Мауглі

           "Iwasamongtheplowedlands. Iamready. See!" Mowgliheldupthefire-pot. 

           "Good! Now,Ihaveseenmenthrustadrybranchintothatstuff,andpresentlytheRedFlowerblossomedattheendofit. Artthounotafraid?" 

           "No.WhyshouldIfear? Iremembernow—ifitisnotadream—how,beforeIwasaWolf,IlaybesidetheRedFlower,anditwaswarmandpleasant." 

           AllthatdayMowglisatinthecavetendinghisfirepotanddippingdrybranchesintoittoseehowtheylooked. Hefoundabranchthatsatisfiedhim,andintheeveningwhenTabaquicametothecaveandtoldhimrudelyenoughthathewaswantedattheCouncilRock,helaughedtillTabaquiranaway. ThenMowgliwenttotheCouncil,stilllaughing. 

           AkelatheLoneWolflaybythesideofhisrockasasignthattheleadershipofthePackwasopen,andShereKhanwithhisfollowingofscrap-fedwolveswalkedtoandfroopenlybeingflattered. BagheeralayclosetoMowgli,andthefirepotwasbetweenMowgli’sknees. Whentheywereallgatheredtogether,ShereKhanbegantospeak—athinghewouldneverhavedaredtodowhenAkelawasinhisprime. 

           "Hehasnoright,"whisperedBagheera. "Sayso.Heisadog’sson.Hewillbefrightened." 

           Mowglisprangtohisfeet. "FreePeople,"hecried,"doesShereKhanleadthePack? Whathasatigertodowithourleadership?" 

           "Seeingthattheleadershipisyetopen,andbeingaskedtospeak—"ShereKhanbegan. 

           "Bywhom?"saidMowgli.