Маугли
Kaa’s Hunting
"Andwhatmaysoboldahunterkill? IaskthatImayfollowwhennexthegoesabroad."
"Ikillnothing—Iamtoolittle—butIdrivegoatstowardsuchascanusethem. WhenthouartemptycometomeandseeifIspeakthetruth. Ihavesomeskillinthese(heheldouthishands),andifeverthouartinatrap,ImaypaythedebtwhichIowetothee,toBagheera,andtoBaloo,here. Goodhuntingtoyeall,mymasters."
"Wellsaid,"growledBaloo,forMowglihadreturnedthanksveryprettily. ThePythondroppedhisheadlightlyforaminuteonMowgli’sshoulder. "Abraveheartandacourteoustongue,"saidhe. "Theyshallcarrytheefarthroughthejungle,manling. Butnowgohencequicklywiththyfriends. Goandsleep,forthemoonsets,andwhatfollowsitisnotwellthatthoushouldstsee."
Themoonwassinkingbehindthehillsandthelinesoftremblingmonkeyshuddledtogetheronthewallsandbattlementslookedlikeraggedshakyfringesofthings. BaloowentdowntothetankforadrinkandBagheerabegantoputhisfurinorder,asKaaglidedoutintothecenteroftheterraceandbroughthisjawstogetherwitharingingsnapthatdrewallthemonkeys’eyesuponhim.
"Themoonsets,"hesaid. "Isthereyetlightenoughtosee?"
Fromthewallscameamoanlikethewindinthetree-tops —"Wesee,OKaa."
"Good. Beginsnowthedance—theDanceoftheHungerofKaa. Sitstillandwatch."