Rahan. Episode Fifty-One. The one who killed the river. by Roger Lecureux. A Puke (TM) Comic.

Rahan.
The son of the ferocious ages.

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Episode Fifty-One.

The one who killed the river.
Text by Roger Lecureux.
Drawings by Andre Cheret.

The son of Crao did not care about the earth that shook in the distance, upstream of the river. He was too disappointed not to have seen any fish caught since daybreak.

A hundred times he had almost succeeded.
But the fish were small and lively, and his bamboo spear only brushed against them.

Rahan will have to find his food elsewhere!
Irritated by his clumsiness, he struck the pebbles with his spear.

Page Two.

He exclaimed suddenly.
A stuck pebble had shattered the end of the bamboo.
Ooh! Fish cannot avoid a spear like this!

These spread slats gave him an idea.
With a three-pronged spear Rahan will have a better chance of hitting true!

Observant and thoughtful, the son of Crao once again took advantage of a banal detail.
He sharpened the slats, holding them apart using a vine.

And the “three-pointed” spear immediately proved its effectiveness!
Ra-ha-ha!

But the first fish he speared slipped from the too-smooth point and fell back into the water.
Rahan knows how to hold you back!
He should have thought of that sooner!

Page Three.

A moment later he cut fine teeth into the three bamboo points which would hold the fish.

It was an astonishing catch. Almost every blow landed and Crao's son let out a cry of joy every time he pulled a fish from the river.
Ra-ha-ha!

He could not have known he was being watched.
The fiery-haired man has a magic weapon!
He is killing the river!

Considering his catch sufficient, Rahan began to make a fire.
It was then that the strong smell of a gray bear came to him.

Emerging from the thickets, the beast appeared almost immediately.
If the "Balouas" wants to compete for his fish with Rahan, let him come closer!
Let him look for them!!

Page Four.

Swinging its big head, the bear advanced heavily.
Rahan knew that he must at all costs avoid melee with this formidable adversary.

The son of Crao brandished his harpoon.
The "Balouas" has dangerous claws. But Rahan has his own!

As the bear stood up three steps from him he struck.

The fine bamboo points disappeared into the hairy chest, breaking when Rahan snatched his weapon.
Crack!

This wound was not fatal but the bear, annoyed by the spikes remaining in his flesh, and undoubtedly worried, nevertheless turned around.

Page Five.

This danger had barely been averted when another already threatened the son of Crao.
Busy stoking his fire, he did not hear the man.

Traam has avenged the river people!
Trou!
The blow would perhaps have been fatal to a hunter less robust than Rahan.

But he regained his senses shortly after.
Who hit Rahan? Who wanted to steal their fish? ooh!

The fish were still there.
But the bamboo spear had disappeared!
When Rahan has eaten, he will seek out the one who disdains fish!

In these fierce times "Those-who-walk-up" too often fought over food.
That his attacker had abandoned his fish to him amazed Rahan.

Page Six.

However, a few dozen arrow ranges away.
Traam saw! The man with the fiery hair was massacring the people of the river with this weapon!!
He struck! He struck!

Then, with the magic weapon, he put a “Balouas” to flight!
Kaor-the-chief must believe what Traam saw!!

The clan leader gravely examined the bamboo spear.
It is just a simple spear, similar to ours.
“Firehair” is probably just a hunter who.

No! It's an enemy!!
Traam saw it hit the river!
Oh! Look!
Traam was Right!!

The river is bleeding!! The river is losing its blood!!
“Fire-hair" has killed the river!!
The river was indeed carrying reddish scents.
The river was bleeding!

Page Seven.

The swirls stirred up these scents and the surface became scarlet.
The river was losing its blood like a “Two-tooth” put to death!

One bank to the other, and wherever you looked, the waves were red!
The river was nothing more than a horrible open vein!

As the dread of the clan retreated, the voice of Kaor-the-chief thundered.
Cast out fear from you spirit, brothers!
Let us avenge the river!!

All to the hunt!
Death to he who killed the river!!

These words stirred up the clan, all of whose able-bodied members, women and children included, soon began the hunt.

Page Eight.

The son of Crao, too, was amazed by the phenomenon.
The water was the color of leaves.
Why does she have the blood one now??

Has she become dangerous for Rahan?
Rahan did not believe in evil spirits.
But he remained cautious about what he could not explain.

He gently dipped his hand into the water.
When he took it out, it was pinkish, but he felt no pain.

The danger will not come from the river, but from the forest!
He had just heard the vengeful clamor.

Death to he-who-killed-the-river!
Death to him who killed the river!!
As these clamors grew closer he threw himself into the red waves.

Page Nine.

It would have been easier for him to let himself be carried away by the current.
But his instinct told him that the explanation of the mystery lay upstream.

So while the clan of Kaor searched for him downstream, the son of Krao went up the river of blood.

He soon discovered the deserted village.
Those here think that Rahan killed the river!
Rahan will wait for them to return and tell them that they are wrong!

In front of each hut hung strings of small birds.
Do the men here live only on game from the sky?

An instant later.
It is strange! In a village built near water they should be drying fish!

Page Ten.

Death to the one who killed the river.
When these cries arose, the son of Crao just wanted time to turn around.

But he was not able to avoid a club thrown with remarkable skill!
Kloc!

Half-conscious, he caught a glimpse of the old men crawling out of the huts.
Kaor will no longer be able to say that we are useless to the clan!!

Although still dazed, Rahan could have resisted these hunters that were exhausted by the years.
He preferred to let himself be tied up.
The elders are wrong. Wrong but Rahan respects the elders!

Why do you treat Rahan like an enemy!?
Because he wanted to wipe out the people of the river! Because he killed the river!

Page Eleven.

