At the Earth’s Core · Chapter
The Sly One explained
David Innes, Ghak, and Perry flee from the Sagoths through a canyon toward Sari, but Hooja the Sly One betrays them by failing to summon help.
What happens
David Innes, Ghak, and Perry flee from the Sagoths through a canyon toward Sari, but Hooja the Sly One betrays them by failing to summon help. David sacrifices himself by leading the Sagoths up a separate canyon to allow Ghak and Perry to escape. He uses his bow and arrows to kill two Sagoths, then takes refuge on a narrow ledge near a cave, where he faces both approaching Sagoths and a giant cave bear emerging from the cave.
Themes in this chapter
Survival and Adaptation
David uses his bow and arrow, a skill developed out of necessity in Pellucidar, to fight the Sagoths and adapts to the environment by using stones as ammunition.
Heroism and Sacrifice
David deliberately leads the Sagoths away from Ghak and Perry, risking his own life to save his companions.
Characters to notice
- David Innes
Narrator and protagonist; sacrifices himself to lead Sagoths away from Ghak and Perry; kills two Sagoths with bow and arrow.
- Ghak
King of Sari; carries Perry to safety up the left canyon while David leads the Sagoths away.
- Abner Perry
Carried to safety by Ghak; not directly active in this chapter.
- Hooja the Sly One
Betrays the party by failing to summon Sarian warriors; motivated by revenge against David for the blow struck in Dian's protection.
- The Sagoths
Pursue David, Ghak, and Perry; most are killed by the cave bear (ryth) after David escapes.
Key passages
“Hooja still harbored ill will against me because of the blow I had struck in Dian's protection, and his malevolent spirit was equal to sacrificing us all that he might be revenged upon me.”
Hooja's grudge over the blow David struck to protect Dian drove him to betray the entire party for revenge.
Explains Hooja's motivation for betrayal.
“My ruse was successful, and the entire party of man-hunters raced headlong after me up one canyon while Ghak bore Perry to safety up the other.”
David's trick worked: all the Sagoths chased him, allowing Ghak to carry Perry to safety.
Key moment of David's self-sacrifice.
“The thing was an enormous cave bear, rearing its colossal bulk fully eight feet at the shoulder, while from the tip of its nose to the end of its stubby tail it was fully twelve feet in length.”
The cave bear was massive, standing eight feet at the shoulder and twelve feet long.
Description of the ryth that kills the Sagoths.