Rahan. Episode Sixty three. By Roger Lecureux The Beast that speaks. A Puke (TM) Comic.

Rahan.

Episode Sixty three.

By Roger Lecureux, drawn by Andre Cheret.

The Beast that speaks.

The carpet of branches and palm fronds, in the middle of the track, would certainly cover a trap.
What a crude camouflage! Only a blind beast could fall for this trap!
Amused, the Son of Crao used his momentum to jump the obstacle.

He took ten steps and.
Oh!
A perfectly concealed pit opened beneath him!

Although he was a victim, Rahan appreciated this ruse.
A false trap, deliberately visible to force the game to jump into the real trap!
Rahan would like to know the hunters who had this idea!

Page Two.

The son of Crao did not have long to wait.
“A hairless “four hands”!
A “Four hands" with white skin!
We captured a “Four Hands”!

Aya-the mother never told us that there were “Four Hands” without hair!
The “Four Hands” Do not speak. And Rahan speaks! Like you!

Four adolescents waved their spears. The oldest had not yet experienced twenty springs.
Go and get Aya-the-mother!
She must see the “Four-hands-with-white-skin!”

Rahan is not a “Four Hands”!
Look at his face! Rahan is a hunter like you! A man like you!
The young hunters observed Rahan with obvious astonishment.

As the son of Crao hoisted himself out of the trap, he saw the old woman that two youths were carrying, sitting on a bamboo.
See the strange beast we have captured, Mother! This beast speaks!
This beast is cursed, my sons! Kill it! Kill it!

Page Three.

Why kill a beast that speaks, Mother?
A beast that looks so much like Bhra, Ghao, Chram, Vahou!?

Aya-the-mother watched Rahan with hatred.
Since you decide to spare the beast, let it leave immediately! Let it disappear!
No mother! Let us keep it with us!

Although he stood on his guard, the son of Crao did not have time to dodge the attack.
You will have to choose another way to defeat Rahan, Brothers!

His attackers had on their side the vivacity and passion of youth, but Rahan possessed vigor and experience in combat.

So the confrontation was quick!
Did you want Rahan to stay with you?
He will stay, but of his own free will!

Page Four.

His adversaries stood up, both worried and admiring.
The “Speaking Beast” is stronger than the terrible “Gorilla”!

But the old woman could not contain her fury.
This beast is more formidable than a "Gorilla"! Let it go!
Later, mother! Since it speaks, we want to know where she comes from!

Rahan will tell you. He knows a lot about “Those-Who-Walk-Upright.”
He will teach them to you!
No! No! Do not listen to him my sons!
Two adolescents were already carrying Aya-the-mother towards a cave.
The other two watched every muscle of Rahan.

And compared them to theirs.
It is true that you look like us!
But who are the “Those-Who-Walk-Upright” that you are talking about?

But the hunters, that you see!
Hunters who live in the mountains, in the forests, along the “waterways.”

You lie!

Page Five.

Vahou, Ghao, Bhra and Chram are the only hunters!
If other hunters existed, mother would have told us about them!

The son of fierce ages, distraught, allowed himself to be led to the cave.
Rahan knows many solitary hunters, but they all knew they belonged to the great horde of “Those-who-walked-upright”!
How is it possible that these are unaware of the existence of other men!?

Vahou! Chram! Do not listen to the "Talking Beast"!
His tongue is made for lying! Do not listen to him!
It is you who lies to your sons, Aya!

You know very well that, in other territories, men like them are alive!
Why let them believe that they are the only hunters!?
Shut up! Shut up!
If my legs supported me, I would kill you with my own hands!

Since when did your legs die, Aya!?
Since the day a "Gorilla" attacked our mother!
We were too young, too small to defend her.

Page Six.

Vahou recounted how, one morning, a giant gorilla had thrown Aya-the-mother into a ravine.

Aya had survived, but both of her legs had been broken.
My little ones. My dear little ones.
You will now have to hunt without me.

“Ghorya” is our most formidable enemy!
He is so strong he could throw that rock ten steps away!
We have always escaped him,

But one day “Chorya” will surprise us!
He will tear off our legs and arms!
Do not say these horrible things, Bhra!

For the first time Aya-the-mother seemed moved, and Rahan guessed the immense affection she had for her family.

If your heart is generous, why do you hate Rahan?
So what is your secret, Aya?

Page Seven.

Shut up! Shut up!
The son of Crao did not have time to dodge the heavy pebble.

