Маугли
Mowgli’s Brothers
Wecallithydrophobia,buttheycallitdewanee—themadness—andrun.
"Enter,then,andlook,"saidFatherWolfstiffly,"butthereisnofoodhere."
"Forawolf,no,"saidTabaqui,"butforsomeanapersonasmyselfadryboneisagoodfeast. Whoarewe,theGidur-log(thejackalpeople),topickandchoose?" Hescuttledtothebackofthecave,wherehefoundtheboneofabuckwithsomemeatonit,andsatcrackingtheendmerrily.
"Allthanksforthisgoodmeal,"hesaid,lickinghislips. "Howbeautifularethenoblechildren! Howlargearetheireyes! Andsoyoungtoo! Indeed,indeed,Imighthaverememberedthatthechildrenofkingsaremenfromthebeginning."
Now,Tabaquiknewaswellasanyoneelsethatthereisnothingsounluckyastocomplimentchildrentotheirfaces.ItpleasedhimtoseeMotherandFatherWolflookuncomfortable.
Tabaquisatstill,rejoicinginthemischiefthathehadmade,andthenhesaidspitefully:
"ShereKhan,theBigOne,hasshiftedhishuntinggrounds. Hewillhuntamongthesehillsforthenextmoon,sohehastoldme."
ShereKhanwasthetigerwholivedneartheWaingungaRiver,twentymilesaway.
"Hehasnoright!"FatherWolfbeganangrily —"BytheLawoftheJunglehehasnorighttochangehisquarterswithoutduewarning. Hewillfrighteneveryheadofgamewithintenmiles,andI—Ihavetokillfortwo,thesedays."
"HismotherdidnotcallhimLungri(theLameOne)fornothing,"saidMotherWolfquietly.
