Rahan. Episode 156. By Roger Lecureux. The Tree of the Weak. A Puke(TM) Comic.

Translated by the Son of the Puke Ages.
Index:
https://rumble.com/v3486cm-rahan-index-of-episodes-by-roger-lecureux..html

Source of Rahan Comics:
Philippe Ropers.
https://vk.com/topic-203785966_47424128

Rahan.

The Son of the Ferocious Ages!

Episode One Hundred and Fifty-Six.
A re-telling of Episode 59, the King Tree.
By Roger Lecureux, drawn by Romero.

The Tree of the Weak.

If there are so many of these hunters, it is because they are going to track down a "Two-tooth"!

The long line was about to disappear behind the hills, when a nearby noise alerted the son of Crao.

A laughing man let himself fall from the foliage.
Ha-ha-ha!
This one is from another clan! Why is he happy? Rahan wants to know!

Intrigued, Rahan discreetly followed this man and.
The clan of "The Weak Tree" is heading towards the valley of "Two Teeth"!
All the valid hunters are behind it!

Page Two.

Zarook was waiting for this moment, brothers!
Tomorrow we will seize the tree-of-the-weak! We will no longer fear for our women and children!

Who do they want to fight? Rahan wants to know!
Too busy checking spears and arrows, these men did not see Rahan creep towards an isolated hut.

Do not scream! Rahan will not steal your life if you tell him your clan's plan.
Do not. Do not squeeze. Koam will speak!

The man narrated how his clan and that of the forest had always fought over a gigantic, fantastic tree.

The son of Crao was slipping out of the hut when Koam raised the alarm.
Alert! Alert! An enemy is in the camp!

Escaping these men was a game for the agile Rahan.
They will never catch up with Rahan in the Kingdom of the "Four-Hands."

Page Three.

Shortly after, he took a break when.
Why are these little men afraid of Rahan?
And what were they doing in that tree?

As agile as young monkeys, the children disappeared into the thick foliage.
How strange.
All these branches seem to belong to the same tree!

Could Rahan be on this fantastic tree that Zarook and his people covet!?

The son of Crao's guess was quickly confirmed.
All the branches he walked on belonged to the same tree!

It is incredible! Rahan does not dream!
Some branches were so big, so strong, that they could have carried an entire clan.

The vine he was sliding down was as thick as his wrist!
This tree is a forest in itself!
Rahan wants to see it from the ground!

Page Four.

What he discovered, shortly after, was hardly imaginable.
Yes, this fantastic tree was indeed a forest within the forest!
A chain of fifty hunters could not have circled its gigantic trunk.
Its branches spread over distances of several arrow ranges!

A gap at the base of the trunk could have sheltered a clan!
Rahan could see steps when.

Oh!
If it is the tree of the weak, these weak protect themselves well!

Escaping the rain of stones, Rahan rushed inside the trunk. Climbing the stairs was easy.
So what will Rahan discover up there?

Page Five.

As soon as he appeared, ten hands grabbed his arms and energetically pulled his hair pulled from his trunk.
Zarook will regret sending you to spy on us.
"Those-who-walk-upright" are wrong! Rahan does not belong to Zarook's clan!

Rahan was dragged into the tangle of branches.
Children, women and mutilated men, and old men watched him.
The tree of the weak!

Rahan is the son of Crao!
He is not an enemy!
He has come to warn you that Zarook will attack you at daybreak!

We have never seen you "Fire-Hair"!
How do we know if you are telling the truth!?
Rahan did not use his weapon. That proves his good intentions, no!?

This hunter is right. Let us trust him!
Thank you, Old Man! Rahan would like to know why you live in this tree!

When our hunters go on an expedition, the weakest of the clan take refuge there to escape the dangers of the jungle! We have reserves of food and stones there.
Page Six.

Many times we have offered Zarook to share this tree with the women and children of his clan, when his hunters go away.
But Zarook refuses. He wants the “tree-of-the-weak” for himself alone!

And at daybreak, Zarook. Will attack us! What can our stones do against his arrows?

