Мауглі

           Therewasnosoundfromtheelephants,exceptonce,whentwoorthreelittlecalvessqueakedtogether.Thenheheardathumpandashuffle,andtheboomingwenton.Itmusthavelastedfullytwohours,andLittleToomaiachedineverynerve,butheknewbythesmellofthenightairthatthedawnwascoming.

           Themorningbrokeinonesheetofpaleyellowbehindthegreenhills,andtheboomingstoppedwiththefirstray,asthoughthelighthadbeenanorder.BeforeLittleToomaihadgottheringingoutofhishead,beforeevenhehadshiftedhisposition,therewasnotanelephantinsightexceptKalaNag,Pudmini,andtheelephantwiththerope-galls,andtherewasneithersignnorrustlenorwhisperdownthehillsidestoshowwheretheothershadgone.

           LittleToomaistaredagainandagain.Theclearing,asherememberedit,hadgrowninthenight.Moretreesstoodinthemiddleofit,buttheundergrowthandthejunglegrassatthesideshadbeenrolledback.LittleToomaistaredoncemore.Nowheunderstoodthetrampling.Theelephantshadstampedoutmoreroom—hadstampedthethickgrassandjuicycanetotrash,thetrashintoslivers,thesliversintotinyfibers,andthefibersintohardearth.

           "Wah!"saidLittleToomai,andhiseyeswereveryheavy."KalaNag,mylord,letuskeepbyPudminiandgotoPetersenSahib’scamp,orIshalldropfromthyneck."

           Thethirdelephantwatchedthetwogoaway,snorted,wheeledround,andtookhisownpath.Hemayhavebelongedtosomelittlenativeking’sestablishment,fiftyorsixtyorahundredmilesaway.