Rahan. Episode three. The fish trap. By Roger Lecureux. A Puke(TM) Comic

Rahan.
By Roger Lecureux.

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Episode three.

The fish trap.

Rahan will still have to gnaw roots and eat the weeds.
For a few moons Rahan has known how to fly under the water.
But he still was not swimming fast enough to catch up with the marvelous mottled fish that would appease his hunger.

Exhausted by this new and vain attempt, he returned to the shore.
While the sparkling salmon that came up the river seemed to taunt him.

If Rahan had vines, he would make a net, like the fishers of the clan of black men.
But Rahan has no vines.

Page Two:

Lying in the shade of a bush he was watching the leaping fish when something crashed onto the river.
Oh! Wampa!

It would take a Rahan with wings like a Wampa.
The great bird flapped its wings and its sharp beak caught in flight a salmon which sprang out of the water.

Rahan stays huddled in the shadow of the thorn trees because he knows how dangerous it is to face this monster of the sky.
But this one was already gone, a new fish in its beak.

Rahan had not killed any game since he ventured into this savage territory.
He was hungry, very hungry.
Jump! Jump! He thinks, one of you may end up falling back on solid ground!

A salmon wriggled at the end of a branch, suspended by its mouth from a thorn in the shrub.
Very close to the thorn, Rahan noticed the cluster of tiny red fruits.

Page Three:

Perhaps it was to swallow these fruits that he jumped out of the water?
And he impaled himself on the thorn!
Rahan would never have imagined such a strange trap.

Rahan, the son of Crao, the sole survivor of the horde of the blue mountain that was decimated by a volcanic eruption, has lived since his childhood in the wild.

Nature was both his ally and his enemy.
Sometimes she raged against him.
Rahan does not fear fire from heaven!

Sometimes, on the contrary, she would reveal secrets to him that his waking brain knew how to put to good use.
If this trap attracts fish, they will be caught by Rahan.

And since they devour each other, the flesh of this one will attract the others!
Pruning a branch bristling with thorns Rahan perhaps invented that day the first hook.

Page Four:

And indeed, an instant later.
Ra! Vlouf! Vlouf!

Two, three, four fish hang from the fish trap.
Rahan punctuates each take with a cry of victory!

From then on, he knew he would never be hungry when he wandered near a stream.
Rahan will no longer foolishly pursue fish in their domain, he will make them come to him!
Ha-Ha-Ha!

He was scaling one of these fish when the rustling of huge wings resounded above him.
The shadow of the swooping predator enveloped him immediately.

A terrible shock knocked him to the ground before he could touch his ivory knife.
The Wampa! The, the, oh!

Page Five:

One fish then a second, disappeared in the bird's oversized beak.
Back Wampa, back! Rahan did not fish for you!

Rahan knew how fearsome this monster was.
The fish of Rahan will not pass through your gullet!

The ivory blade crossed through the throat of the raptor, which beat its wings one last time and collapsed.
Long ago, Rahan did not know how to throw his knife!

He would have faced you in hand to hand combat, and your beak would have opened his chest.
It is this spear that will open your chest Rahan!

The young man who was approaching held his spear high.
That Wampa belonged to my clan!
He is docile and faithful! He was fishing for us!

Page Six:

Is it possible for a monster like the Wampa to obey those who walk upright?
Rahan has never seen such a thing!

What does it matter to Marha what Rahan has seen!
Rahan killed the Wampa!
He must die in his turn!
Zizz!

Ha-Ha-Ha!
Marha is not fast enough for Rahan.

Leave the lance where rests Marha!
I could kill you as easily as I killed the Wampa!

But Rahan does not want to kill "Those who walk upright".
Especially when they are your age!
But you are going to make me die!

Page Seven:

What are you saying?
If Marha returns to his family without the Wampa, he will be sacrificed!
A look of terror passed over the face of the boy.

No game is found in this cursed territory.
Only the big river fish allow the clan to survive.
But to catch the fish, you need a Wampa.
Rahan breaks the spear.

This one fishes for us!
By killing him you have condemned the clan to starvation.
I will teach you other ways to fish! This one for example.

As soon as Rahan’s branch-hook had touched the water, a salmon was caught.
Vlouf!

Shortly after, the fish accumulated on the river bank, at the feet of the bewildered child.
Ah! Ha! Again!
Marha must be dreaming.
What country do you come from to know such a marvelous secret?

