# Billali — She character guide > Billali in She by H. Rider Haggard. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** old Billali, poor Billali **First appearance:** 0013-xi-the-plain-of-k-r ## Snapshot An elderly Amahagger chieftain who guides the Englishmen through the caves of Kôr and serves as wary intermediary between them and the terrible Queen. ## Who they are Billali is the first Amahagger to treat the outsiders with something like courtesy, addressing Holly as 'my Baboon' with an affection that sits oddly beside his fear of Ayesha. He knows the ancient tunnels, the tombs of the people who came before, and the precise rituals of deference the Queen demands, and he warns Holly repeatedly to crawl and be careful. His divided loyalty, to his people's customs and to the strangers he has come to like, makes him a crucial and sympathetic guide through the novel's descent into the underworld. ## Relationships ### [Ustane](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/characters/ustane) _social_ Billali, as a leader of the Amahagger, interacts with Ustane as a member of his tribe. ### [Leo Vincey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/characters/leo_vincey) _professional_ Billali acts as a guide and intermediary for Leo, showing respect while serving Ayesha's commands. ### [The Amahagger](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/characters/the_amahagger) _professional_ Billali is the chief and leader of the Amahagger people, commanding their obedience. ### [Ayesha](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/characters/ayesha) _professional_ Ayesha is Billali's queen and master, whom he serves with absolute loyalty and fear. ### [Job](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/characters/job) _social_ Billali interacts with Job as a foreign servant, showing a mix of condescension and tolerance. ### [Ustane](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/characters/ustane) _social_ Billali, as a leader of the Amahagger, interacts with Ustane as a member of his tribe. ### [Leo Vincey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/characters/leo_vincey) _professional_ Billali acts as a guide and intermediary for Leo, showing respect while serving Ayesha's commands. ### [Ayesha](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/characters/ayesha) _professional_ Ayesha is Billali's queen and master, whom he serves with absolute loyalty and fear. ### [The Amahagger](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/characters/the_amahagger) _professional_ Billali is the chief and leader of the Amahagger people, commanding their obedience. ## In the story ### [She](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/she) Serves as an intermediary between Ayesha and the travelers, showing deference to her authority. ### [VI: An Early Christian Ceremony](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/vi-an-early-christian-ceremony) Elderly Amahagger leader; adopts Holly as 'son,' speaks of 'She-who-must-be-obeyed' with ominous hints. ### [VII: Ustane Sings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/vii-ustane-sings) Saturnine host who explains the customs and leaves to consult She. ### [IX: A Little Foot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/ix-a-little-foot) Directs the binding of surviving cannibals; praises the fight; recounts a childhood story of a preserved corpse and retrieves a woman's foot. ### [X: Speculations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/x-speculations) Accompanies the group as a guide; explains Amahagger customs regarding women and marriage; nearly dies in a quagmire accident. ### [The Plain of Kôr](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/xi-the-plain-of-k-r) Leads the caravan, explains the mountain is the home of She, and orders the blindfolding. ### [XII: "She"](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/xii-she) Leads Holly to She; crawls on hands and knees into her presence; explains the attack and is forgiven. ### [XIII: Ayesha Unveils](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/xiii-ayesha-unveils) Referred to as the 'white-bearded old fool' by Ayesha after he leaves. ### [XV: Ayesha Gives Judgment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/xv-ayesha-gives-judgment) Confirms Holly's account of the attack and later informs Holly of Ayesha's summons. ### [XIX: “Give Me a Black Goat!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/xix-give-me-a-black-goat) Accompanies the group on the cave tour and makes a grim remark to Job about death. ### [XX: Triumph](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/xx-triumph) Dismissed by Ayesha before the confrontation. ### [Job Has a Presentiment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/xxii-job-has-a-presentiment) Informs Holly and Leo that Ayesha wishes to see them. ### [The Temple of Truth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/xxiii-the-temple-of-truth) Appears at the cave mouth with the litter and bearers, providing information about the ruins of the great city. ### [XXIV: Walking the Plank](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/xxiv-walking-the-plank) Bows to Ayesha's command to wait; whispers to Holly that he'd rather not go on the expedition. ### [We Leap](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/xxvii-we-leap) Finds Holly and Leo after their escape; feeds and cares for them, shocked by Ayesha's death. ### [Over the Mountain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/xxviii-over-the-mountain) Watches over Holly and Leo; arranges their escape and accompanies them through the marshes out of gratitude. ### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/chapters/endnotes) Noted for his fear of entering the haunted city of Kôr and his reliance on Ayesha's protection. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/characters/billali - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/she_se/characters