Jungle Tales of Tarzan

In Short

Set during the youth of John Clayton, Lord Greystoke, before he ever meets other white men or learns his aristocratic identity, this episodic collection traces twelve distinct adventures in the equatorial forest. Raised by the ape-tribe of Kerchak, the young ape-man grapples with romantic rejection, defends his adopted family, clashes with local black villagers and their cruel witch-doctors, and ponders the mysteries of nature and the sky. Its enduring appeal lies in its vivid depiction of a primal, untamed hero learning to master the wilderness through sheer physical agility, primitive reason, and an unyielding will.

The Story

The narrative opens with the young Tarzan experiencing his first brush with romantic longing. He admires Teeka, a female ape, but finds himself outmatched by the brutal strength of the bull ape Taug, who claims her as his mate. Accepting his place, Tarzan redirects his protective instincts toward Teeka’s offspring, Gazan, becoming an affectionate guardian to the apeling. When Taug is captured in an elephant pit set by the warriors of Mbonga’s native village, Tarzan rescues his former rival, cementing an uneasy bond of mutual respect between them.

As Tarzan roams the jungle, his active human intellect begins to separate him from the beasts around him. Curious about the human world, he spies on the black villagers of Mbonga, witnessing their rituals and hunting techniques. He encounters the terrifying witch-doctor Rabba Kega, as well as Bukawai, an outcast leper who lives in a dark cave guarded by two hyenas. When Bukawai kidnaps a native boy named Tibo, Tarzan intervenes, taking the child into his own care to observe human nature up close. However, the boy's grief and the relentless plotting of Bukawai force Tarzan to navigate a sequence of perilous rescues, ultimately leaving Bukawai to be killed by his own hyenas and returning Tibo to his mother, Momaya.

Danger remains a constant companion in the forest. Tarzan faces Sheeta the panther and repeatedly battles Numa the lion, often using his superior cunning, handmade bows, and grass ropes to outwit predators that possess vastly superior physical strength. In a moment of severe illness, a fever induces surreal nightmares of flying monsters, forcing him to fight through hallucinations to survive. Later, when a rival ape named Toog abducts Teeka and her baby, Tarzan joins forces with Taug to track the kidnapper down, engaging in a bloody battle to restore Teeka to safety.

Throughout these trials, Tarzan’s growing reasoning capacity drives him to question the world around him. He contemplates the existence of God after observing the villagers' religious rites, seeks answers about the stars, and attempts to understand his own place in the cosmos. In the final adventure, when a lunar eclipse terrifies the tribe, the apes believe a celestial lion is devouring the moon. Tarzan shoots his poisoned arrows into the night sky to save the light; as the shadow passes, the tribe hails him as a savior. Having repeatedly demonstrated his tactical genius, bravery, and unmatched physical power, Tarzan solidifies his position as a legendary figure among the apes, taking a decisive step toward ultimate leadership over the jungle.

How It Unfolds

The awakening of desire Tarzan admires the lovely ape Teeka, but after the savage bull Taug claims her, the ape-man accepts his loss and redirects his devotion toward protecting Teeka's small infant.

Traps in the dark When Taug stumbles into a native pitfall and Tantor the elephant charges toward sharpened stakes, Tarzan uses his swift agility to save both the ape and the elephant from Mbonga's hunters.

The search for the divine Observing the mysterious ceremonies of the native witch-doctor, Tarzan becomes fascinated by the concept of God and sets out to determine what powers govern the forest and skies.

The leper's vengeance Bukawai, a disfigured leper living with two hyenas, captures the native boy Tibo to extract ransom from his mother, prompting Tarzan to intervene in a series of stealthy forest abductions.

Feverish hallucinations Stricken with a violent fever after eating bad meat, Tarzan endures horrifying nightmares of giant birds and deadly falls, clinging to real tree branches as his mind battles illusion.

Rescue in the canopy When the rogue ape Toog abducts Teeka and her baby, Tarzan allies with his old rival Taug to track down the kidnapper and defeat him in a bloody canopy fight.

Confronting the night A total lunar eclipse throws the ape tribe into panic as they believe a monster is eating the moon, but Tarzan shoots arrows at the sky, claiming victory when the light returns.

The People

• Tarzan wants to protect his forest companions, understand his own unique identity, and master the dangerous jungle around him. He is hindered by his lack of human guidance and the constant threat of wild beasts, but he grows from a wild youth into an intelligent, feared leader.
• Taug wants to assert his dominance over the tribe and keep his mate Teeka safe. His short temper and reliance on brute force often put him in danger, but through his shared trials with Tarzan, he transforms from a jealous rival into a loyal ally.
• Teeka wants safety for herself and her young apeling, Gazan. She is constantly threatened by predatory beasts and rogue apes like Toog, relying on Tarzan's protection while serving as his primary connection to maternal warmth.
• Momaya wants to recover her missing son, Tibo, at all costs. She faces the terrifying threats of the jungle and the extortion of Bukawai, demonstrating fierce maternal courage that earns Tarzan's deep respect.
• Bukawai wants wealth in goats and copper wire, driven by malice and isolation due to his loathsome disease. His greed and cruelty ultimately lead to his demise when his own hyenas turn on him.

In Its Own Voice

Lost to Tarzan of the Apes was the truth of his origin.

Before he knew his true name or noble lineage, the young ape-man roamed the equatorial forest completely unaware of the civilized world beyond the trees.

He possessed an appetite, an uncanny woodcraft, and muscles that were as steel springs.

Unlike his aristocratic relatives hunting for sport in England, the true Lord Greystoke survived on raw agility and primal instinct.

At last came a cry from Taug. “Look! Look!” he screamed. “Numa is killed. Tarzan has killed Numa.”

During the terrifying darkness of a lunar eclipse, the ape tribe watched in awe as Tarzan launched his arrows into the night sky to save the moon.

What It's Really About

Underneath its thrilling wilderness encounters, the book explores the fundamental tension between innate human intelligence and animal instinct. Raised without human speech or culture, Tarzan possesses the physical strength and reactions of a beast, yet his active brain drives him toward higher concepts that animals cannot grasp—such as romantic devotion, moral justice, and an inquiry into God. The text continually contrasts his unvarnished nobility with both the superstition of the local villagers and the decadent luxury of English aristocrats, arguing that true strength and dignity stem from self-reliance, moral courage, and an unyielding connection to nature.

Why Read It Today

This collection offers a fast-paced, atmospheric journey into classic early-twentieth-century pulp adventure. Readers who enjoy episodic survival tales, vivid wilderness lore, and muscular action prose will find themselves fully immersed in Burroughs' primeval vision. The narrative flows with energetic momentum, rich in dramatic animal encounters and high-stakes canopy chases that make the jungle feel alive and treacherous.

However, modern readers should approach the text aware of its era's prejudices. The portrayal of the native African villagers relies heavily on racial stereotypes of the early 1900s, depicting them with superstitious simplicity and caricature. Additionally, the prose frequently leans on melodramatic language and repetitive plot structures across its twelve distinct episodes.

Despite these period flaws, the book remains a compelling character study of one of fiction's most enduring figures. What stays with you is the striking image of a lonely, thinking youth standing between two worlds—too human to be a simple beast, yet too wild to fit into civilization—staring up at the night sky and demanding to understand his place in the universe.