Why treat him as an enemy, mother!
The “Talking Beast” did nothing against us!
But it seems like his words scare you!

As Rahan recovered his senses Aya discreetly poured a pinch of powder into a drink.
Oh Vahou, they scare me. They are very scary!

But since you want him to stay, go back to hunting!
Bring him some food!
Enchanted by this change of heart, the adolescents rushed into the foliage.

Yes, Rahan. Like you said, I have a secret.
A secret that I cannot tell to my own.
But maybe you want to drink some of this fruit blood?
With joy, Aya!
Rahan is happy that you finally consider him a friend!

Page Eight.

The son of Crao drank in one gulp, and he suddenly felt all his nerves tense, all his muscles tense.

He collapsed at the feet of Aya-the-mother.
You will remain at my mercy for as long as I decide!
But why not kill you immediately!?

Rahan had lost none of his lucidity.
He heard and saw, but his tongue and his limbs were paralyzed!
Unable to move, he felt the ivory tip of his knife seeking his heart!

But Aya suddenly dropped the ivory weapon.
No! I cannot!
A man's life is too precious a thing!
But why are you taking away my happiness, Rahan?

Aya-the-mother became thoughtful and her voice became soft.
Vahou, Chram, Chao and Bhra are not my children but I love them as if they were my own sons.

Page Nine.

The leaves have greened fifteen times since that cursed day when the clan entrusted these babies to me to go fight those of the red mountains.
Everyone left, women and men alike.

But none came back!
All had perished in the useless and cruel fight!
That day. There I swore that children would grow up in ignorance of men and women.

As the seasons passed I made them skilled hunters.
I taught them everything I knew myself, but I never mentioned their origin and they never suspected the existence of other men!

That is my secret, Rahan.
If mine knew they would no doubt be tempted by another life, perhaps they would abandon me!
But you will not tell them anything!
The drug of “False Death” will prevent you from speaking!

Ghao and Bhra came running in terror.
Mother! Mother!
Vahou and Chram are going to die!
The "Gorya" will crush them with stones!

Page Ten.

Panting, they told how their brothers, surprised by the gorilla, had taken refuge in a ravine with no exit. They would not long escape the rocks that "Ghorya" was throwing at them!

Aya-the-mother was livid. Her anguished gaze went from her young sons to Rahan.
Only you can save mine! But would you accept, after what I did? Yes?

Rahan blinked in agreement. Aya poured another brew between his lips.
This destroys the effects of the "False Death" drug!

A few seconds later, in fact, the son of Crao regained his speech and movement!
Lead Rahan to the Ravine! Quickly! Quickly!

The old woman watched him disappear with emotion.
You were wrong, Aya!
This one is not a man like the others!
The love you have for yours blinded you, Aya!
It made you selfish and unfair!

Page Eleven.

The gorilla was about to throw a heavy rock when Rahan's challenge fell behind him.
Prepare to die, “Ghorya”!

The son of fierce ages leaped, narrowly avoiding the rock.
And Ghao and Bhra, with tight throats, thought they were dreaming.

With astonishing courage, the “Talking Beast” faced this monster that had so often terrified them!

It was a fierce and wild melee.
Of which Vahou and Chram, who were climbing out of the Ravine, only saw the last phase.

Ra-ha-ha!
Rahan's clamor of victory arose so loudly that the heart of Aya the mother must have rejoiced.

Page Twelve.

A little later.
I will never live long enough to show my gratitude to you, Rahan!
What fate would you have reserved for Rahan if.

We would put you on a raft and send you running.
When the drug would have stopped acting, you would have found yourself far, far from here!
And Chram and Vhaou would have died because of me!
Without doubt you think many bad things of me!

No, Aya!
Rahan thinks your way of loving your people is wrong!
“Those-who-walk-upright” cannot live isolated from each other!
They must teach each other, share their knowledge!

You are probably right, Rahan.
But is it not too late now? Will they forgive me?

We always forgive a mother!
And it is never too late to fix a mistake!

What will become of those you love when you have joined the territory of shadows?
What will they know about the sight of their fellow men?

It was, for the young hunters, the night of revelations.
Rahan spoke of clans and their customs, evoked a thousand unknown and wonderful things.

The sun found him on the trail guiding Aya and her sons.
They were happily going to discover these beings about whom, until the day before, they knew nothing. Beings who bore the name “Man.”

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