In "The Blue Bead," Norah Burke creates a formidable antagonist for her main character (a twelve-year-old girl named Sibia). This antagonist is a large, ancient, formidable crocodile.

Indeed, this crocodile is huge, "twice the length of a tall man." He rests in the water, invisible except for his eyes and nose, and he blends right in with the surrounding logs, for he is the same "blackish brown." His jaw is huge, too, "running almost the whole length of his head," and it fixes in a frightening smile, allowing the beast's sharp teeth to show.

The crocodile has been around probably a hundred years, and he is a survivor. He is prey to nothing at this point. Rather, he is intent upon catching his prey. He eats mostly fish but also monkeys, deer, ducks, and other beasts. He is not opposed to humans when he can get them, either, and already, he has a silver bracelet inside him.

Humans would appear to have very little chance against such a crocodile as this one. He is a "prehistoric juggernaut, ferocious and formidable," and he is powerful with his huge tail and jaws that could probably snap a person in half. Further, nothing, it seems, can pierce this crocodile's hide. It is almost like armor. Even rifle bullets merely bounce off. Yet this beast is not completely invulnerable. If someone can get to his eyes and the spot just under his front legs, that person might just defeat this fearsome crocodile.