Мауглі

           Noneofthebeastscouldreachthem,butontheotherhandnoneofthebeastswouldnoticethem,andthatwaswhytheyweresopleasedwhenMowglicametoplaywiththem,andtheyheardhowangryBaloowas. 

           Theynevermeanttodoanymore—theBandar-lognevermeananythingatall;butoneoftheminventedwhatseemedtohimabrilliantidea,andhetoldalltheothersthatMowgliwouldbeausefulpersontokeepinthetribe,becausehecouldweavestickstogetherforprotectionfromthewind;so,iftheycaughthim,theycouldmakehimteachthem. OfcourseMowgli,asawoodcutter’schild,inheritedallsortsofinstincts,andusedtomakelittlehutsoffallenbrancheswithoutthinkinghowhecametodoit. TheMonkey-People,watchinginthetrees,consideredhisplaymostwonderful. Thistime,theysaid,theywerereallygoingtohavealeaderandbecomethewisestpeopleinthejungle—sowisethateveryoneelsewouldnoticeandenvythem. ThereforetheyfollowedBalooandBagheeraandMowglithroughthejungleveryquietlytillitwastimeforthemiddaynap,andMowgli,whowasverymuchashamedofhimself,sleptbetweenthePantherandtheBear,resolvingtohavenomoretodowiththeMonkeyPeople. 

           Thenextthingherememberedwasfeelinghandsonhislegsandarms—hard,strong,littlehands—andthenaswashofbranchesinhisface,andthenhewasstaringdownthroughtheswayingboughsasBaloowokethejunglewithhisdeepcriesandBagheeraboundedupthetrunkwitheverytoothbared.