登陆注册
5232000000009

第9章 The Capture of Tarzan(2)

"Tantor! Tantor!" he cried. "Bara, the deer, is less fearful than you--you, Tantor, the elephant, greatest of the jungle folk with the strength of as many Numas as I have toes upon my feet and fingers upon my hands. Tantor, who can uproot great trees, trembles with fear at the sound of a broken twig."A rumbling noise, which might have been either a sign of contempt or a sigh of relief, was Tantor's only reply as the uplifted trunk and ears came down and the beast's tail dropped to normal; but his eyes still roved about in search of Tarzan. He was not long kept in suspense, however, as to the whereabouts of the ape-man, for a second later the youth dropped lightly to the broad head of his old friend. Then stretching himself at full length, he drummed with his bare toes upon the thick hide, and as his fingers scratched the more tender surfaces beneath the great ears, he talked to Tantor of the gossip of the jungle as though the great beast understood every word that he said.

Much there was which Tarzan could make Tantor understand, and though the small talk of the wild was beyond the great, gray dreadnaught of the jungle, he stood with blinking eyes and gently swaying trunk as though drinking in every word of it with keenest appreciation.

As a matter of fact it was the pleasant, friendly voice and caressing hands behind his ears which he enjoyed, and the close proximity of him whom he had often borne upon his back since Tarzan, as a little child, had once fearlessly approached the great bull, assuming upon the part of the pachyderm the same friendliness which filled his own heart.

In the years of their association Tarzan had discovered that he possessed an inexplicable power to govern and direct his mighty friend. At his bidding, Tantor would come from a great distance--as far as his keen ears could detect the shrill and piercing summons of the ape-man--and when Tarzan was squatted upon his head, Tantor would lumber through the jungle in any direction which his rider bade him go. It was the power of the man-mind over that of the brute and it was just as effective as though both fully understood its origin, though neither did.

For half an hour Tarzan sprawled there upon Tantor's back.

Time had no meaning for either of them. Life, as they saw it, consisted principally in keeping their stomachs filled.

To Tarzan this was a less arduous labor than to Tantor, for Tarzan's stomach was smaller, and being omnivorous, food was less difficult to obtain. If one sort did not come readily to hand, there were always many others to satisfy his hunger. He was less particular as to his diet than Tantor, who would eat only the bark of certain trees, and the wood of others, while a third appealed to him only through its leaves, and these, perhaps, just at certain seasons of the year.

Tantor must needs spend the better part of his life in filling his immense stomach against the needs of his mighty thews. It is thus with all the lower orders--their lives are so occupied either with searching for food or with the processes of digestion that they have little time for other considerations. Doubtless it is this handicap which has kept them from advancing as rapidly as man, who has more time to give to thought upon other matters.

However, these questions troubled Tarzan but little, and Tantor not at all. What the former knew was that he was happy in the companionship of the elephant.

He did not know why. He did not know that because he was a human being-- a normal, healthy human being--he craved some living thing upon which to lavish his affection.

His childhood playmates among the apes of Kerchak were now great, sullen brutes. They felt nor inspired but little affection. The younger apes Tarzan still played with occasionally. In his savage way he loved them;but they were far from satisfying or restful companions.

Tantor was a great mountain of calm, of poise, of stability.

It was restful and satisfying to sprawl upon his rough pate and pour one's vague hopes and aspirations into the great ears which flapped ponderously to and fro in apparent understanding. Of all the jungle folk, Tantor commanded Tarzan's greatest love since Kala had been taken from him. Sometimes Tarzan wondered if Tantor reciprocated his affection. It was difficult to know.

It was the call of the stomach--the most compelling and insistent call which the jungle knows--that took Tarzan finally back to the trees and off in search of food, while Tantor continued his interrupted journey in the opposite direction.

For an hour the ape-man foraged. A lofty nest yielded its fresh, warm harvest. Fruits, berries, and tender plantain found a place upon his menu in the order that he happened upon them, for he did not seek such foods.

Meat, meat, meat! It was always meat that Tarzan of the Apes hunted; but sometimes meat eluded him, as today.

And as he roamed the jungle his active mind busied itself not alone with his hunting, but with many other subjects.

He had a habit of recalling often the events of the preceding days and hours. He lived over his visit with Tantor;he cogitated upon the digging blacks and the strange, covered pit they had left behind them. He wondered again and again what its purpose might be. He compared perceptions and arrived at judgments. He compared judgments, reaching conclusions--not always correct ones, it is true, but at least he used his brain for the purpose God intended it, which was the less difficult because he was not handicapped by the second-hand, and usually erroneous, judgment of others.

And as he puzzled over the covered pit, there loomed suddenly before his mental vision a huge, gray-black bulk which lumbered ponderously along a jungle trail.

Instantly Tarzan tensed to the shock of a sudden fear.

Decision and action usually occurred simultaneously in the life of the ape-man, and now he was away through the leafy branches ere the realization of the pit's purpose had scarce formed in his mind.