Page Eight:

Rahan did not know before this morning!
But Rahan knows how to observe things and sometimes imitate nature.
In Marha’s eyes, admiration competed with fear.

The clan will not forgive me for letting you kill the Wampa!
But Marha!
I will reveal to your clan the secret of fishing. Lead me to them.

The clan of Marha lived in a large cave, not far from the river.
Astonished shouts greeted the child.
Who is the man with Marha? Where is the Wampa?

The Wampa is dead Kardirk.
A terrible silence suddenly fell on the cave.
Rahan had the impression of hearing the beating heart of some colossus that had arisen.

It is me, Rahan, who stabbed the Wampa!
I was fishing on the river and the Predator wanted to eat my fish.
I protected them, as is a hunters right!

Page Nine:

Rahan kept his hand on his knife, ready to respond to any assault from the clan.
But no one moved.
Chief Kardirk's voice thundered.
It was indeed your right Rahan!
And no one will reproach you.

But Marha, to whom we had entrusted the Wampa, Should have protected it from your blows!
The law of the clan is formal, whoever lets the Wampa die must die in turn!
Marha must die!

But it was I who killed the Wampa! I should be punished!
No! You protected your fishing, as you should have!
And Marha should have protected the Wampa.

The men were already binding the boy’s arms and legs.
Do not kill me! Do not kill me!
Rahan will reveal the secret of fishing!

Rahan threw the cluster of Salmon at Kardirks’s feet.
Marha is telling the truth!
Let him live and I will teach you.
Every day, more fish than the Wampa could catch.
Page Ten:

Your secret is not important to us Rahan!
Our horde has always fished with a trained Wampa!
It will continue!
Rahan recognized the feeling that he had repeatedly encountered in "Those who walk upright".
Attachment to habits and customs.

Kardirk is wrong!
Rahan too once believed that his horde was the strongest, that it had the best hunters.
But Rahan met others who were aware of the things of which he was ignorant.

Rahan has known more skilled hunters than his brothers!
"Those who walk upright" always have something to learn from each other!
Kardirk eyed Rahan with a strange smile.

Rahan thinks that he is more cunning, more skilled, and stronger than Kardirk?
The horde leaders’ tone hinted at a challenge.
This one was dropped.

Since you are interested in Marha, I propose this to you.
The first of us to bring a young Wampa back to the horde will decide Marha's fate!

Page Eleven:

Rahan caught a glimpse of Marha's anguished gaze.
Rahan accepts Kardirk's challenge!
We start immediately! Each their own way!

If Kardirk brings back a Wampa first, he will decide to put Marha to death!
May Rahan win this test!

Rahan didn't know anything about this country.
But he knew that the Wampas were still roosting in the mountains.
He dashed into the steppe with low bushes.

Rahan must discover the Wampa’s area before dark.
The soft branches whipped his legs and hips, but he did not care.

Oh!
His knife, struck by a branch, was torn from his belt.

Page Twelve:

Such incidents had often happened.
And he had repeatedly almost lost the precious weapon.
Rahan wondered how he could keep the knife from slipping.

During his fights, the knife had sometimes slipped from his hand.
And Rahan had had the idea of this loop fixed to the handle.

But he did not have that idea until this morning.
Thus, Rahan will no longer lose his knife.

The sun was very high when it reached the mountain.
A couple of Wampas chased each other in the sky, the flight of which he carefully followed.

But Rahan was not alone in observing the birds of prey.
The nest of these Wampas is not far!
Kardirk will cross it before Rahan!

Page Thirteen:

The two birds disappeared into a crevice in the mountain.
Rahan will have to kill them to bring back one of their young.

A moment later Rahan was climbing the rock wall.
There were large and numerous protrusions helping his ascension.
Ah!
Kardirk.

Down below, the leader of the horde had just missed a hold.
He spun around for a moment.
He is lost! No!

A ledge had stopped Kardirk's fall.
The chief of the clan remained motionless on this perch.
Rahan saw that Kardirk had lost his weapon.
He would not be able to face the Wampas.

The birds of prey sprang from the crevice and dived towards the inert man.
Rahan has no right to let them shred Kardirk!

Page Fourteen:

The birds seemed to hesitate and circled above the rock.
Putting this hesitation to profit, Rahan leapt from one projection, and then to another.

