Мауглі

           "Good!Good!"saidtheyoungwolves,whoarealwayshungry. "ListentoBagheera. Thecubcanbeboughtforaprice. ItistheLaw." 

           "KnowingthatIhavenorighttospeakhere,Iaskyourleave." 

           "Speakthen,"criedtwentyvoices. 

           "Tokillanakedcubisshame. Besides,hemaymakebettersportforyouwhenheisgrown. Baloohasspokeninhisbehalf. NowtoBaloo’swordIwilladdonebull,andafatone,newlykilled,nothalfamilefromhere,ifyewillaccepttheman’scubaccordingtotheLaw. Isitdifficult?" 

           Therewasaclamorofscoresofvoices,saying: "Whatmatter? Hewilldieinthewinterrains. Hewillscorchinthesun. Whatharmcananakedfrogdous? LethimrunwiththePack. Whereisthebull,Bagheera? Lethimbeaccepted." AndthencameAkela’sdeepbay,crying: "Lookwell—lookwell,OWolves!" 

           Mowgliwasstilldeeplyinterestedinthepebbles,andhedidnotnoticewhenthewolvescameandlookedathimonebyone. Atlasttheyallwentdownthehillforthedeadbull,andonlyAkela,Bagheera,Baloo,andMowgli’sownwolveswereleft. ShereKhanroaredstillinthenight,forhewasveryangrythatMowglihadnotbeenhandedovertohim. 

           "Ay,roarwell,"saidBagheera,underhiswhiskers,"forthetimewillcomewhenthisnakedthingwillmaketheeroartoanothertune,orIknownothingofman." 

           "Itwaswelldone,"saidAkela. "Menandtheircubsareverywise. Hemaybeahelpintime."