 This is John Steele reporting on adventure The gal in this story is a cross between Elizabeth Taylor the Queen of Iran and Marilyn Monroe She's my candidate for the most beautiful Dame in the world. I met her in North Africa. We had a lot of fun together There were three of us the gal a guy named Cardu and yours truly. I call this transcribed yarn high test About 400 miles south of Tripoli is the area of the Libyan desert called Fezzan Fezzan is just what any man-sized desert should be the main oasis as a place called seba, which is a fair-sized desert city There's water and other places if you can find it in time But when I landed in Tripoli to the north I wasn't thinking of making a pilgrimage into the desert I was on my way home hoping to get to New York by Christmas That time of year. It's not particularly warm in North Africa It's comfortably hot part of the day then gets quite cool sometimes real cold by nightfall Which leads up to just one thing It was cool enough for me to doll up in a tuxedo and to drop in at a nightclub called the Embassy It was my bad luck to run into a guy who's as fond of me as I am of him Now I don't mind the guy being a millionaire I'd like to be one myself and I can appreciate it if he spends his time just drifting around the world That's the story of my life too, but I don't go along with a fellow American whose idea of fun is to make a fool of himself abroad That's what hurt because Cardu was a real two-fisted character who knew his way around Good evening still what'll it be Cardu double vodka with the dash of champagne. You heard him Ali Yes, yes double scotch and soda for mr. Cardu. Well, how do you like that? What are you doing here Cardu having fun good clean fun? I hope yes, and there is my idea of what we're talking about My my you know who she is no idea Princess Zaza so who is she? I just told you never heard of her. She is beautiful Admit that Steve I admit it which gets me where no where my boy. I saw her first. Is that gonna impress her? Well, she's out for fun. Who are the people if you'll excuse the word that are with her some broken down European royalty Now tell me who she is. She's a tribal princess from Fezzan Quite a doll and any language. Yes, and she's looked over here once or twice. I wouldn't let her get away with that I think she's interested. She looks bored with that crummy bunch. She's with you figure. She wants you to rescue her You know steel I might do just that see those two guys standing against the wall behind her Yeah, they're her bodyguards so long as you know it'll be a calculated risk Yeah, I get into a jam you move in and we'll clean up the joint If you drag me into any trouble expect me to slug you. I'll remind you boy now watch me pick this babe up. I Watched the princess not only laugh when he addressed her but after a few moments of talk She stood up and Carter was leading her towards me only about that time the two bodyguards intervened and so did a lot of her friends I Lasted last night the club will sue us Oh, I'll pay for the damage you and I are flying down to Fezzan how I am on my way to Monte Carlo I chartered a small plane. We're leaving it noon from Monte Carlo for Fezzan. I'm doing the flying and you're paying all expenses What's up steel? That girl is to be executed unless we show up even then we may not be able to save her Executed all some tribal customs. She violated when she walked off from that table with you last night Still come on. This is 1950. All right when we get down there You bring the natives up to date. They may be using the wrong calendar It was just after sundown when we flew over a desert town called beer beer el-hasin on the wadi el-age I landed the plane on the desert about a hundred Arab warriors mounted on war camels met us and escorted us into the village Later on after we'd been fed and given a chance to wash up We were led into a room that looked like something out of the Arabian Knights a Character who introduced himself as racine briefed us on why we were there. I am the princess asar's cousin Okay, so what's the pitch the princess position is somewhat delicate. Why what is she done? She behaved improperly and triply. Oh, you're crazy. Oh, you have an American expression a pickup She allowed herself to be picked up by you What's so bad about that by allowing herself to be picked up by you the princess is liable to the death penalty Now look I'm barric. Yeah, very but we cling to old customers Well, it's time some changes were made the issue is this Perhaps the princess decided you were worthy of her without consulting us good beam upon that Depends her life. What you can both save her life by submitting to a test test All of us here who hold high office have undergone this test Nothing you will be asked to do is impossible. I Survived all the same tests They still say something One question Rossine. Yes, can this test prove fatal? Oh, yes, you may both die I see courage will not always be a necessary quality Wisdom may often be more useful than courage. Oh chum anything you can do. I can do better in which case The princess will live that adds up. There is an open door to your left go into it The door will close now. What's inside that room? Nothing. No, come on. Cardu Sure, I'll try anything once The worst jails on this one Look overhead a small dome. Yeah, forget a load of that sheet of metal hanging from the center Aha, maybe a gong of some kind then it is a gong Watch your rear drums if somebody starts going to work on it. What reminds me of something I once saw in China basic form of sound torture Put something over your ears. What kind of a crazy deal is this? No, what I tell you Oh, come on. Shut that lousy racket off of there Shut that racket up you hear me The vibrations of the big gong didn't take long in building up to the point where Cardu and I fell as if someone was Going to work on our brains with a thousand sledgehammers Just one thing stayed with me Rossina said no matter what test we were put through that test could be survived I had his word for it the grim fact was Cardo and I had to survive or the princess was going to die I figured even if one of us lived it might help Anyway, the sound of the gong wasn't going to kill us. It might just drive us nuts How long does this go on? You tell me so help me steal. I can't stand this much Keep your hands