Rah!
He landed near Kardirk just as a Wampa attacked.

Ah!
Raising his battle cry Rahan wanted to brandish his knife!
And.

His idea had turned against him!
The vine which usually slipped easily held the knife to its belt!
And he had no time to untie the knot.

A Wampa swooped down on him, wrapping its wings around him!
Ah! You may kill Rahan, but you will die with him!

Page Fifteen:

Pushed against the rock by the winged monster, Rahan hit where he could.
Free to move, he had quickly found a vital point.

But with the short vine holding the knife to his belt, he could not deliver blows above his hip!

The second Wampa attacking Kardirk came to.
Unarmed, the chief of the clan desperately resisted the raptor.

Rahan stood up screaming his victory cry!
Ra-ha!

Kardirk is going to die.
Rahan will be able to bring the young Wampas back to the clan!
Rahan has won the challenge!

Page Sixteen:

It didn't occur to Kardirk that the one he had challenged could help him.
So he watched with amazement as Rahan rushed forward.

Ra-ha!
The son of Crao had time to untie his Knife this time.

And his first blow was so precise that he needed no time for a second strike.
Zlang!

Kardirk slowly freed himself from under the raptor’s corpse.
Rahan could have let Kardirk perish.
Why did Rahan not do it?

Because Rahan thinks those who walk upright must help each other.
As if they were all part of the same clan!
Of the same horde!

Page Seventeen:

Strange cries now rose from the crevice.
The young Wampas are in the nest.
Go, Rahan, go! You have earned the right to bring one back to the clan!

There was perhaps a little bitterness in Kardirk's voice, but not anger.
Rahan hoisted himself up to the perch of the Wampas.

He reappeared very quickly, happily brandishing a hideous and already enormous baby bird.
I think this one will be an excellent fisherman!

He joined the chief of the clan at the foot of the cliff, who had just recovered his club.
Our horde will now have a lot of respect for Rahan, thought Kardirk to himself.

Argh!
The blow was so unexpected that Rahan collapsed without even seeing who hit him.

Page Eighteen:

He only understood when he came to.
Kardirk the deceiver did not want to accept his defeat!
He grabbed the young Wampa!

He will claim to have won the event and will have the right to decide the fate of this poor Marha.
And I know he will decide on death!

Furious and anxious, Rahan rushed in the still fresh footsteps of Kardirk.
He was soon in sight of the grotto from which rose joyful cries.

The horde salutes the victory of its leader.
I, Kardirk.
I am happy and proud to have triumphed over an adversary as loyal, as courageous as Rahan!

Rahan was amazed at the loud voice of Kardirk singing his praises!
But since I brought back the Wampa, I have the right to decide on the fate of Marha!

Page Nineteen:

I Kardirk, Chief of the clan, decide that the young Marha must be forgiven!
Marha will live!
We entrust him with the task of training the Wampa for fishing.
Oh Rahan!

Rahan had just entered the cave with a faint smile on his face.
I see a good decision Kardirk! I would not have taken another if I had been victorious!

Kardirk, a little embarrassed dragged Rahan aside.
You are the real winner Rahan! I told my people how you saved me!
And that you knocked me out?

No I lied about the Wampa.
But you have to understand me, Rahan. If you had brought back the Wampa.
I would have lost the trust of the clan!
My people would have fought to designate a new chief. And I don't want them to fight anymore.

Of course if you want you can tell them the truth! I will bow to their decision!
Marha's fate alone interested me Kardirk. You saved him and I am satisfied.

Page Twenty:

However, I would like to reveal something to your clan!
Kardirk was very worried, and followed Rahan who returned to the horde.

The training of the Wampa will be long brothers!
How will you eat while you wait?
Don't you think the time has come for me to reveal to you the secret of fishing!

Kardirk, gave Rahan a grateful look.
And the latter spoke at length of the discovery he had made that very morning.

In the days that followed there reigned a joyful animation on the banks of the great river.
Rahan was right!
We now know how to catch more fish than a Wampa family would catch!

Your horde will never go hungry, Kardirk!
Oh! Hold me! This one will get me Ha-Ha-Ha!
Ha-Ha-Ha!

Rahan was happy, happy.
He had taught something to those who walk upright. He found his reward in their joy.

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