Look at! These omens of malevolence are telling us of their anger!
As the old man pointed out the fish that jumped to the surface, the son of Crao suddenly understood.

This clan worshiped fish!
That was why they did not steal those caught by Rahan!
But in their eyes, Rahan had committed a sacrilege!

In all the territories that Rahan has crossed, "Those-who-walk-up" did not hesitate to eat what they call the “Pascos”!

It is impossible!
Because their body would be covered in scales like that of the Pascos!
Wah-Oh! Wah-Oh!

And the clan soon reappeared.
We have captured “Fire Hair” Kaor!
He admits to killing the fish!
The chief observed the son of Crao with amazement.

Page Twelve.

We found your fire.
We know you ate pascos!
So, why do you keep this hunter's skin?

Quite simply because Rahan is a hunter!
Like Kaor!
You lie! If your skin is not covered with scales, it means you are not a man, but an evil spirit!

Besides since you pretend to be a hunter.
You must be as skillful as Kaor!
If you are not, you lied. And you will be put to death!

Kaor cut the captive's bonds and, brandishing his spear, aimed at the trunk of a tree.
All my brothers are capable of achieving what you are about to see!

Schtock!
The spear whistled and stuck in the exact center of a knot!
It was impossible to do so well!!
And yet, Rahan was going to do better!

Page thirteen.

Holding his breath, the son of Crao raised his knife!
If Rahan does not prove his skill, all his words will be useless!

The ivory weapon swirled and a clamor arose.
The blade had stuck in the wood of the spear!
The feat is even more remarkable than that of Kaor!

He gave a bitter smile.
We'll see if you're as good with a bow!
Euh!

The bow was not Rahan's favorite weapon.
That was why his throat closed when Kaor's arrow.
It hit the bird in mid-flight.

Rahan will never do as well as Kaor!
It is so difficult to hit a bird! At least, At least.

Page Fourteen.

Well?
Who are you waiting for?
What are you doing?
Rahan has his own way of hunting!

The arrow split in four will multiply its chances as the thrown harpoon did that very morning!
Schlak!
The bird that flew over the village was so small that it seemed invulnerable.

However, he was struck down by one of the four points.
Kaor himself could only salute the shot, but.

You prove that you have the gifts of a true hunter!
But why do you have the river?!
Rahan did not kill the river!

Page Fifteen.

Rahan does not know why water is the color of blood.
But he knows that every mystery has its explanation!

If Kaor lets Rahan go, he will discover this mystery!
And he will reveal it to the clan!

What being are you?
You eat pascos without your body becoming covered in scales!
You are more skillful than Kaor.
And you let yourself be captured by old men!

Yes, you are strange!
Does your tongue speak a lie or the truth?
If the clan releases you, what proof do they have that you will return!?

This Kaor!
These are the most precious possessions Rahan owns!
Take them! You can be sure that Rahan will come back for them!

Page Sixteen.

Kaor having accepted these pledges, the son of Crao, shortly after, ran along the river.
He ran like this all night, taking only rare breaks.

It was during one of them that.
A Bear!
The bear moaned softly and rubbed itself against a tree, trying in vain to get rid of the bamboo spikes.

Rahan simply wanted to keep the bear away and not make him suffer!
Rahan could stop his pain.
But he would not let himself get near!

Rahan took a step and the bear, indeed, immediately did so, waving its formidable clawed paws.
Rahan will help you in spite of yourself!

A moment later, the loop of a solid vine transformed into a lasso encircled his claws!

Page Seventeen.

Quick and agile, the son of Crao threw the vine over a branch, using a strong root to stretch it.

Be calm, Baloua, be calm.
Rahan is relaxed.

The bear growled furiously but was momentarily harmless.

The bamboo points, fortunately, were only half-embedded in the flesh.
Rahan was able to quickly extract them.

And there you have it, baloua!
Rahan hopes you will not try to steal his fish again!
The bear, finally relieved, no longer growled.

He looked for a long time at this strange hunter who was heading back along the river.
Then, peacefully, he began to gnaw the vine to free his paws.

Page Eighteen.

The sun was high when the son of Crao discovered the mystery.
The Red Hills!
Rahan finally knows why the river bleeds!

He remembered this distant earthquake that he had felt the day before, just before the waters changed color.

And the explanation was there!
The earthquake had shaken high hills, causing red earth to slide, which was still continuing.

Proof that this earth colored the river, was that upstream of the hills, it had its reassuring green color.

Rahan will be able to prove that he did not kill the river!

Page Nineteen.

The next day, the son of Crao was back in the village.
And you claim that this land turns water into blood!
No. It only changes its color!

As you will see!
Rahan threw a pinch of earth into the clear water of the spring.
And it turned red!!

But quickly renewed, it regained its clarity.
It will be the same for the river!
When the earth in the hills stops sliding, it will become like it once was!

The skepticism of the hunters dissipated as the reddish scents carried by the flow became less thick.

The next day the river had regained its color.
You were right!
If the thing were to happen again, we would not accuse an evil spirit of having killed the river!

Page Twenty.

The son of Crao was happy. Happy to find his knife and his necklace.
Happy to have relieved the baloua.
Happy to have convinced these hunters.

As Kaor watched him secretly, he smiled.
No Kaor, No Rahan's skin is not yet covered with the scales of pascos!
Euh?

Eating fish is not dangerous for “Those-who-walk-upright”!
Euh! Euh? Maybe Kaor will try.
Maybe.

Rahan remained among this clan until the day when, amused, he surprised the chief lying in wait in the rushes.
Kaor was fishing!

The son of Crao knew that Kaor and his people, freed from a stupid belief, lived better lives.
When he set off towards his destiny, the great river glowed red at the bottom of the valley.
But this time it was only the reflections of the setting sun.

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

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