Мауглі

           ThatwillatleastsavethePackthreelives. MoreIcannotdo;butifyewill,Icansaveyetheshamethatcomesofkillingabrotheragainstwhomthereisnofault—abrotherspokenforandboughtintothePackaccordingtotheLawoftheJungle." 

           "Heisaman—aman—aman!"snarledthePack. AndmostofthewolvesbegantogatherroundShereKhan,whosetailwasbeginningtoswitch. 

           "Nowthebusinessisinthyhands,"saidBagheeratoMowgli. "Wecandonomoreexceptfight." 

           Mowglistoodupright—thefirepotinhishands. Thenhestretchedouthisarms,andyawnedinthefaceoftheCouncil;buthewasfuriouswithrageandsorrow,for,wolflike,thewolveshadnevertoldhimhowtheyhatedhim. "Listenyou!"hecried. "Thereisnoneedforthisdog’sjabber. YehavetoldmesooftentonightthatIamaman(andindeedIwouldhavebeenawolfwithyoutomylife’send)thatIfeelyourwordsaretrue. SoIdonotcallyemybrothersanymore,butsag(dogs),asamanshould. Whatyewilldo,andwhatyewillnotdo,isnotyourstosay. Thatmatteriswithme;andthatwemayseethemattermoreplainly,I,theman,havebroughtherealittleoftheRedFlowerwhichye,dogs,fear." 

           Heflungthefirepotontheground,andsomeoftheredcoalslitatuftofdriedmossthatflaredup,asalltheCouncildrewbackinterrorbeforetheleapingflames. 

           Mowglithrusthisdeadbranchintothefiretillthetwigslitandcrackled,andwhirleditabovehisheadamongthecoweringwolves.