under his heavy black eyebrows.
What is the Law of the Jungle? Strike first and then give tongue. By
thy very carelessness they know that thou art a man. But be wise. It is
in my heart that when Akela misses his next kill--and at each hunt
it costs him more to pin the buck--the Pack will turn against him and
against thee. They will hold a jungle Council at the Rock, and then--and
then--I have it! said Bagheera, leaping up. Go thou down quickly to
the men s huts in the valley, and take some of the Red Flower which they
grow there, so that when the time comes thou mayest have even a stronger
friend than I or Baloo or those of the Pack that love thee. Get the Red
Flower.
By Red Flower Bagheera meant fire, only no creature in the jungle will
call fire by its proper name. Every beast lives in deadly fear of it,
and invents a hundred ways of describing it.
The Red Flower? said Mowgli. That grows outside their huts in the
twilight. I will get some.
There speaks the man s cub, said Bagheera proudly. Remember that it
grows in little pots. Get one swiftly, and keep it by thee for time of
need.
Good! said Mowgli. I go. But art thou sure, O my Bagheera --he
slipped his arm around the splendid neck and looked deep into the big
eyes-- art thou sure that all this is Shere Khan s doing?
By the Broken Lock that freed me, I am sure, Little Brother.
Then, by the Bull that bought me, I will pay Shere Khan full tale for
this, and it may be a little over, said Mowgli, and he bounded away.
That is a man. That is all a man, said Bagheera to himself, lying down
again. Oh, Shere Khan, never was a blacker hunting than that frog-hunt
of thine ten years ago!
Mowgli was far and far through the forest, running hard, and his heart
was hot in him. He came to the cave as the evening mist rose, and drew
breath, and looked down the valley. The cubs were out, but Mother
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