同类推荐
  • On the Parts of Animals

    On the Parts of Animals

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 强国

    强国

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 达生编

    达生编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 檀弓上

    檀弓上

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 南田画跋

    南田画跋

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 傀儡无双

    傀儡无双

    背负着你的一切,包括名字!我到底是谁?你说:你是林风,不是杨风!可你也说:你会成为我……那……我到底是我?还是你?……你是天才,不修武道。我是你制作的傀儡,我是你,我不修武道……
  • 谁在守约

    谁在守约

    当我们驱车到裴书记的家乡长治市北石槽村时,这里是一派新农村的气象,整齐划一的街道,两边都是小二楼,只有裴书记的院落还是三间瓦房,极像在高岸的“峰山”之间伏身在山脚下的一道“川谷”,从中我仿佛看到了一种生命的状态:它默默地伏身在最低处,不左顾不右盼,沉静而谦虚,以沉默的姿态保持着精神的高度,在沉默中饱含着宽厚,在沉默中抵达生命的最深处……
  • 山河无恙

    山河无恙

    她拥有世人羡艳的一切,却突然家破人亡,孑然一身。他本是王侯之子,却被惨遭灭门。他说:没有国,就给你一个国,没有家,就许你一个家。他们是恋人,也是盟友。后来,他说:山河无恙,唯独忘了许她一个家。最后却是:皆大欢喜。
  • 医诺千金,现任前妻别耍赖!

    医诺千金,现任前妻别耍赖!

    推荐新书《婚非得已,男神的闪婚甜爱》http://m.wkkk.net/a/1111021/这就是一个男神吃掉小迷糊的故事,有宠有疼,还有点虐狗。男女1v1,身心干净,一个心黑手狠,一个傻傻的掉坑里爬不上来,欢迎收藏~***离婚五年再相见,他是私立医院的副院长。身兼要职,收入不菲,是有名的黄金单身汉。她是普通的小职员,因为工作的关系不得不一而再再而三的跟他相见。本以为两个人见面以后一定会讳莫如深,避之不及。却没想到阴错阳差,旧情复燃。*“相亲?跟这个男人?”他指着急诊室里的秃头男,“心脏不好肾不好,真合适?”她微微一笑,“有钱就行。”他笑的邪魅,“啧啧,几年不见,倒是成熟了不少,看来不再是胸大无脑了啊。”她微微挺胸,“你羡慕?”*医院楼梯间,她被他堵在角落。“你要做什么!”他目光不善的打量他,“怎么,又看上什么男人了不成?”她被气得想骂人,却还是压下怒气,抬头看他,“你忘了?我们离婚了!”他混不在意,痞里痞气的看她,“我是不是没告诉你,离婚协议我没签。”她:……*“老婆!洗发水没了!”他在浴室里大声叫,“沐浴液也没了,肥皂也没了!”“嗯,自己动手,挫出三两灰我就放你出来。”她拿着浴室的钥匙,站在门外,看着毛玻璃里已经发狂的某人的身影,“老公啊,以后哪个女人敢摸你,你就想想今天。我从来不暴力你,我只会冷暴力你。”他:……敢情他被人占了便宜,还得自己主动脱层皮?*结婚是因为爱情,离婚是因为误会。明明没有背叛,却还是得分开。只是因为,遇见你时,未曾花开。
  • 佛说菩萨修行经

    佛说菩萨修行经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 南洋有你

    南洋有你

    腐败中的强者你以为你可以一直完胜于我吗?可惜你错了终有一日,我会让你站在我脚下仰视我
  • 倾世丑妃:将军,这厢有礼了

    倾世丑妃:将军,这厢有礼了

    她身世迷离,貌若天仙,身逢乱世,为保清白,自毁容颜。即便如此,她也逃不开纠缠在皇帝和将军之间的命运安排。爱着将军的她,成了闻名的‘丑妃’,爱上皇帝的前一刻,她心如死灰。记得她被废妃位,下嫁将军那天,皇帝亲手将她带到将军面前。他对将军说“如果你亏待小樱,朕将不择手段让你生不如死。”将军回道:”请你放心,即便死亡,也不能阻止我带她逍遥一世,纵横四海。”小樱看着将军坚定道:”我力保清白,不惜毁颜,只为与你并肩策马,红尘相伴。”如此誓言犹在耳边,不易得来的婚礼,却成了终将分离的预言。本想放弃命运,却又被卷入更多浪潮。最终她与将军还能否终成眷?
  • 至尊大刁民

    至尊大刁民

    消失多年突然归村,刚开门却发现家里住着一位绝美女村长。堂哥横死,留下一个全村最美的嫂子得照顾。山村偏远贫困,就连后代年轻人都嫌弃纷纷逃离。而张小凡却用自己一身本事,将其改造成一个富饶之地,成为人人向往的天堂。
  • 日月合

    日月合

    作者简介:景宜,国家一级作家,中国民族音像出版社社长。著有长篇报告文学《金色喜马拉雅》、《东方大峡谷》、《节日与生存》,中短篇小说集《谁有美丽的红指甲》、《骑鱼的女人》、《白月亮》及散文等。荣获第二届、第四届全国少数民族文艺创作优秀小说及著作集奖;编剧的电视连续剧《茶马古道》、《金凤花开》在中央电视台一套黄金时段播出,荣获第十届“五个一”工程奖;担任主创的大型纪录片《茶马古道》荣获第二十一届星光奖、《中华民族》荣获第二届中国出版政府奖。
  • 小牧快跑

    小牧快跑

    本只是为了帮表妹演场戏,却让李小牧意外认识了游戏里著名的“三贱客”,从此各种拉仇恨的事情接踵而来。众人语:谁让你是骑士呢!当然要拉仇恨了,妥妥的。木子牧的骑士三要素:血多,防高,脸皮厚。(女主是骑士,不是牧师,女主是骑士,不是牧师,女主是骑士,不是牧师,重要的事说三遍)