Tygra and the Amazons

by Charles Strong

Originally appearing in Startling Comics #53 in 1948.

The Queen of the Jungle Combats the Women Warriors 

Tygra and her good friend, Doctor Terry Winton were moving along through the Jungle when suddenly a native runner came hurrying up to them. He was out of breath and almost unable to speak because of his excitement. Finally, he said: 

"Princess Tygra, we are attacked by women—many women!" 

The pretty, blonde girl looked at her companion. Tygra and Terry both knew that normally the African native women were among the gentlest women in the world and liked nothing better than an opportunity to bring up their families in peace. 

"What has happened to cause this?" Tygra asked quickly. 

"We do not know," Bala, the native messenger, replied. "They are strange women white women like yourself. There are hundreds of them." 

Tygra looked at Terry. She knew that this portion of the African jungle was many hundreds of miles from the nearest settlement. Except for an occasional missionary's wife or perhaps some member of a big game hunting party, white women seldom came into the interior. 

"We must look into this," Tygra declared. Bala turned to lead the way and Tygra and Terry followed along after him. They had not gone very far into the depths of the jungle when they were in the midst of a curious migration. The tall warriors of Bala's tribe were moving along the trail. They carried their belongings on their backs and their womenfolk and children were moving along beside them. Tygra asked Chief Bulangayo:

"Why are you fleeing, oh Chief." 

"We cannot stand before the women warriors," the chief declared. His slumped shoulders clearly indicated his feelings as he made this confession. "They are armed with long spears and heavy swords. They can throw their spears much further than our best blow-gunners can blow their darts. There is no way to stop them." 

Tygra recalled a clearing that she and Terry had crossed only a short time before. She accompanied the tribesmen back to this area, then said: 

"Chief Bulangayo, take your people back into the jungle. Doctor Winton will show you how to set up an ambush. You will stand by with your blow-gunners and your spearmen. I do not like bloodshed, but if it is the only way to stop these strange invaders perhaps we will have to resort to it." 

The presence of Tygra seemed to give the natives new hope. They were familiar with the way in which she had helped them to solve their problems in the past. Tygra herself was not nearly as confident as the natives seemed to be. She could not decide just who this strange legion of white women might be. Together with Doctor Winton, she had run into curious situations in the past, but new mysteries were always unfolding about her. 

Finally, all of the natives were out of sight. Now and then Tygra could catch a glimpse of some of the braver warriors who were peering through vines and lianas to watch the activities in the clearing. Tygra took her sheath knife from her belt and strode to the center of the clearing. Here she drew a line across the clearing from one side to the other. 

She had just about completed this task when she heard sounds of an approaching warlike group. Clanking metal was reminiscent of swords and spears. Finally the first of the white women invaders came into the clearing. Tygra held up her hand and shouted: 

"Halt!" 

The force which stood before Tygra consisted of about twenty white women. They were all taller than average and were clad in curious armor that appeared to be green with verdigris. Each one of the women carried a spear almost ten feet in length and a broadsword almost three feet in length hung from a girdle at each woman's belt. 

"Who has the nerve to challenge the Amazons of Queen Zambesi?" cried the leader of the group. The Amazon queen was studying Tygra, obviously surprised to discover another white woman here in the jungle. "Are you a member of one of our neighboring Amazon tribes?" 

"I am Tygra, queen of the jungle," the girl announced. "I hold sway over all the natives you've seen from here to the setting of the sun. We live in peace and friendship with everyone. Why then do you make war on these simple folk?” 

"Queen Zambesi recognizes no other queen!" the Amazon leader declared. She lifted her spear and drew back her arm as though to fling it at Tygra. The jungle princess set herself and was ready to spring aside once the Amazon leader had committed herself. The spear came through the air, and Tygra avoided it. Then as Zambesi whipped out her sword, Tygra said: 

"I have drawn a line. If you cross it, I will strike you down." 

Many of the Amazons gathered about their queen. But she motioned them back. Bulangayo's people were watching the battle of these feminine titans. Zambesi moved forward slowly. She looked at the hunting knife Tygra wore at her belt and compared it with the length of her own sword. 

Tygra took a rawhide belt from about her waist. She thrust the knife and its sheath into her waistband. Then she knelt calmly in the shadow of the advancing Amazon and picked up a smooth round stone. She seated this in the loop formed by the doubled belt, then straightened up. 

"Halt at the line!” she ordered when a good fifty feet still separated her from Queen Zambesi of the Amazons. The tall, armored queen advanced. 

The blade of her three-foot sword swished through the air, attracting the golden light of the sun. 

Bulangayo and his men were awed. The Amazons expected to see another easy victory for their champion. Then Tygra flicked her wrist. The rawhide belt whipped forward. The smooth stone went through the air with a speed that defied detection." 

Queen Zambesi halted in amazement. Her left hand went up to her forehead. The long sword dropped from her right hand. The big woman fell to the ground with a clatter of armor. 

"Witchcraft!" shouted the Amazons as they saw their leader stretched out in defeat—"This white jungle goddess has no spear, she has no sword, yet she has caused Queen Zambesi to prostrate herself before her. We must get away from here!" 

The awed white women picked up their leader and hastened back in the direction from which they had come. Tygra breathed a sigh of relief. Doctor Terry Winton and Chief Bulangayo came forward to congratulate her. 

"You sure showed them a thing or two," Terry Wirton declared. "I think I'll follow along and see where they go!" 

Tygra laughed. The natives were all chattering and thanking the girl. She knew that she was now more popular among them than ever before. 

END