Rahan. Episode fifty-seven. By Roger Lecureux. The bridge of monkeys. A Puke (TM) Comic.

Rahan.
The son of the fierce ages.

Episode fifty-seven.

By Roger Lecureux, drawn by Guy Zam.

The bridge of monkeys.

The fast river was dug like a trench in the jungle, and the son of Crao watched the female “Four hands” which had just swung from one bank to the other.

And who arched the strong line to allow her little ones to overcome the obstacle.
Greek! Greek!

The “Four-Hands” are sometimes as cunning as “Those-Who-Walk-Upright”.

Page Two.

Amused by the garland of young monkeys, Rahan did not see the stump coming towards him.

Ah!
He had the impression of lightning in his neck, and he was carried away by the current.

Which, a moment later, projected him towards a nearby creek.
He remained lying there, inanimate, with his face happily out of the water.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself at the foot of a tree.
His wrists were tied and his cutlass stuck in the trunk!
Oh!

He heard the growl of a feline and saw the puma, crouching in the grass, twenty steps away from him! The beast that observed him seemed ready to pounce.
Wait “Puma”, wait, at least give Rahan a chance.

Page Three.

Very gently, so as not to excite the beast, the son of Crao got up, offered his bonds to the ivory blade.

Rahan is ready “Pumak”!
Attack and you will see that his claw is as formidable as yours!

The puma took a step and picked itself up.
It was going to pounce when.
Back, “Taouk”! We don't know yet if this hunter is friend or foe!

The old man who came out of the thickets made a sign and the docile beast came and snuggled up against his legs.
It was Hangka who pulled you out of the water, “Fire hair”!

Hangka tied your hands because he didn't know your intentions!
Who are you?
What clan are you from?

Page Four.

You do not have a clan, and Hangka was kicked out of his!
Only Taouk remained faithful to him.

The old man explains how and why he had been chased away by a warlike and cruel chief, Gahor-the-Savage, whose orders he contested.

Gahor only keeps close to him those who prefer war to hunting!
And these beings are terrorizing the entire territory!

They kill and pillage without any mercy!
This very morning they went to attack those of the stone tooth!

Follow me and you will understand, Hangka lives like a hermit but, from up there, he sees a lot of things!
Preceded by his puma, the old man leapt between the rocks with surprising agility.

Page Five.

And the son of Crao, shortly after discovered a strange landscape.
Do you see this camp, on the “Stone Tooth”?
As you see, we can only arrive at this by going around it through the forest.

Gahor, his men and their Puma’s have set off at dawn.
When they have crossed the forest, these unfortunate people from the "Stone tooth" will have no chance of escaping from them.

Rahan will warn “Those of the Stone Tooth”!
Gahor and his people are already far away!

By the path of the "Four Hands" Rahan can catch up with the fastest hunters!
You are generous, brother!
Hangka wishes you could avoid a massacre!

Crao's son disappeared into the foliage.
His agility was such that he actually overtook Gahor and his warriors.

Page Six.

They were taking a pause, their spears stuck in the ground, their docile pumas at their feet.

We do not know "Crawling on Water" but neither do "Those of the Stone Tooth"!
They will therefore be trapped!
None of them will escape us!

These warriors had not set off again when Rahan was already fluttering towards the “Stone Tooth.”

Cries of fear resounded when he emerged from the forest.
Rahan is not an enemy!
He comes to tell you to stay on your guard, because Gahor-the-wild is going to attack you!

The son of Crao suddenly realized that this warning was useless.
The “Stone Tooth” clan comprised only around ten hunters, with their wives and children.

Page Seven.

How could this handful of men resist the formidable tribe of Gahor!
We often prayed that these monsters would spare our clan!

But since Rahan saw them on the way to the "Stone Tooth" we are lost!
Their Pumaks will slaughter our women and children!

No, brothers!
Nothing is ever lost!
Rahan knows how to make the pumas back down!
Fire!
Grasping two flaming branches.

The son of Crao rushed back into the forest, setting fire to a thicket here, to a bush there, and further to another.

The wind was favorable and the high cliff at the "Stone tooth" was soon protected by a barrage of fire.

Page Eight.

Shortly after the fire raged, and presented Gahor's men with an impassable obstacle.
The pumas!
Hold them back!

If these men did not fear the fire, they could no longer control their wild animals which, in panic, escaped from them and fled in all directions.

We have gained time, but as soon as the fire goes out Gahor will attack us!
What a pity that your people do not know how to “crawl on water”!

They could have dived past the other side of this abyss! Oh!
A vision suddenly imposed itself on the son of Crao.

He saw the female "Four Hands” crossing the river with her young.
What a “Four Hands” can do Rahan should be able to do it too!

Page Nine.

I Idea that he exposed was wildly audacious.
Rahan is going to go over the other cliff!
He will throw you vines that you will attach to these trees!

During this time, let the women and children cut bamboos of this length!
Lots of bamboo quickly, brothers! Quickly!

Ra-ha-ha!
The cry that accompanies his dive revealed no fear.
It was the cry of Rahan taking action!

If there were only hunters, a single vine would be enough.
In safety on this side of the abyss he could only have thought of his fate.
But the thought did not even cross his mind.

Page Ten.

