Tarzan
In an African jungle, Tarzan learned to swing from the trees like a monkey. But Tarzan could
also do things that none of the gorrillas in his
family could do. He could swing the hippos. And
he could make things with his hands-like a spear that was as sharp as a rhino's horn.
Tarzan wondered why he was so different.
One day when Tarzan was wrestling with his best
friend , Terk, the two tumbled from the nesting
grounds. Suddenly, a leopard jumped into the clearing! It was Sabor, the gorrilla's worst
enemy.Quickly Tarzan and Terk ran back to the
nesting grounds, with Sabor close behind.
Roar! Kerchak, the great gorrilla leader, beat
his chest. Protecting his family, Kerchak threw
Sabor, but the leopard attacked again. His sharp
teeth injured the great gorrilla. Kerchak fell to the ground. He could not get up.
Terrified , the gorrilas watched from the trees as the leopard moved in for the kill. But just then , as Sabor leaped as Kerchak, Tarzan swung down on a vine. With his feet, Tarzan knocked
Sabor backward. Now the leopard was furious!
Snarling and growling, Sabor faced Tarzan.
Tazan had his spear ready and he lunged at Sabor.
Rrarooww! screamed the leopard.
The struggle continued as the two enemies scrambled up into the trees. With lighting speed
they twisted and turned, jumped and flew. Sabor
leaped down at Tarzan from above. With the handle of his spear, Tarzanfended off the cat and threw him from the branches.
Bravely, Tarzan jumped from the tree to face Sabor again. The leopard lunged at him, Knocking th spearhead off Tarzan's weapon. As he dodged Sabor's claws, Tarzan saw the spearhead in some
underbrush and dove for it. Sabor dove in after
him. A hush fell ovor the gorrilla family. Terk
watched and waited, fearing for her friend. Then, at last, Tarzan climbed out of the underbrush, holding Sabor's limp body. He let out a cry of victory.
OOOO-ooo-oooo ah----ah---ah! cheered the gorrilla family, but Kerchak did not join them.
The big gorrilla turned sadly and began to walk
away. He felt he had failed to protect his family
With a solemn face, Tarzan approached his leader
Then he laid the leopard at Kerchak's feet as a
sign of respect. As Kerchak looked at Tarzan, a
new sound thundered through th jungle.
Bang! bang! Gunshots blasted nearby. Quickly,
kerchak ordered the gorrillas to retreat to safety. Tarzan started to move with them, then
changed his mind. He was curious. Climbing high in the trees, he followed the new sound.
What are these creatures? thought Tarzan, as he looked down at three humans. They did not look like animal he knew. He followed the one with the funny yellow fur. She was running after a young baboon. Pieces of paper fell from her hands
Tarzan picked one up. It was a drawing of the baboon.
Suddenly, Tarzan heard the strange yellow-fured creature yell. A group of angry baboons was chasing her! Swooping down on a vine, Tarzan
grabbed the creature. They sailed through the
jungle with the baboonsclose behind. The yellow
animal kicked at the monkeys. She carried a strange sort of stick that opened . What an interresting weapon, thought Tarzan.
Now he surfed along on the mossy branched of the highest trees. Baboons raced at them from all
directions. Tarzan slid into a hollow trunk. The
baboons slid in after them.
Suddenly they were all falling, tumbling through the air.
Ahhh! screamed the creature in Tarzna's arms,
He held her with one hand and grabbed for a vine
with the other. Tarzan struggled to hold on.
Gently, he placed the creature safely on a tree
branch.
Baboonss fell past them, all but two. The young baboon and his mother floated down, using the creature's funny stick as a parachute.
The young baboon wanted the piece of paper that was stuck to the creature's fur. Tarzan grabbed it and handed it to him.
Then he turned to the animal that had caused all of the trouble. She was a funny-looking creature. Moving closer, Tarzan stared at her face. It was smooth like his. Their eyes looked the same.
Tarzan was puzzled, he looked harder. The creature did not have fur, after all. Instead she
was wearing fancy yellow cloth. He was surprised to see that she had two legs like his, with toes
like his. Beneath the white material on her hands were long thin fingers. Tarzan put his own hand agaist hers. They were the same!
Now Tarzan knew the truth. There were other creatures like him!
Tarzan, he grunted . pointing to himselff.
I'm Jane, said the girl.
With wonder and joy, Tarzan took her hand.
At last, he felt he had a place in the world.
From Disney's Adventure Stories.
