Маугли

           ToomaiknewthatsolongashelaystillonKalaNag’snecknothingwouldhappentohim,forevenintherushandscrambleofaKeddahdriveawildelephantdoesnotreachupwithhistrunkanddragamanofftheneckofatameelephant.Andtheseelephantswerenotthinkingofmenthatnight.Oncetheystartedandputtheirearsforwardwhentheyheardthechinkingofalegironintheforest,butitwasPudmini,PetersenSahib’spetelephant,herchainsnappedshortoff,grunting,snufflingupthehillside.ShemusthavebrokenherpicketsandcomestraightfromPetersenSahib’scamp;andLittleToomaisawanotherelephant,onethathedidnotknow,withdeepropegallsonhisbackandbreast.He,too,musthaverunawayfromsomecampinthehillsabout.

           Atlasttherewasnosoundofanymoreelephantsmovingintheforest,andKalaNagrolledoutfromhisstationbetweenthetreesandwentintothemiddleofthecrowd,cluckingandgurgling,andalltheelephantsbegantotalkintheirowntongue,andtomoveabout.

           Stilllyingdown,LittleToomailookeddownuponscoresandscoresofbroadbacks,andwaggingears,andtossingtrunks,andlittlerollingeyes.Heheardtheclickoftusksastheycrossedothertusksbyaccident,andthedryrustleoftrunkstwinedtogether,andthechafingofenormoussidesandshouldersinthecrowd,andtheincessantflickandhisshofthegreattails.Thenacloudcameoverthemoon,andhesatinblackdarkness.Butthequiet,steadyhustlingandpushingandgurglingwentonjustthesame.