Маугли
Toomai of the Elephants
LittleToomaiturned,rustlinginthefodder,andwatchedthecurveofhisbigbackagainsthalfthestarsinheaven,andwhilehewatchedheheard,sofarawaythatitsoundednomorethanapinholeofnoiseprickedthroughthestillness,the"hoot-toot"ofawildelephant.
Alltheelephantsinthelinesjumpedupasiftheyhadbeenshot,andtheirgruntsatlastwakedthesleepingmahouts,andtheycameoutanddroveinthepicketpegswithbigmallets,andtightenedthisropeandknottedthattillallwasquiet.Onenewelephanthadnearlygrubbeduphispicket,andBigToomaitookoffKalaNag’slegchainandshackledthatelephantfore-foottohind-foot,butslippedaloopofgrassstringroundKalaNag’sleg,andtoldhimtorememberthathewastiedfast.Heknewthatheandhisfatherandhisgrandfatherhaddonetheverysamethinghundredsoftimesbefore.KalaNagdidnotanswertotheorderbygurgling,asheusuallydid.Hestoodstill,lookingoutacrossthemoonlight,hisheadalittleraisedandhisearsspreadlikefans,uptothegreatfoldsoftheGarohills.
"Tendtohimifhegrowsrestlessinthenight,"saidBigToomaitoLittleToomai,andhewentintothehutandslept.LittleToomaiwasjustgoingtosleep,too,whenheheardthecoirstringsnapwithalittle"tang,"andKalaNagrolledoutofhispicketsasslowlyandassilentlyasacloudrollsoutofthemouthofavalley.
