Маугли
Mowgli’s Brothers
"Man!"saidFatherWolf,showingallhiswhiteteeth. "Faugh!AretherenotenoughbeetlesandfrogsinthetanksthathemusteatMan,andonourgroundtoo!"
TheLawoftheJungle,whichneverordersanythingwithoutareason,forbidseverybeasttoeatManexceptwhenheiskillingtoshowhischildrenhowtokill,andthenhemusthuntoutsidethehuntinggroundsofhispackortribe. Therealreasonforthisisthatman-killingmeans,soonerorlater,thearrivalofwhitemenonelephants,withguns,andhundredsofbrownmenwithgongsandrocketsandtorches. Theneverybodyinthejunglesuffers. ThereasonthebeastsgiveamongthemselvesisthatManistheweakestandmostdefenselessofalllivingthings,anditisunsportsmanliketotouchhim. Theysaytoo—anditistrue—thatman-eatersbecomemangy,andlosetheirteeth.
Thepurrgrewlouder,andendedinthefull-throated"Aaarh!"ofthetiger’scharge.
Thentherewasahowl—anuntigerishhowl—fromShereKhan. "Hehasmissed,"saidMotherWolf."Whatisit?"
FatherWolfranoutafewpacesandheardShereKhanmutteringandmumblingsavagelyashetumbledaboutinthescrub.
"Thefoolhashadnomoresensethantojumpatawoodcutter’scampfire,andhasburnedhisfeet,"saidFatherWolfwithagrunt."Tabaquiiswithhim."
"Somethingiscominguphill,"saidMotherWolf,twitchingoneear."Getready."
Thebushesrustledalittleinthethicket,andFatherWolfdroppedwithhishaunchesunderhim,readyforhisleap.
