Page 51 - THE JUNGLE BOOK

The Jungle Book

‘At that speed! It would not tire a wounded cow.
Teacher of the Law—cub-beater—a mile of that rolling to
and fro would burst thee open. Sit still and think! Make a
plan. This is no time for chasing. They may drop him if

we follow too close.’
‘Arrula! Whoo! They may have dropped him already,
being tired of carrying him. Who can trust the Bandar-
log? Put dead bats on my head! Give me black bones to
eat! Roll me into the hives of the wild bees that I may be
stung to death, and bury me with the Hyaena, for I am
most miserable of bears! Arulala! Wahooa! O Mowgli,
Mowgli! Why did I not warn thee against the Monkey-
Folk instead of breaking thy head? Now perhaps I may
have knocked the day’s lesson out of his mind, and he will
be alone in the jungle without the Master Words.’
Baloo clasped his paws over his ears and rolled to and
fro moaning.
‘At least he gave me all the Words correctly a little time
ago,’ said Bagheera impatiently. ‘Baloo, thou hast neither
memory nor respect. What would the jungle think if I, the
Black Panther, curled myself up like Ikki the Porcupine,
and howled?’
‘What do I care what the jungle thinks? He may be
dead by now.’

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