pressed over your ears all because of that day You'll learn if you live long enough There can stand a lot of things to you, but I can't stand this like that The racket is stopped. Yeah while you slept. Oh, thanks. Any time Cardu You stayed awake through it Well, there was no one to slug me and I'd been through it once before in China Hey, what we're getting company You seem none the worse for your first experience what did it prove nothing at all It was simply a preliminary test. You have good nerves. You'll need them. I'll bet we will you can come out now Coffee will be served you then we'll continue Coffee was served to us by pretty slave girls and my pal Cardu didn't even make a pass at one Then we were taken outside of the village to the banks of the Wadi There wasn't a lot of water in the stream It was about a quarter of a mile wide at the broadest point But to make up for the lack of water there was crocodiles. This was going to be fun It can be done. You know we have to cross that stream. There are seven crocodiles in the water We are standing at the widest section of the stream down there the stream is narrower up that way even narrower You have the choice of which part of the stream you cross Oh, what more do we want one thing you should know if you choose to cross at either of the narrow sections You will be whipped and stoned as you try to reach the water. Oh, that's for me. Steve. Let's go. No We're waiting to swim across the white part. How do you mind some on my way? While bright I'll do it your way Those lousy crocodiles come in this way. Come on, Steve for Pete's sake. Let's go Take your time. Stay right behind me. Don't need it to the left or to the right Don't mind your political platform. Okay. It's even up to swim. Come on We swam on either side of a crocodile started to close in at one point We swam between two of them for snapping jaws not ten inches away from us at another point two of the bees Started lashing the water with their tails. Cardo and I sweated it out Curiously the crocodiles didn't quite reach I noticed Rossine and some of his boys riding their horses across the water He further downstream and when we got ashore. He was there to meet us my congratulations You're doing quite well. You having fun. Let me explain. You don't have to all let him You did well to insist on choosing the middle of the widest area of the stream is to steal Yeah, obviously at any other point the crocodiles would have reached you Oh, why didn't they reach as it was then they were held by long chains chains There is just that one narrow path across the stream which they cannot quite reach How did you figure that one out still well there had to be a way across I was looking for it I saw a couple of those crocodile swimming suddenly something seemed to hold them back when they reached the wide part If you had chosen the narrower parts You would have been stoned and whipped as punishment forced to pity then killed by the crocodiles Well, I all through now. Oh, no, this is just the beginning I'd seen variations of the crocodile test before But the next thing on the program was something new to me It was a cool night and we weren't allowed to dry off after leaving the water We'd started to shiver a few minutes later. We were conscious of perspiration pouring down our faces Do half-naked characters showed up each one was holding a snake Reptiles were about two feet long and almost black some sort of a viper I think in any case they were deadly poisonous now You see how these men hold the snakes the right hand grips them around the neck the left hand Grips them about the middle of the body Now look these two men are not professional snake charmers. They are just two ordinary warriors So you see the snakes can be held Now very carefully transfer the snakes to your hands It was a neat trick, but it was done Cardo and I found ourselves holding the reptiles in our hands I could feel the ripples of the smooth skin racing through my fingers as I held on for dear life How long are we supposed to hold them that is for you to decide for us to decide just remember the snakes are venomous If you release them, they will strike the moment one of your hands relaxes in that moment. It will happen I've got it steel. Let's hear about it. We wade into the water and we hold them under They're dead. We might stumble we'll have to be careful Cardo one little stumble in your instinct is to reach out for support That'll be it. Yeah All right, you think of something think carefully my friends and hold on to those snakes Don't relax pressure for a moment Strangle of steel. That's it strangle them try it for just a second. You'll have your hands full more so than now I tried it a second ago You mean we couldn't even just drop them to the ground the split second pressure is the least they'll strike Don't let go Cardo. Well think of something part of your idea was good just now the water Come on. Do what I do. I can't hold this thing much longer steel. Come on over here to the edge of the water Now what kneel down on your left knee kneel. Yeah, all right careful Don't overbalance. I'm okay. It's muddy here. See yeah the ground soft press the snakes head into the mud We'll go on do it. All right. All right careful now Now do exactly what I'm doing start moving your right foot towards where you're holding the snake's neck in your right hand Yeah, all right not not too fast. Cardo Might over balance yourself. I'm nearly there. I'll get your right foot over the snake's neck And make sure make sure it's head is Deep in the ground as you can get it All right Now we'll have a full second to scramble back when we let go and in that second your right foot will automatically press the snake's head and steal further into the ground Okay, here we go The gun was a test of nerves the crocodiles a test of wisdom the snake a test of resource from it What's left two more things you can give up now if you wish only if we do the princess dies. Yes Okay, Steve we keep going why not you know what burns me up as I didn't get to go out with that dame All I said was hello. You may get to say goodbye to her The next thing the boys came up with for Cardo and me was a fate worse than death though I'm not so sure about that as I look back we hadn't seen the princess had no idea where she was But to make up for that we were shown another