Jungle Tales #4

Fanged Fury!

Witnessing two lions fight, Jann of the Jungle notices a young cub caught in the middle of the scrap and saves it and decides to take it home and raise it herself when the two lions kill each other. Taking it back to the tribe nearby and naming is Coga, Pat Mahoney warns Jann about keeping the lion as a pet as they grow up to be savage beasts. As the lion grows to maturity Pat continues to warn Jann of the danger it poses, but she continues to not listen. Fearing that the lion will be a threat, Pat asks Kuba, a tribesman, to keep an eye on the lion at night.

That night a lion attacks Kuba waking Pat and Jann, who frighten it away. Pat believes that it is Coga and goes to the lions cage to shoot it. Jann stops him and lets Coga go free instead of having Pat kill the lion then goes off to make sure that Coga is okay. In the jungle Jann is attacked by a lion which she realizes is not Coga and easily subdues it, tying the beast to a tree. Pat and Kuba catch up and before Pat can be informed that the lion tied up is not Coga he tries to shoot the beast when suddenly Coga jumps out of the brush.

When Pat tries to shoot Coga, Jann stops him and they watch as Coga first frees the other lion and then battles it into submission. Jann explains that the other lion is Coga's father who had tried to rescue him and that Coga fought off his father to prove that he was in no danger. With the battle over both Coga and his father return to the jungle. Jann then muses how Pat missed all the exciting photographs much to his dismay.

Recurring Characters

• Jann of the Jungle

• Pat Mahoney

Jungle War!

The warrior Rakatu has gathered an army and is planning to go to war against the Bantu and usurp leadership from Waku, having his warriors play the war drums to send a message to the Bantu. The war drums worry the Bantu people and the animals in the jungle. When the people begin to ask Waku what to do, the tribal leader tells his people to remain calm. As Rakatu's army approaches his armies cross paths with the rampage animals, leading to a battle that delays them.

The increasingly nervous tribes people ask Waku to do something but he continues to tell his people to be calm and wait. He continues to have this stance even when the ape Gondo captures Lalei. Before Waku can act, Rakatu arrives with his army. Waku then challenges Rakatu to a one-on-one battle in hand-to-hand combat. Rakatu agrees but suddenly throws a spear, but it is caught by Gondo who is observing the growing conflict.

In combat, Waku proves the superior and easily overpowers Rakatu and tosses him over his entire army and the would be conqueror is chased off by Gondo. With their leader defeated the army disburses and Lalei comes out of the jungle explaining that Gondo only took her away in order observe the conflict.

Recurring Characters

• Waku

• Lalei

Hurricane!

Cliff Mason is in the jungle during a hurricane when he is suddenly attacked by a lion. He defends himself. He is soon attacked by a tribe of warriors and finds that his gun wont fire because of the wet weather dampening the gunpowder of his weapon. He then fights them off using his rifle as a club, but a bolt of lightning quickly ends the battle when it strikes a tree and it falls on Cliff, knocking him out.

Believing that the gods have spoken, the tribes people take Cliff prisoner and are about to kill him when a snake suddenly falls out of a tree and coils itself around their leader. Coming to, Cliff watches as the tribal leader is crushed to death. His people blame Cliff for the death, however Cliff offers to kill the beast. As he leads the tribesmen along on his hunt, Cliff finds near impossible odds as pythons continue to attack the hunters.

Cliff eventually finds an entire nest of the snakes and brings picking them off with his rifle. When it came to the last the hurricane strikes again and the rain wets his gun powder again. Cliff keeps the snake at bay with the butt of his rifle until a chance lightning strike kills the snake. The tribes people believe the gods have favored Cliff and allow him to leave. Cliff however has learned a valuable lesson: always keep his gunpowder dry.

Recurring Characters

• Cliff Mason