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〃Tiger！ Tiger！〃
What of the hunting； hunter bold？
Brother； the watch was long and cold。
What of the quarry ye went to kill？
Brother； he crops in the jungle still。
Where is the power that made your pride？
Brother； it ebbs from my flank and side。
Where is the haste that ye hurry by？
Brother； I go to my lairto die。
Now we must go back to the first tale。 When Mowgli left the
wolf's cave after the fight with the Pack at the Council Rock； he
went down to the plowed lands where the villagers lived； but he
would not stop there because it was too near to the jungle； and he
knew that he had made at least one bad enemy at the Council。 So
he hurried on； keeping to the rough road that ran down the valley；
and followed it at a steady jog…trot for nearly twenty miles； till
he came to a country that he did not know。 The valley opened out
into a great plain dotted over with rocks and cut up by ravines。
At one end stood a little village； and at the other the thick
jungle came down in a sweep to the grazing…grounds； and stopped
there as though it had been cut off with a hoe。 All over the
plain； cattle and buffaloes were grazing； and when the little boys
in charge of the herds saw Mowgli they shouted and ran away； and
the yellow pariah dogs that hang about every Indian village
barked。 Mowgli walked on； for he was feeling hungry； and when he
came to the village gate he saw the big thorn…bush that was drawn
up before the gate at twilight； pushed to one side。
〃Umph！〃 he said； for he had come across more than one such
barricade in his night rambles after things to eat。 〃So men are
afraid of the People of the Jungle here also。〃 He sat down by the
gate； and when a man came out he stood up； opened his mouth； and
pointed down it to show that he wanted food。 The man stared； and
ran back up the one street of the village shouting for the priest；
who was a big； fat man dressed in white； with a red and yellow
mark on his forehead。 The priest came to the gate； and with him
at least a hundred people； who stared and talked and shouted and
pointed at Mowgli。
〃They have no manners； these Men Folk；〃 said Mowgli to
himself。 〃Only the gray ape would behave as they do。〃 So he
threw back his long hair and frowned at the crowd。
〃What is there to be afraid of？〃 said the priest。 〃Look at
the marks on his arms and legs。 They are the bites of wolves。 He
is but a wolf…child run away from the jungle。〃
Of course； in playing together； the cubs had often nipped
Mowgli harder than they intended； and there were white scars all
over his arms and legs。 But he would have been the last person in
the world to call these bites； for he knew what real biting meant。
〃Arre！ Arre！〃 said two or three women together。 〃To be bitten
by wolves； poor child！ He is a handsome boy。 He has eyes like
red fire。 By my honor； Messua； he is not unlike thy boy that was
taken by the tiger。〃
〃Let me look；〃 said a woman with heavy copper rings on her
wrists and ankles； and she peered at Mowgli under the palm of her
hand。 〃Indeed he is not。 He is thinner； but he has the very look
of my boy。〃
The priest was a clever man； and he knew that Messua was wife
to the richest villager in the place。 So he looked up at the sky
for a minute and said solemnly： 〃What the jungle has taken the
jungle has restored。 Take the boy into thy house； my sister； and
forget not to honor the priest who sees so far into the lives of
men。〃
〃By the Bull that bought me；〃 said Mowgli to himself； 〃but all
this talking is like another looking…over by the Pack！ Well； if I
am a man； a man I must become。〃
The crowd parted as the woman beckoned Mowgli to her hut；
where there was a red lacquered bedstead； a great earthen grain
chest with funny raised patterns on it； half a dozen copper
cooking pots； an image of a Hindu god in a little alcove； and on
the wall a real looking glass； such as they sell at the country
fairs。
She gave him a long drink of milk and some bread； and then she
laid her hand on his head and looked into his eyes； for she
thought perhaps that he might be her real son come back from the
jungle where the tiger had taken him。 So she said； 〃Nathoo； O
Nathoo！〃 Mowgli did not show that he knew the name。 〃Dost thou
not remember the day when I gave thee thy new shoes？〃 She touched
his foot； and it was almost as hard as horn。 〃No；〃 she said
sorrowfully； 〃those feet have never worn shoes； but thou art very
like my Nathoo； and thou shalt be my son。〃
Mowgli was uneasy； because he had never been under a roof
before。 But as he looked at the thatch； he saw that he could tear
it out any time if he wanted to get away； and that the window had
no fastenings。 〃What is the good of a man；〃 he said to himself at
last； 〃if he does not understand man's talk？ Now I am as silly
and dumb as a man would be with us in the jungle。 I must speak
their talk。〃
It was not for fun that he had learned while he was with the
wolves to imitate the challenge of bucks in the jungle and the
grunt of the little wild pig。 So； as soon as Messua pronounced a
word Mowgli would imitate it almost perfectly； and before dark he
had learned the names of many things in the hut。
There was a difficulty at bedtime； because Mowgli would not
sleep under anything that looked so like a panther trap as that
hut； and when they shut the door he went through the window。
〃Give him his will；〃 said Messua's husband。 〃Remember he can
never till now have slept on a bed。 If he is indeed sent in the
place of our son he will not run away。〃
So Mowgli stretched himself in some long； clean grass at the
edge of the field； but before he had closed his eyes a soft gray
nose poked him under the chin。
〃Phew！〃 said Gray Brother （he was the eldest of Mother Wolf's
cubs）。 〃This is a poor reward for following thee twenty miles。
Thou smellest of wood smoke and cattlealtogether like a man
already。 Wake； Little Brother； I bring news。〃
〃Are all well in the jungle？〃 said Mowgli； hugging him。
〃All except the wolves that were burned with the Red Flower。
Now； listen。 Shere Khan has gone away to hunt far off till his
coat grows again； for he is badly singed。 When he returns he
swears that he will lay thy bones in the Waingunga。〃
〃There are two words to that。 I also have made a little
promise。 But news is always good。 I am tired to…night；very
tired with new things； Gray Brother；but bring me the news
always。〃
〃Thou wilt not forget that thou art a wolf？ Men will not make
thee forget？〃 said Gray Brother anxiously。
〃Never。 I will always remember that I love thee and all in
our cave。 But also I will always remember that I have been cast
out of the Pack。〃
〃And that thou mayest be cast out of another pack。