In Maiwa's Revenge; Or, The War of the Little Hand, seasoned hunter and adventurer Allan Quatermain embarks on an expedition in Africa. While hunting elephants for ivory, he receives word that his English friend John Every is held captive by the ruthless tribal chief Wambe, whose cruelty is unmatched. Simultaneously, a native African princess, Maiwa, approaches Quatermain seeking vengeance: her young son has been killed under Wambe's tyrannical rule, and she bears the dead child's hand as a token of her sorrow and rage. Quatermain is drawn into the conflict, partly to help Maiwa avenge her son and partly to rescue his friend. What follows is a daring assault by allied tribes against Wambe's kraal, a sequence of hunts, battles and cliff-hanging escapes typical of Haggard's adventure style. In the end, Maiwa's revenge is exacted, Quatermain secures his friend's release, and justice is delivered. Throughout the narrative, themes of colonial hunting, tribal war, vengeance and loyalty intertwine.