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READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

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Tarzan on Mars<br />

two apparently knew each other.<br />

"We would help you to remember your origin," said Var<br />

Koros. "Do you remember the First Born, who were the<br />

original guardians of Issus and the Temple of the Sun?"<br />

La pointed to the great white apes. "These are know as<br />

the first men," she answered.<br />

"No. I mean the First Born, real men of our own stature<br />

and form, but black of skin. They have sometimes been called<br />

the black pirates of Barsoom, and legend has it that they once<br />

traveled the star roads and that they maintained a secret<br />

colony on the farther moon."<br />

"In the other world," said La, "there are many black men,<br />

but it is no small moon. It is a mightier world than this."<br />

"She speaks of Jasoom, the world of John Carter, himself!"<br />

exclaimed Tars Tarkas.<br />

"Before the Cataclysm," said Var Koros, " the most ancient<br />

form of the Barsoomian language was spoken by the<br />

First Born." Then he astounded La by speaking slowly and<br />

hesitatingly in another language, which she understood with<br />

perfect clarity.<br />

For it was the secret language of ancient Opar.<br />

"I would have you translate the ancient infinitive verb<br />

form—tharasi, Var Koros continued, in the modern tongue of<br />

Barsoom.<br />

"Tharasi," she murmured, while inwardly trembling with<br />

emotion. "This means to do—to create...”<br />

Var Koros smiled. "And its first person indicative form?"<br />

"I—I don't understand."<br />

"How would you say—I create thee!"<br />

La hesitated, her eyes widening in astonishment. Slowly,<br />

her lips parted, as though to speak.<br />

"From tharasi—to create," urged Var Koros. "Also, the<br />

nominative form of 'thou' was tha. Now, give me the objective<br />

form and say, in the ancient tongue: I create thee!"<br />

Slowly, La spoke. "'I create thee,' in my own tongue,<br />

268

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