The Call of the Primitive

           FromthetimeTarzanleftthetribeofgreatanthropoidsinwhichhehadbeenraised,itwastornbycontinualstrifeanddiscord.Terkozprovedacruelandcapriciousking,sothat,onebyone,manyoftheolderandweakerapes,uponwhomhewasparticularlypronetoventhisbrutishnature,tooktheirfamiliesandsoughtthequietandsafetyofthefarinterior.

           ButatlastthosewhoremainedweredriventodesperationbythecontinuedtruculenceofTerkoz,anditsohappenedthatoneofthemrecalledthepartingadmonitionofTarzan:

           "Ifyouhaveachiefwhoiscruel,donotdoastheotherapesdo,andattempt,anyoneofyou,topityourselfagainsthimalone.But,instead,lettwoorthreeorfourofyouattackhimtogether.Then,ifyouwilldothis,nochiefwilldaretobeotherthanheshouldbe,forfourofyoucankillanychiefwhomayeverbeoveryou."

           Andtheapewhorecalledthiswisecounselrepeatedittoseveralofhisfellows,sothatwhenTerkozreturnedtothetribethatdayhefoundawarmreceptionawaitinghim.

           Therewerenoformalities.AsTerkozreachedthegroup,fivehuge,hairybeastsspranguponhim.

           Athearthewasanarrantcoward,whichisthewaywithbulliesamongapesaswellasamongmen;sohedidnotremaintofightanddie,buttorehimselfawayfromthemasquicklyashecouldandfledintotheshelteringboughsoftheforest.