Rahan had said "Our stones."
He had already decided that he would fight alongside these women, these old people, these disabled people.

All night long, they organized the defense of the tree-of-the-weak.
They distributed the projectiles in judiciously chosen points.

Shields were woven from vines. Dead branches were piled up until daybreak.
Listen! Zarook and his people are coming!

Convinced that they would win without a fight, Zarook and his hunters advanced into the vast clearing.
Zarook means you no harm! Abandon the "tree-of-the-weak" And leave this territory! The tree-of-the-weak is ours!

Not yet, Zarook! To take this tree, you will first have to drive us out!
If you want it, we will dislodge you from up there by force!
Page Seven.

A group rushed towards the crack in the trunk when.
Argh!
Rahan would have preferred to avoid the fight! But since you insist on it

Other hunters were charging despite the rain of stones. Some were already rushing into the trunk.
You have to do as planned, women, lets go!

Argh!
The dead branches that had been massed during the night were thrown into the staircase.
In an instant, it became impassable to the attackers.

We will seize this Tree! Our arrows will make these stone and stake throwers flee!
This failure unleashed Zarook's fury.

The arrows flew toward the foliage of the “tree-of-the-weak." But the braided shields were effective!
Zlack! Zlack!
We will soon be out of stones, Rahan!

The "Shield" must have been unknown to Zarook's hunters, who were surprised to miss their targets.
What does it matter, brothers!
They have no more stones! We will climb up there by the vines!

Page Eight.

The son of Crao smiled as the attackers, in small groups, clung to the vines.
Stupid hunters! They do not know that the domain of the "Four-Hands" is also that of Rahan!

Ra-ha-ha!
A moment later, Rahan was fluttering from branch to branch, cutting one by one the vines that Zarook's men were clinging too.

And these fell in whole clusters. Some remained lifeless on the ground. Others suggested abandoning this assault.

The gods must protect those of the tree-of-the-weak! Since they do not fear our arrows and since we cannot reach up there either by the trunk or by the vines.
Abandon it!

Zarook did not understand it that way, and he shouted.
Let the one who commands you show himself! Zarook challenges him!
Zarook will send him to the "Territory-of-Shadows"!

Rahan arrives, Zarook!
Ugh! Zlang!
Zarook did not have time to realize.

Page Nine.

Rahan would have the right to take your life, Zarook! But it is not up to him to decide your fate!
What. Who are you? What. What are you doing?

Were you not supposed to climb that tree!
The son of Crao had grabbed Zarook and both of them rose towards the foliage.
The hunters did not dare to shoot their arrows, fearing to hit their leader.

The women and children happily hoisted the two men up.
Thanks to "Fire-Hair" Zarook is our prisoner!

A little later.
See those you wanted to drive out of this tree, Zarook!
See all these children, these cripples that you would have delivered to the dangers of the jungle!

These dangers also threaten the children, women and old people of my clan.
Zarook spoke of his people with great emotion.

Rahan interrupted him.
If a leader like you has a duty to protect the weak in his clan, he must not do so at the expense of another clan!

Page Ten.

The tree of the weak is a blessing of nature that your clans should not fight over.
But share. It would then become a marvelous refuge for all the weak of the forest!

Rahan spoke for a long time.
He had always known how to find the words that went to the heart of "Those-who-walk-upright".

We will never again attempt to seize the tree!
When my people go hunting, they will entrust their wives and children to it!
Zarook swears it!

Zarook will keep his oath!
In those wild times, sometimes it took very little to awaken the good feelings that lie dormant in every man.

Rahan knew that the tree of the weak would never again be an object of discord!
Nothing kept him here anymore.
What are you doing, "Fire-Hair"?
Rahan must go! But he will not forget the courage of his sisters!

At nightfall, he crossed the hills. He contemplated one last time the ocean of greenery from which emerged the fantastic "Tree-of-the-weak." Then he went to meet new landscapes.
To meet other men, for such was the destiny of Rahan, the son of Crao!