Rahan all night.
The clans do not quarrel over the leaves of these trees because they are innumerable!
If we caught as many "Gonuks", happiness would return to the islands!

Page Sixteen.

Returning to the lagoon, he looked for a long time at the surface which was sometimes crisscrossed by the fin of a shark.
There, between the rocky pass, the great river shimmered.

And his heart suddenly beat harder.
He had found it! He knew how to rid the lagoon of “Blue-skins”!
But Rahan will need all the fishermen!

Mbong, still bound, saw him running back.
If the clan is successful, you will soon have more "Gonuks" than ten seasons of pillaging would bring you!

A moment later he son of Crao explained his project to Tamak.
If I understand correctly Rahan wants to set a trap in reverse!

The chef was skeptical.
Do you think the gods will help us?
Will the courage and strength of your brothers replace the gods?
Trust, Tamak!

Page Seventeen.

Daybreak found Rahan on the lookout.
The breeze brought him a scent and he regretted that it was that of a harmless gazelle.

The fate of “Those Who Walk Upright” is well worth the life of a “Two-Horned”!!
He would have preferred another prey.
But he had no choice.
The animal appeared.

As the Gazelle passed under the tree, he let himself fall.
And the beast had no time to suffer.
The ivory cutlass struck only once!

Mbong, who had seen the fishermen, their women and children abandon the village, saw him return carrying the “two-horned”.
MBong does not understand?!

He understood even less when the raft sailed away, carrying the son of Crao and the animal's body!

Page Eighteen.

Clamors greeted Rahan when the skiff stopped in front of the moon lagoon.

All the fishermen were up there, on each side of the gully, as he had asked them to be.
You will not have been sacrificed in vain "Two-horned"!

He disemboweled the animal and pushed the body into the waves.
The reddening waves rolled toward the lagoon.
Tamak and his people saw the "Blue-skins" appear from all sides, rushing towards the entrance to the great river.

Rahan had to hold on to avoid being thrown into the water by the swirls.
Around the Raft the waves were bristling with countless fins.
All the sharks in the lagoon wanted to participate in the wild feast!!

Page Nineteen.

Dull growls rang out.
The clan pushed heavy rocks which, as expected caused avalanches!

Clamors of joy arose when the crest of the dam broke the surface and the pass was blocked!
The lagoon was forever forbidden to the formidable “Blue-skins”!

From now on, fishermen could grapple without risk in the inexhaustible carpet of blue shells!

A little after.
The “Gonuks” will lose this value that they should never have had!
The clans will no longer fight to possess them.
Rahan had no other desire!

Oh yes! Rahan still wants Mbong to be spared!
Rahan will punish him in his own way.
The captive belongs to you!

Page Twenty.

The son of Crao left this shore a few days later.
May your lust be satisfied Mbong!
All these “Gonuks” are yours!!

Shortly after, he abandoned Mbong on a desert island.
It is a less cruel torture than that of seagulls!
You can fish and hunt while you wait for your people to find you!

You will understand that “Gonuks” do not bring happiness!
Farewell, Mbong!

It was a harsh but fair punishment for Mbong-the-greedy.
Who would, for a whole season, live as a hermit next to his useless “treasure” of blue shells!
But that's another story.

As the raft moved away the playful dolphins reappeared.
Escorting the skiff. They seemed to invite the son of wild ages to follow them towards the open sea, towards a horizon embroiled in the sun.

Index:
https://rumble.com/v3486cm-rahan-index-of-episodes-by-roger-lecureux..html

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