Мауглі

           "Thatisgood,"saidthesnake."Now,whenKaraitwaskilled,thebigmanhadastick.Hemayhavethatstickstill,butwhenhecomesintobatheinthemorninghewillnothaveastick.Ishallwaitheretillhecomes.Nagaina—doyouhearme?—Ishallwaithereinthecooltilldaytime."

           Therewasnoanswerfromoutside,soRikki-tikkiknewNagainahadgoneaway.Nagcoiledhimselfdown,coilbycoil,roundthebulgeatthebottomofthewaterjar,andRikki-tikkistayedstillasdeath.Afteranhourhebegantomove,musclebymuscle,towardthejar.Nagwasasleep,andRikki-tikkilookedathisbigback,wonderingwhichwouldbethebestplaceforagoodhold."IfIdon’tbreakhisbackatthefirstjump,"saidRikki,"hecanstillfight.Andifhefights—ORikki!"Helookedatthethicknessoftheneckbelowthehood,butthatwastoomuchforhim;andabitenearthetailwouldonlymakeNagsavage.

           "Itmustbethehead"’hesaidatlast;"theheadabovethehood.And,whenIamoncethere,Imustnotletgo."

           Thenhejumped.Theheadwaslyingalittleclearofthewaterjar,underthecurveofit;and,ashisteethmet,Rikkibracedhisbackagainstthebulgeoftheredearthenwaretoholddownthehead.Thisgavehimjustonesecond’spurchase,andhemadethemostofit.