Читать книгу Stories from The Jungle Book / Книга Джунглей - Редьярд Киплинг - Страница 5

“See how well Mowgli has learnt everything,” Baloo said to Bagheera. “Without my cuffs, he would not have learnt. Now he does not have to fear anybody.”

“Of course, he has to,” replied Bagheera. “He must fear man, his own tribe.”

Mowgli was jumping on Bagheera’s back, pulling and pushing him.

“What is the matter, Little Brother?” Bagheera asked.

“One day I will have a tribe of my own,” Mowgli replied proudly. “I shall be its leader. We will go from branch to branch and have a wonderful time.”

Baloo and Bagheera were shocked.

“What are you talking about?” asked Baloo, very angry.

Mowgli was surprised. He looked at Bagheera and saw that he was angry too.

“Have you been with the Bandar-log, the Monkey People?”

“The Bandar-log are the grey apes, who have no law and eat everything,” added Bagheera.

Mowgli nodded his head.

He said, “One day, when Baloo had cuffed me, I went into the jungle and met the Bandar-log. They were very good to me and gave me nuts and many other things to eat. They carried me from tree to tree. It was wonderful. They said that I was their brother without a tail. They even said that they would make me their leader one day.”

Baloo was furious.

“They are liars,” he said. “They have never had a leader and never will. You are not to meet them again.”

“But why not?” Mowgli wanted to know. “They were kind and good to me, and have invited me to go with them again. They are like me – they stand on their feet and use their hands to pluck nuts and fruit. They really are very kind. I liked playing with them.”

“Listen to me, man-cub,” said Baloo sternly. “I have taught you the laws of the jungle and the calls of all the creatures that live here. The only thing I have not taught you is about the Bandar-log. Why? It is because they have no law and no call. They have no speech. They chatter all the time, living on the branches. We, of the jungle, do not go where they go, or drink water from the same waterhole. You, too, will do the same.”

Mowgli had never seen Baloo so angry. He was always kind. Mowgli knew that he had not done the right thing, so he nodded. Suddenly nuts and sticks hit them on their heads. Mowgli looked up and saw many chattering monkeys swinging from branch to branch.