Маугли
Tiger! Tiger!
"Oho!Itisthejunglebrat,isit?"saidBuldeo."Ifthouartsowise,betterbringhishidetoKhanhiwara,fortheGovernmenthassetahundredrupeesonhislife.Betterstill,talknotwhenthyeldersspeak."
Mowglirosetogo."AlltheeveningIhavelainherelistening,"hecalledbackoverhisshoulder,"and,exceptonceortwice,Buldeohasnotsaidonewordoftruthconcerningthejungle,whichisathisverydoors.How,then,shallIbelievethetalesofghostsandgodsandgoblinswhichhesayshehasseen?"
"Itisfulltimethatboywenttoherding,"saidthehead-man,whileBuldeopuffedandsnortedatMowgli’simpertinence.
ThecustomofmostIndianvillagesisforafewboystotakethecattleandbuffaloesouttograzeintheearlymorning,andbringthembackatnight.Theverycattlethatwouldtrampleawhitemantodeathallowthemselvestobebangedandbulliedandshoutedatbychildrenthathardlycomeuptotheirnoses.Solongastheboyskeepwiththeherdstheyaresafe,fornoteventhetigerwillchargeamobofcattle.Butiftheystraggletopickflowersorhuntlizards,theyaresometimescarriedoff.Mowgliwentthroughthevillagestreetinthedawn,sittingonthebackofRama,thegreatherdbull.Theslaty-bluebuffaloes,withtheirlong,backward-sweepinghornsandsavageeyes,roseouttheirbyres,onebyone,andfollowedhim,andMowglimadeitverycleartothechildrenwithhimthathewasthemaster.
