Tarzan and the Tarzan Twins

Tarzan and the Tarzan Twins, with Jad-bal-ja, The Golden Lion
Author - Edgar Rice Burroughs
Published - 1936
Format - PDF

I will admit, I chose this book to read first because it has only 57 pages. However, it was published in 1936 so it qualifies as a classic.

The 4 main characters are Tarzan, Dick and Doc, who are teenage cousins, and Gretchen, a 12 year old German girl whose father is a missionary in darkest Africa.

Basically, Gretchen wandered too far from her home one day and was kidnapped by a tribe of men who look more like gorilllas than men.

These "gorillas" come from a city that worships the sun, calling it the Flaming God. These men had been cast out of their city because the high priestess chose to stop making sacrifices to the Flaming God. These men did not agree with that decision, so they were cast out. They went off to find a place where they could build a new temple and make more sacrifices.

When they found Gretchen, they took her along with them, because she would become their new high priestess. At the time of this story she has been with them for two months.

At the start of this story, Tarzan is taking Dick and Doc for a walk in the jungle. Also walking along with them is a large Golden Lion named Jad-bal-ja which means the Golden Lion.

A storm is getting close and the Golden Lion smells something that makes him nervous. So Tarzan instructs the boys to stay put with the Lion while he (Tarzan) goes to investigate.

The storm breaks over them and the boys climb up and hide in the trees for safety. By the time the storm ends the lion has disappeared and the boys are quite lost, although they are both still alive. 

They set off back in the direction they believe to be Tarzan's home. One boy has a spear and the other boy has a bow and arrows.

Along their travels they meet up with the "gorilla men" and spot the young blonde haired girl with them. They forget all plans of saving themselves and are determined to save the girl.

 In the meantime, Tarzan meets up with the girls father, the German missionary, who is out looking for his daughter. Tarzan instructs the missionary to stay put while he and the Lion go and find the girl and those two boys.


Dick and Doc get themselves into a wee spot of bother and Tarzan and the Lion arrive just in time to save them all.

There is NO character development of any character other than an explanation of the boys mothers being twin sisters themselves and that one mother moved to England while the other one stayed in America.

 A quick light story that barely took half an hour for me to read.