Tarzan and the Golden Lion

In Short

An jungle adventure published in 1923, this story follows Tarzan as he raises a golden lion cub, Jad-bal-ja, only to be drawn into a maze of betrayal. While traveling to the lost city of Opar to replenish his family's wealth, a villainous Spanish actor named Esteban Miranda impersonates him to steal the treasure. Meanwhile, a scheming expedition, religious fanaticism in hidden valleys, and rivalries among native tribes threaten to tear his world apart. Through sheer resilience and animal instincts, Tarzan reclaims his name, his lost gold, and his home.

The Story

The narrative opens upon the lioness Sabor, who mourns the loss of her young cubs until only one strong male cub remains. Tarzan discovers this abandoned little creature in the wilderness and names him Jad-bal-ja, carefully training the golden lion over time to hunt and follow commands like a loyal hound. When financial need presses the Greystoke household, Tarzan plans an expedition back to the ancient, forgotten vaults of Opar to fetch a fresh supply of golden ingots. Leaving his wife Jane, his son Korak, and the golden lion behind at the farm, Tarzan sets out across the plain with fifty trusted Waziri warriors.

Unbeknownst to the ape-man, a treacherous group led by Flora Hawkes and an unscrupulous Russian named Kraski has hatched a scheme to loot Opar's riches. Central to their plot is Esteban Miranda, a Spanish actor whose physical resemblance to Tarzan is uncanny. When Tarzan stumbles into an encampment, the conspirators treat him with suspicious misdirection, confusing his identity with Esteban's. Meanwhile, deep in Opar, the High Priestess La finds herself under threat from Cadj, the fanatical High Priest who seeks to destroy her for refusing him. Guided by Manu, a watchful gray monkey, La escapes into hidden mountain passages and encounters Tarzan, leading both into strange subterranean realms, including a valley dominated by gorilla-like Bolgani who hold a shriveled, ancient Englishman captive.

Simultaneously, Esteban uses his disguise to deceive the Waziri, claiming the gold in Tarzan's name while terrorizing local tribes and deserting his own conspirators. Flora's expedition descends into mutiny as slave drivers and betrayal turn the raiders against each other. Usula and the Waziri pursue what they believe to be Tarzan's path, only to find burned villages and believe Jane has perished in a fire. In reality, Jane survives and crosses paths with the true ape-man. With the aid of Jad-bal-ja—now a fully grown, formidable beast—Tarzan restores order in the hidden valleys, routs the Bolgani, and tracks down the rogue elements scattering across the jungle. Kraski meets a tragic end in the wilderness while trying to escape with a sack of diamonds, stripped of his clothes by army ants and broken by terror. Esteban, fleeing the consequences of his imposture, is captured by a cannibal tribe and imprisoned indefinitely. Reunited at their bungalow, Tarzan and Jane reflect on the journey as the stolen gold is unexpectedly returned to their doorstep by native carriers.

How It Unfolds

The golden cub appears Sabor the lioness loses two of her three cubs to hunger and cold, leaving only one survivor. Tarzan finds the little male cub, takes him home, and patiently trains him into an obedient hunting partner named Jad-bal-ja.

The expedition sets out Faced with empty vaults, Tarzan leaves Jane, Korak, and Jad-bal-ja at the estate while leading fifty seasoned Waziri warriors toward Opar. On the trail, he encounters an intruding safari led by conspirators who mistake him for an impostor named Esteban.

Plots in the lost city In Opar, the monkey Manu warns High Priestess La that Cadj and his priests intend to ambush Tarzan. La flees with Tarzan into a hidden mountain valley, escaping execution and discovering an isolated realm ruled by gorilla-like Bolgani.

The double plays his hand Esteban Miranda uses his physical resemblance to Tarzan to fool the Waziri into gathering Opar's golden ingots. He spreads false reports of Tarzan's death, while mutiny and murder tear apart Flora Hawkes's camp of raiders.

The throne room battle Tarzan unleashes Jad-bal-ja upon the Bolgani in the Palace of Diamonds, freeing La and establishing peace among the oppressed inhabitants. With his loyal lion by his side, he turns back toward the jungle to rescue his family.

Justice in the wild Jane and Tarzan reunite after surviving false reports of death, and Jad-bal-ja is sent to hunt down the fleeing Esteban. The imposter is captured by a cannibal chief, while the stolen gold arrives safely at the Greystoke bungalow.

The People

• Tarzan: The noble ape-man and Lord of the Jungle. He seeks to retrieve gold from Opar to secure his family's home, but finds his identity stolen by a lookalike. Through fierce loyalty to his allies and mastery over beasts, he restores order to the wild and reclaims his legacy.
• Jad-bal-ja: The golden lion raised from a cub by Tarzan. He desires to hunt and protect his master. Though starting as the least accomplished hunter among the four, he grows into a majestic force that turned the tide against the Bolgani.
• Jane Clayton: Tarzan’s devoted mate. She stays behind at the estate, enduring deep peril when rumors of Tarzan's death spread and raiders threaten the region. Her faith in her husband remains unshaken despite confusing sightings of his lookalike.
• Esteban Miranda: A Spanish actor who possesses an exact physical likeness to Tarzan. Driven by avarice, he steals Opar's treasure and impersonates the ape-man, only to end up trapped in a life of captivity among cannibals.
• La: High Priestess of Opar. She harbors an unrequited love for Tarzan and risks her standing to save his life. Cast out from her city by the fanatical Cadj, she finds refuge through Tarzan's intervention in the hidden valley.
• Flora Hawkes: A scheming woman who orchestrates the robbery of Opar using Esteban. Driven by greed, she learns the cost of treachery as her hired men turn on one another in the jungle.

In Its Own Voice

"Sabor had mourned, pacing to and fro beside the pitiful bits of bedraggled fur, whining and moaning."

Sabor grieves over her lost cubs before turning all her fierce protective maternal instincts toward her single surviving male cub.

"There was Tarzan, Jane, and Korak, and close beside Tarzan the golden lion—four jungle hunters—and of the four Jad-bal-ja, the lion, was the least accomplished."

Tarzan tests the young lion's training on an antelope herd across the plain with his family watching close by.

"Shaking the bulk of the ants from the articles he had retrieved, Kraski dashed madly along the trail as naked as the day he was born..."

The conspirator Kraski flees into the jungle after a terrifying swarm of army ants destroys his clothes and shatters his morale.

What It's Really About

At its core, this tale explores the boundary between the natural world and civilizational greed. Burroughs contrasts the pure, instinctual loyalty of animals—embodied by Jad-bal-ja's bond with Tarzan—against the deceitful nature of human greed seen in the safari conspirators. The presence of Esteban Miranda raises questions of identity: physical likeness cannot replicate the character, nobility, and jungle survival mastery of the true Lord of the Jungle. Additionally, the recurring dynamic between Tarzan and La examines duty, unrequited devotion, and the weight of tradition in ancient, isolated cultures.

Why Read It Today

This book appeals to readers who enjoy high-tempo pulp adventure, vivid animal companions, and intricate multi-stranded plots. It offers a nostalgic thrill, showcasing classic jungle melodrama filled with lost cities, treacherous impostors, and loyal beasts. Reading it today requires an understanding of its period origins; the text features 1920s racial depictions, stereotyped dialects for native carriers, and an overly theatrical plot reliant on extraordinary coincidences like double-ganger actors. Yet, for those fascinated by early twentieth-century popular fiction, the story's relentless pace, memorable set pieces—such as the training of the golden lion and the ant-driven flight through the brush—and confident narrative energy remain remarkably engaging.