Mowgli

Mowgli, on a warm summer evening, a family of wolves are sleeping in their home. Their

home is a cave in the hills. The father wolf awakes and stands up. He looks at the mother

wolf and their four cubs. We must go out and look for food, he says. Then he hears

a familiar voice say, good luck. It is Tabaki, a jackal, who is always making

trouble. Sheer Khan, the tiger, is coming here for food, says Tabaki.

Impossible. He must tell us first, says Father Wolf. He is hunting men, not animals

tonight, says Tabaki, but the jungle law doesn't permit men killing. It only brings

men with guns. Then they hear a noise very close to them. It is a man cub, says Father

Wolf. A baby is in front of them. He has no clothes. He walks to Mother Wolf. He is

hungry. The mother wolf feeds the boy like her cubs. At that moment, Sheer Khan's

large head appears in the cave. Give him to me, he demands. Sheer Khan is a very big

and scary tiger. But Father Wolf is not scared because the tiger is too big to

enter the cave. No, you can't have him. He is ours now, says Father Wolf. I will

raise him as my son, says Mother Wolf. Go away, fish killer. This makes Sheer Khan

very angry. That man cub will be mine one day, you thieves. He says and leaves the

cave. Father Wolf is very surprised. Do you really want him as your own son? He asks Mother Wolf.

Yes, let's keep him, Mother Wolf says. I will call him Mowgli. Father Wolf is worried,

but they decide to raise Mowgli as their own cub. Mowgli runs and plays with all the

other cubs. He looks very happy. One day, there is a pack meeting at the meeting rock.

Akela, a grey wolf, is the leader. He calls for all the wolf cubs to stand before him.

Father Wolf pushes Mowgli in front of akela. Then, somewhere in the trees, the wolves

hear a growl. It is Sheer Khan. He is mine, he growls. Akela, unafraid, says,

Who will speak for this man cub? Except for his mother and father, I need two voices.

Blue, a brown bear, and Bagira, a panther, enters the circle of wolves.

We will speak for him, they say. It is very bad to kill a man cub, says Bagira.

Also, a man cub cannot hurt you. He may even help you later.

I will also teach him all of the jungle laws, says Balu.

The other wolves agree. Akela is happy with the decision. He will be able to help us later when he is a man.

You must raise and teach him well, he says.

So Mowgli becomes a member of the wolf pack. Father Wolf, Balu and Bagira teach Mowgli everything he needs to know.

Years pass and Mowgli grows into a strong boy. Balu teaches him to speak in different jungle languages.

But Mowgli likes to play instead of studying lessons.

One day, Balu hits Mowgli on the head when he isn't paying attention.

This makes Mowgli unhappy. Bagira talks to Balu. He is just a young boy. Be kind to him.

He will be safe only when he knows all the jungle words, says Balu.

Balu continues the lesson. Save the jungle words to the hunting people.

We are of the same blood. You and I, says Mowgli.

Balu praises him. Nothing will ever hurt you. If you remember these lessons,

you will understand me when you are an adult.

My people will always be with me. I will live with them high in the trees, Mowgli says.

Monkey people give me food and they always play with me.

This surprises Balu very much. No, he says angrily.

The monkey people have no laws. They are bad. You must stay away from them.

After the lesson, Mowgli goes to sleep. Suddenly, he awakes and finds himself high in the trees.

Tiny hands are carrying him away. They are the monkeys.

Balu and Bagira shout out for the monkeys to stop, but the monkeys just laugh at them and take Mowgli away.

Mowgli is very afraid. He looks into the sky and sees a kite. Mowgli calls the kite in bird language.

Please tell Balu and Bagira where I am.

We cannot catch the monkeys, says Balu. Let's ask Ka, the big python for his help.

He can find Mowgli easily. They find Ka sleeping in the sun. He is a huge brown and yellow snake.

They make some noise to wake him up. They want Ka to help them.

I'm starving, says Ka. Let's go and find the man cub.

At that time, the kite flies to them and says,

The monkeys are taking the man cub to the lost city. He needs your help.

We must go immediately, says Bagira.

You are faster than me, says Balu. Go ahead first. I will catch up with you.

It is getting dark and there are clouds in the sky. Mowgli is not happy to be with the monkeys.

I will try to escape when it is dark, he thinks.

Bagira and Ka are now at the lost city.

There are hundreds of monkeys, but there are only Bagira and Ka to help Mowgli.

I will go to the west wall and attack them from up high, says Ka.

At that moment, Balu enters the lost city. Bagira and Balu start fighting monkeys.

But there are hundreds of monkeys around. They are not afraid of Bagira and Balu.

Ka comes slowly down from the west wall. He enters the circle of monkeys around them.

Ka speaks.

Ka's one word is enough to make the monkeys stop. They are all afraid of Ka.

Mowgli, where are you, shouts Balu?

I am trapped in a room and I can't get out, cries Mowgli.

Ka hears the voice coming from a wall. He hits the wall several times and makes a hole.

Mowgli comes out through the hole. He runs to Balu and Bagira and hugs them.

You must think Ka, says Balu. Mowgli turns around and looks at the great snake.

We are of the same blood, you and I, he says, in snake language.

Ka is happy to hear that. You speak my language very well, he says to Mowgli.

They all together return home.

Sheer Khan knows the leader of the wolf pack, Akela, is now very old.

He tells the younger wolves that Mowgli must not live with them.

Bagira finds Mowgli and says, Akela is very old.

When a new leader comes, you must go to the village and get some red flower.

That will protect you. Mowgli is very worried. He goes to the village and gets some fire.

He takes it back to the jungle.

That night, there is a meeting at the meeting rock. Mowgli goes there.

Akela always sits high up on his rock, but tonight he is not. He is beside the rock.

Now, a younger and stronger wolf will be able to take his place. Mowgli sits down in the circle with his pot of fire.

Suddenly, he hears a familiar voice. It is Sheer Khan.

There is no wolf on the rock to lead you. Sheer Khan can be your leader, he says.

The other wolves look at Akela. Akela starts to speak.

I am your leader for a long time, but now I am too old.

The jungle law says you have the right to kill me.

Sheer Khan laughs at the old wolf. You are just an old wolf. You will die soon.

It is the man cub who must die. Give him to me.

He is our brother, Akela shouts.

Some of the wolves are afraid of Sheer Khan, but he is not a wolf. He is a man, they say.

Mowgli gets very angry hearing this.

I will never call you my brothers again, he says.

I choose my destiny. I have the red flower. I have my own power.

Mowgli drops the fire pot and some spill on the ground. The other animals see the fire and become very afraid.

Mowgli then hits Sheer Khan on the head with a burning piece of wood.

Sheer Khan's fur is burned with the fire. He is angry, but he is very hurt.

He goes away making a promise. When I return, I will kill you.

I make a promise too, says Mowgli. I will kill you if you ever come back to the jungle.

Akela is very proud of Mowgli. You are not a wolf, but you are the leader of the wolf pack now, he says.

Mowgli becomes the leader of the wolf pack. They live happily together in the jungle.