Маугли
Mowgli’s Brothers
"Good!Good!"saidtheyoungwolves,whoarealwayshungry. "ListentoBagheera. Thecubcanbeboughtforaprice. ItistheLaw."
"KnowingthatIhavenorighttospeakhere,Iaskyourleave."
"Speakthen,"criedtwentyvoices.
"Tokillanakedcubisshame. Besides,hemaymakebettersportforyouwhenheisgrown. Baloohasspokeninhisbehalf. NowtoBaloo’swordIwilladdonebull,andafatone,newlykilled,nothalfamilefromhere,ifyewillaccepttheman’scubaccordingtotheLaw. Isitdifficult?"
Therewasaclamorofscoresofvoices,saying: "Whatmatter? Hewilldieinthewinterrains. Hewillscorchinthesun. Whatharmcananakedfrogdous? LethimrunwiththePack. Whereisthebull,Bagheera? Lethimbeaccepted." AndthencameAkela’sdeepbay,crying: "Lookwell—lookwell,OWolves!"
Mowgliwasstilldeeplyinterestedinthepebbles,andhedidnotnoticewhenthewolvescameandlookedathimonebyone. Atlasttheyallwentdownthehillforthedeadbull,andonlyAkela,Bagheera,Baloo,andMowgli’sownwolveswereleft. ShereKhanroaredstillinthenight,forhewasveryangrythatMowglihadnotbeenhandedovertohim.
"Ay,roarwell,"saidBagheera,underhiswhiskers,"forthetimewillcomewhenthisnakedthingwillmaketheeroartoanothertune,orIknownothingofman."
"Itwaswelldone,"saidAkela. "Menandtheircubsareverywise. Hemaybeahelpintime."