girl this one was blonde I don't think she was Arab. She could have been I've seen plenty of blonde-haired arrow gals Only this one looks sort of Scandinavian she wore her hair in two long braids that reached to her waist Oh, she was a gorgeous doll take it from my pal Cardo We squatted on some cushions in a sort of oriental boot wall Cardo and I and this girl just the three of us and some nice mood music that came from somewhere around The girl said nothing. She just looked starry. I and after a while she started to dance for us. Oh What is the dance of the seven veils got that this one ain't got six veils? Yeah, but this is much better much better Oh, baby relax. She's for me Steve figure it out This is no time for figuring haven't you ever seen a dame before all not like this one quiet She here card to find out of where my some men could be sure it is only don't make any passes at her that is why she's here Now wait a minute. This is Arab country the true Arabs idea of good fun is the exquisite torture of self-denial look at her will you oh Hey, doll, don't you know it takes two to tango sit down lay off steel sit down your chump This one I play the way I see let her alone steel I wouldn't want to last up a perfectly good friendship and sit down on your pal Don't spoil my boyish. You take one step towards that girl and you'll have to fight your way to her if that is the way you want it See you're frightened her off. Well, let's settle our argument anyhow Always the resort to violence. Oh, it's you is it I was always within hearing mr. Cardo The princess will still live thanks to mr. Steel's knowledge of our people all right steel So we played it your way again, you know, this could get sickening. Hey Rossine. Who was the blonde? No one you will ever meet again She's one of the slave girls Will you both come with me? The dancing girl had been strictly an interview. What came next was the last act I wasn't too surprised when we saw what it was We were taken to the edge of a lion pit it was about 20 feet deep into the ground and about 60 feet in diameter We were led down into it by way of a tunnel that opened directly into the pit Once inside the pit we saw an opening in the wall a gateway and behind the gate was a very angry lion There is nothing false about that lion. What are we supposed to do chalk into debt? Oh, no As always the decision is yours so far. It's been steals not this time You can leave the pit mr. Cardo. Oh, no, it's an order. Well, this is my pal steel We're a team not this time. Mr. Cardo Mr. Steel will take the test by himself You will follow him How about that steel a question Rossine? Yes, if one of us should fail and the other come through the princess still lives We want her to live that is why she is being given two separate chances All right, suppose I come through wouldn't that be enough but mr. Steel goes first Well, if I come through Cardo needn't take the test you would spoil our fun unless you both take the test Oh, well, let's not spoil your fun. Now if you will kindly leave the pit my men will escort you steel I know don't think about it Good luck. You bet. See you around. Yeah Now mr. Steel. What's the deal first come and look at the lion. Why not? He is Yeah, that's what I figured now right opposite the lion on the other side of the pit There is the gateway through which you just came. Yeah. Now once the lion is released How long would it take him to reach that gateway? About two seconds and he was in a hurry. He'll be there in one He always is okay, so you will stand about halfway from here to the gateway I'll have a head start. How long will it take you to get from the center of this pit to the gateway? 30 feet, I'd say about Two seconds if I'm in a hurry and I expect to be in short the lion should reach you before you can escape Unless he's delayed you will have to think of a way to delay him then Yeah, however, you may choose another possible way One of my men is now placing a long spear in the center of the pit if you like you might take your chances with that Would you have the decision is yours you can still give up the idea and let the princess I'll take my chances The gamble intrigues me then please stand in the center of the pit How clever are you mr. Steel? I'll let you know afterwards. Oh, uh, just one favor. Yes. Let me take off my boots Very well. I'll nails are not good for this kind of a situation. Yes. I agree Well, I think I will leave you. Yeah You do that now as soon as I walk through that gateway the lion's door will be raised and he will be free Rossine walked away while I was taking off my boots about that time someone started pulling up the chain that held the door of the lion's cage I threw one boot at the lion then the second The boats took the animal by surprise for justice actually two seconds I needed Thank you would be able to do it you sound disappointed I was thinking of the lion he was so sure of you This car do have to go through that one. Oh, yes, suppose I talk about it We have you worried the princess is safe now Let us say you must go through an extra test and suffer your friend to go through what you have just gone through In any case he must the choice is no longer his or yours Where is he in a hut? He does not know how you fared You may be dead for all he knows Come this way. I cannot allow you to talk with him This is where you stand mr. Cardoo when I walk through the gateway We've just come through the lion's door will be raised and he will be free Why don't you tell me what happened to steal? Is he okay a question that hardly matters to you at this moment? I'm leaving you now There is the long spear if you care to use it As I said in the beginning I like Cardoo as much as he liked me which was a whole lot in case I gave you the wrong idea Cardoo didn't make that final test. He grabbed the spirit was no good. It was broken. I hadn't figured on that. Yeah Yeah, he died in that lion pit, but there was nothing the authorities could do about it Way down in Faizan. There isn't much authority and there are places like that still left in the world Sure the princess was spared last time I heard of her She was in Paris having the time of her life with people her tribe approved of John Steele adventurer was brought to you through the facilities of the United States armed forces radio and the television service