Читать книгу Stories from The Jungle Book / Книга Джунглей - Редьярд Киплинг - Страница 8

Kaa was a very big snake. Every creature in the jungle was afraid of his strength. Once he caught an animal and got it in his coils, he crushed it to death and then swallowed it.

Kaa was hungry. He said, “Hello, Baloo and Bagheera. What are you doing here? Have you any news of food for me? I am so hungry.”

“We are hunting,” answered Baloo. He did not want Kaa to know that they had come to seek his help. Kaa would never let them forget that.

“I’ll come with you,” Kaa said eagerly. “The last time I climbed a tree, it was dry and rotten and I nearly fell to my death. The Bandar-log were there and they called me such bad names.”

“Oh, the Bandar-log are shameless,” said Bagheera. “I once heard them say that you were old and had lost all your teeth.”

He could see that Kaa was very angry. His long body wriggled in anger.

Baloo decided to speak out. “Actually, it’s the Bandar-log we are following.”

“Why?”

“They have taken away our man-cub.”

“Man-cub? I have heard of him.”

“Yes, Kaa, the man-cub. He is the wisest, the best and the boldest of my pupils,” Baloo boasted. “And we love him very much. We call him our Little Brother.”

“The Bandar-log fear me,” said Kaa. “They are such chattering creatures. I may be of help. Indeed, I am sure I can be of help. Where did you say they had taken the man-cub?”

“To the Cold Lairs. That is the message Chil gave us. I am going as fast as I can,” said Bagheera, and then asked, “Kaa, will you come with us?”

“Of course, I will,” said Kaa, ready to set off. “And though I have no feet, I can go as fast as you can.”

“Baloo, you follow us,” said Bagheera.

Baloo was big and heavy and could not move fast.