Introduction

“Sailor Costigan and the Destiny Gorilla” by Robert E. Howard is a short story featuring the tough, brawling sailor Steve Costigan, who is entangled in a series of rough encounters and misunderstandings that lead to both romantic and pugilistic adventures. Set in the gritty port settings typical of Howard’s tales, this narrative combines action with a touch of humor and unexpected romance.

Through this rough-and-tumble tale, Howard explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the unpredictable nature of love, all wrapped in the rugged environment of sailors and dockside taverns.

The story

The story begins with Sailor Costigan preparing for a boxing match against One-Round Egan, only to find a threatening note in his dressing room, urging him to throw the fight. Dismissing the threat, Costigan proceeds to quickly knock out Egan, much to the chagrin of the gamblers who had bet against him. After the match, he encounters Waspy Shaw, one of the gamblers, who angrily confronts him for not following the fight-throwing directive. Costigan dismisses Shaw with physical intimidation.

Leaving the venue, Costigan plans to relax at local saloons but ends up in a violent scuffle with thugs hired by Shaw. After dispatching his attackers through sheer brute force, Costigan crashes through a wall into the dressing room of Teddy Blaine, a dancer at the Yellow Kitten cabaret. Intrigued by Costigan’s strength, Teddy reveals that she is being harassed by Bill Elkins, a bartender who is obsessed with her.

Costigan, inflamed by a desire to protect Teddy and perhaps win her affections, confronts Elkins to put an end to his coercive behavior. The two men agree to settle their dispute with a fight in a secluded location. However, during the fight, they are ambushed by Shaw and his gang, aiming to take revenge on Costigan. With unexpected assistance from Elkins, who briefly sides with Costigan against the common foe, they fend off the attackers.

As the brawl concludes, the story twists again—Teddy leaves a note revealing she manipulated the situation to distract Elkins while she eloped with her true love, a saxophone player. Both Costigan and Elkins are left dismayed and heartbroken by her deception.

Characters

  • Steve Costigan – The main protagonist, a tough and straightforward sailor known for his prowess in boxing and physical confrontations.
  • Teddy Blaine – A dancer at the Yellow Kitten cabaret, who manipulates the men around her to escape from an unwanted suitor.
  • Bill Elkins – A bartender obsessed with Teddy, who tries to control her love life through intimidation.
  • Waspy Shaw, Bully Klisson, Ned Brock, Tony Spagalli – Gamblers and thugs involved in trying to manipulate boxing matches and settling scores through violence.
  • Mike – Costigan’s loyal and formidable bulldog, involved in several fights.
  • One-Round Egan – Costigan’s opponent in the boxing match at the beginning of the story.
  • Ahmed – A Malay killer employed by Shaw to attack Costigan.
  • Jimmy Richards – The saxophone player and the true love of Teddy Blaine, only mentioned in the story.

Alternate titles:

SAILOR DORGAN AND THE DESTINY GORILLA and THE DESTINY GORILLA.

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