But women and children must pass too!
The long vines he cut were thick and too heavy to be thrown up to the stone tooth.

But Rahan came across a very fine one which he weighed down with a stone.
Catch it brothers!
Rahan will attach a bigger one to its end!

A moment later this thin vine made it possible to pull a much stronger one up to the stone tooth.
Rahan would never have had the strength to throw it to the other side!

When this vine was firmly attached on both sides, the son of Crao tied four others around his waist.

It seems that this hunter wants to help those of the stone tooth!
He could not have known that two warriors from Gahor, looking for their pumas, had just seen him.

Page Eleven.

The fire-haired man is as agile as a four-hands!
We must alert Gahor!
Let us kill him first!

The son of Crao arrived in the middle of "Bridge" when the angry screams reached him.

And he saw the men preparing to cut the vines with spears!
Being rushed into the water worried him less to see so much effort called into question!

But suddenly.
Attack, Taouk! Attack!

The unexpected and unanticipated intervention of old Hangka and his puma reversed the situation!
One warrior of Gahor managed to escape but the other did not have time!

Page Twelve.

The fire will not hold Gahor back much longer!
We must act quickly!
Cheers from the clan greeted Rahan, as he reached the stone tooth and tied the vines to the trunks.

And what seemed impossible was going to come true!
Maintaining balance thanks to the line serving as a "Hand hold", Rahan cleverly wedged the bamboos.

Between the vines which would support the deck of the “Bridge”.
The lighter children took turns to supply him with bamboo.

It was a delicate and perilous task.
But the fragile footbridge took shape, and soon connected the two cliffs.

However.
And you saw Hankga and the “Fire-hair” enemy throw vines at those of the stone tooth!?
I saw this, Gahor!
And Hangka's "Puma" cut Taraou's throat!

Page thirteen.

You heard!?
The fire has gone away and we are going to attack!
Death to those of the stone tooth!
Kill! Kill!

The clamors reached the stone tooth as children and women evacuated it in small groups.
And the hunters were about to take their turn on the bridge when the howling pack appeared.
Come on, brothers!
Rahan will stop them from cutting the vines!

Armed with a long bamboo, the son of Crao Guarded the "Bridge" allowing the withdrawal of his companions.
Gahor will kill you with his own hands!

When they were safe on the other cliff, he launched the challenge.
So, Gahor?
Would you be afraid of coming to take Rahan's life?

Page Fourteen.

Gahor hesitated, but rage overcame him.
In the middle of the fragile footbridge the duel to the death began.
The bamboo and the spear collided.

And suddenly.
Ah!
Ha-Ha-Ha! Farewell “Fire hair”!
A crossbeam gave way under his feet, and Rahan seemed to be swallowed up.

You should never have challenged Gahor, “Fire-hair."
But the bamboo he hugged held him to the vines.
He was now at the mercy of Gahor who raised his spear.

On the other side of the abyss the clan of the stone tooth believed lost the one who had saved them.

But Rahan, instinctively taking advantage of the new situation, caused such a pendulum movement on the bridge.

Page Fifteen.

That Gahor was thrown into the void.
Ah!

Gahor cannot crawl on water.
He is going to join the territory of shadows!

Death to the fiery-haired enemy!
As he attempted to climb onto the bridge, the son of Crao saw Gahor's warriors rushing.

To avoid the fate of their leader, they clung firmly to the "Hand hold."
Kill! Kill!

Rahan only had one final trick left.
Destroy the pathway!
Slipping his hand into the lace of his knife so that the weapon does not escape him.

Page Sixteen.

He energetically attacked the vines.
What does it matter if Rahan falls with them!
He knows how to crawl on the water!

The footbridge, suddenly dislocated, disappeared under the men’s feet!
Rahan secured his grip by cutting the last two vines.
When the fibers gave way, there was drama.

Under the sudden shock, these vines became tangled, encircling his wrist!

And while the last warriors were thrown into the abyss, he himself remained suspended from half of the bridge which fell towards the cliff!

Page Seventeen.

The shock was incredibly violent. Flattened against the wall, without consciousness, he did not see those of the stone tooth.

Cut the "Hand hold" from which a few the men of Gahor still hung.
May the vines not unravel!
And that life remains in him!
He did not feel that he was very gently being raised up.

The day had not come for the son of Crao to join the territory of shadows.
And yet, when he came to, a puma was observing him!

His fingers reached for the ivory weapon still laced to his wrist.
Do not worry, Rahan Taouk means you no harm!

Page Eighteen.

Hangka the elder was there with those of the stone tooth.
All of them were saved thanks to your audacity!
And the warriors of Gahor?

Gone forever under the water!
But don't blame yourself!
They were no longer men, but monsters!
From now on, happiness will return to our territory!

And Hangka will no longer live as a hermit since those of the stone tooth accept him into their clan!
But, on behalf of everyone, Hangka would like to ask you a question.

How did you imagine launching a path of vines over an abyss!?
Which god inspired you with this extraordinary idea?
It was not a god. Uh, only a “four hands”!

The "Four Hands" often imitate "Those-Who-Walk-Upright".
This time it was us who imitated the “Four-hands”!
And the son of Crao, modestly, tried to prove that he had only copied monkeys!

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