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out of the Pack。〃
〃And that thou mayest be cast out of another pack。 Men are
only men； Little Brother； and their talk is like the talk of frogs
in a pond。 When I come down here again； I will wait for thee in
the bamboos at the edge of the grazing…ground。〃
For three months after that night Mowgli hardly ever left the
village gate； he was so busy learning the ways and customs of men。
First he had to wear a cloth round him； which annoyed him
horribly； and then he had to learn about money； which he did not
in the least understand； and about plowing； of which he did not
see the use。 Then the little children in the village made him
very angry。 Luckily； the Law of the Jungle had taught him to keep
his temper； for in the jungle life and food depend on keeping your
temper； but when they made fun of him because he would not play
games or fly kites； or because he mispronounced some word； only
the knowledge that it was unsportsmanlike to kill little naked
cubs kept him from picking them up and breaking them in two。
He did not know his own strength in the least。 In the jungle
he knew he was weak compared with the beasts； but in the village
people said that he was as strong as a bull。
And Mowgli had not the faintest idea of the difference that
caste makes between man and man。 When the potter's donkey slipped
in the clay pit； Mowgli hauled it out by the tail； and helped to
stack the pots for their journey to the market at Khanhiwara。
That was very shocking； too； for the potter is a low…caste man；
and his donkey is worse。 When the priest scolded him； Mowgli
threatened to put him on the donkey too； and the priest told
Messua's husband that Mowgli had better be set to work as soon as
possible； and the village head…man told Mowgli that he would have
to go out with the buffaloes next day； and herd them while they
grazed。 No one was more pleased than Mowgli； and that night；
because he had been appointed a servant of the village； as it
were； he went off to a circle that met every evening on a masonry
platform under a great fig…tree。 It was the village club； and the
head…man and the watchman and the barber； who knew all the gossip
of the village； and old Buldeo； the village hunter； who had a
Tower musket； met and smoked。 The monkeys sat and talked in the
upper branches； and there was a hole under the platform where a
cobra lived； and he had his little platter of milk every night
because he was sacred； and the old men sat around the tree and
talked； and pulled at the big huqas （the water…pipes） till far
into the night。 They told wonderful tales of gods and men and
ghosts； and Buldeo told even more wonderful ones of the ways of
beasts in the jungle； till the eyes of the children sitting
outside the circle bulged out of their heads。 Most of the tales
were about animals； for the jungle was always at their door。 The
deer and the wild pig grubbed up their crops； and now and again
the tiger carried off a man at twilight； within sight of the
village gates。
Mowgli； who naturally knew something about what they were
talking of； had to cover his face not to show that he was
laughing； while Buldeo； the Tower musket across his knees； climbed
on from one wonderful story to another； and Mowgli's shoulders
shook。
Buldeo was explaining how the tiger that had carried away
Messua's son was a ghost…tiger； and his body was inhabited by the
ghost of a wicked； old money…lender； who had died some years ago。
〃And I know that this is true；〃 he said； 〃because Purun Dass
always limped from the blow that he got in a riot when his account
books were burned； and the tiger that I speak of he limps； too；
for the tracks of his pads are unequal。〃
〃True； true； that must be the truth；〃 said the gray…beards；
nodding together。
〃Are all these tales such cobwebs and moon talk？〃 said Mowgli。
〃That tiger limps because he was born lame； as everyone knows。 To
talk of the soul of a money…lender in a beast that never had the
courage of a jackal is child's talk。〃
Buldeo was speechless with surprise for a moment； and the
head…man stared。
〃Oho！ It is the jungle brat； is it？〃 said Buldeo。 〃If thou
art so wise； better bring his hide to Khanhiwara； for the
Government has set a hundred rupees on his life。 Better still；
talk not when thy elders speak。〃
Mowgli rose to go。 〃All the evening I have lain here
listening；〃 he called back over his shoulder； 〃and； except once or
twice； Buldeo has not said one word of truth concerning the
jungle； which is at his very doors。 How； then； shall I believe
the tales of ghosts and gods and goblins which he says he has
seen？〃
〃It is full time that boy went to herding；〃 said the head…man；
while Buldeo puffed and snorted at Mowgli's impertinence。
The custom of most Indian villages is for a few boys to take
the cattle and buffaloes out to graze in the early morning； and
bring them back at night。 The very cattle that would trample a
white man to death allow themselves to be banged and bullied and
shouted at by children that hardly come up to their noses。 So
long as the boys keep with the herds they are safe； for not even
the tiger will charge a mob of cattle。 But if they straggle to
pick flowers or hunt lizards； they are sometimes carried off。
Mowgli went through the village street in the dawn； sitting on the
back of Rama； the great herd bull。 The slaty…blue buffaloes； with
their long； backward…sweeping horns and savage eyes； rose out
their byres； one by one； and followed him； and Mowgli made it very
clear to the children with him that he was the master。 He beat
the buffaloes with a long； polished bamboo； and told Kamya； one of
the boys； to graze the cattle by themselves； while he went on with
the buffaloes； and to be very careful not to stray away from the
herd。
An Indian grazing ground is all rocks and scrub and tussocks
and little ravines； among which the herds scatter and disappear。
The buffaloes generally keep to the pools and muddy places； where
they lie wallowing or basking in the warm mud for hours。 Mowgli
drove them on to the edge of the plain where the Waingunga came
out of the jungle； then he dropped from Rama's neck； trotted off
to a bamboo clump； and found Gray Brother。 〃Ah；〃 said Gray
Brother； 〃I have waited here very many days。 What is the meaning
of this cattle…herding work？〃
〃It is an order；〃 said Mowgli。 〃I am a village herd for a
while。 What news of Shere Khan？〃
〃He has come back to this country； and has waited here a long
time for thee。 Now he has gone off again； for the game is scarce。
But he means to kill thee。〃
〃Very good；〃 said Mowgli。 〃So long as he is away do thou or
one of the four brothers sit on that rock； so that I can see thee
as I come out of the village。 When he comes back wait for me in
the ravine by the dhak tree in the center of the plain。 We need
not walk into Shere Khan's mouth。〃
Then Mowgli p