The Flame Pearls Pt.3: The Three Cows

The Flame Pearls Pt.3: The Three Cows
Start date:	August 18th, 1940
End date:	September 22th, 1940
# of strips:	6 (6 weeks)
Writer:	Lee Falk
Artist:	Phil Davis
Preceded by:	"The Flame Pearls Pt.2: Magnetic Island"
Followed by:	"The Flame Pearls: The Swordfish"

"The Flame Pearls Pt.3: The Three Cows" is the 16th Mandrake Sunday story. The story was written by Lee Falk and drawn by Phil Davis.

Plot Summary

Mandrake is on a scientific expedition to the South Pacific, looking for flame colored pearls. On an tropical port the 60 men from the magnetic island disembark while Cy and Jasper are handed over to the port police.

The natives bringing flowers, food and trinkets, which they hope to trade or sell. Hanging on the neck of the old chief is a flame pearl, and he want to exchange the pearl and tree cows for June's hand in marriage.

The old chief told that when he was a young man he took a long trip into strange waters. He was attaced by a tribe of women worriors, and selected by the Queen as her husbond. She hung the flame pearl on his neck as a marriage token. The chief finaly escaped from the Amoz island.

Appearances

Recurring characters

• Mandrake
• Lothar

One-time characters

• Colonel Barton
• June, daughter of Colonel Barton.

Locations

• South Pacific, a tropical port.

Vehicles

• S.S.Argos, Colonel Barton's yacht.

Behind the scenes

• The main title for this story is taken from the strip of April 14th, 1940 (Next Week: "The Flame Pearls"), while the sub title is lifted from the plot.
• The "Flame Pearls" story is a retelling of an ancient Greek myth; "Jason and the Golden Fleece".

Reprints

This story has been published in the following publications:

Italy

• "La regina delle amazoni", Mandrake #2 (1971)

Norway

• "Ildperlene III, Amasonenes øy", Fantomet #7 (1992)

Spain

• "La Isla Magnetica" and "El Navio Fantasma", Merlin el Mago Moderno #15 and #16 (194?)

Sweden

• "Eldpärlorna", Allers Familj-Journal

USA

• King Comics (1941)