Читать книгу Stories from The Jungle Book / Книга Джунглей - Редьярд Киплинг - Страница 4

Mowgli spent a wonderful time among the wolves for ten whole summers. He loved Father and Mother Wolf. They in turn loved him as one of their cubs. Mother Wolf was very kind to him. She would often say, “I love him more than any son of mine.”

Their cubs were his brothers and they all played together. Mowgli was really very happy.

Father Wolf taught him many things about the jungle, its sounds and dangers.

Mowgli roamed the jungle. He ate when he was hungry, slept when sleepy, and swam in the jungle pool when he felt hot, or when he wanted to wash himself.

Baloo taught him the Laws of the Jungle and the Hunting Verse: “Feet that make no noise, eyes that can see in the dark, ears that can hear the winds, and sharp white teeth, all these are the marks of our brothers.”

Baloo also taught him the Wood and Water Laws: how to tell when a branch was rotten or strong before climbing it, how to speak politely to bees if he came upon a hive, and how to warn the water snakes before he dived into pools and rivers.

Mowgli was also taught the calls of all the creatures living in the jungle. These would be of use to him when he was in danger and had to seek their help.

Mowgli often felt tired of learning so many things. Baloo made him repeat everything. Sometimes, Mowgli would not listen to him. Then Baloo would cuff him.

Bagheera frequently sat on the branch of a tree and watched Baloo and Mowgli. He loved the man-cub and called him Little Brother. So did Baloo.

One day, when Baloo had cuffed him, Mowgli ran off and hid behind a tree. He was very angry. Bagheera said to Baloo, “Why do you cuff him so much? He is very young.”

“Not too young to get killed,” replied Baloo. “A cuff from me is better than that, is it not?”

“A soft cuff, yes, but just now you cuffed him straight over that rock! You will kill him some day.”

“It was a hard cuff, was it?” asked Baloo. He loved Mowgli. Had he really hurt him?

“Mowgli,” he called gently, “come and show Bagheera all the wonderful things you have learnt.”

Mowgli was never angry for long, and he loved to show off. He came out from behind the tree and asked, “What do you want to hear?”

“Say the word for the Hunting People, the Bears.”

“We be of one blood, you and I,” said Mowgli in the correct bear talk.

“And for the Birds?”

Mowgli let out a kite’s whistle.

“And now for the Snake People.”

The answer was a perfect hiss. Mowgli clapped his hands happily and jumped on Bagheera’s back.