Chapter 6 of 14
Mowgli's Song
3 min read
THAT HE SANG AT THE COUNCIL ROCK WHEN HEDANCED ON SHERE KHAN'S HIDE
The Song of Mowgli--I, Mowgli, am singing. Letthe jungle listen to the things I have done.Shere Khan said he would kill--would kill! At thegates in the twilight he would kill Mowgli,the Frog!He ate and he drank. Drink deep, Shere Khan, forwhen wilt thou drink again? Sleep and dreamof the kill.I am alone on the grazing-grounds. Gray Brother,come to me! Come to me, Lone Wolf, for thereis big game afoot.Bring up the great bull-buffaloes, the blue-skinnedherd-bulls with the angry eyes. Drive themto and fro as I order.Sleepest thou still, Shere Khan? Wake, O wake!Here come I, and the bulls are behind.
Rama, the King of the Buffaloes, stamped withhis foot. Waters of the Waingunga, whither wentShere Khan?He is not Ikki to dig holes, nor Mao, the Peacock,that he should fly. He is not Mang, the Bat, tohang in the branches. Little bamboos that creaktogether, tell me where he ran?Ow! He is there. Ahoo! He is there.Under the feet of Rama lies the Lame One! Up,Shere Khan! Up and kill! Here is meat; break thenecks of the bulls!Hsh! He is asleep. We will not wake him, forhis strength is very great. The kites have comedown to see it. The black ants have come up toknow it. There is a great assembly in his honor.Alala! I have no cloth to wrap me. The kiteswill see that I am naked. I am ashamed to meetall these people.Lend me thy coat, Shere Khan. Lend me thy gaystriped coat that I may go to the Council Rock.By the Bull that bought me I have made a promise--alittle promise. Only thy coat is lacking beforeI keep my word.With the knife--with the knife that men use--withthe knife of the hunter, the man, I will stoopdown for my gift.Waters of the Waingunga, bear witness that ShereKhan gives me his coat for the love that hebears me. Pull, Gray Brother! Pull, Akela!Heavy is the hide of Shere Khan.The Man Pack are angry. They throw stones and talkchild's talk. My mouth is bleeding. Let us runaway.Through the night, through the hot night, runswiftly with me, my brothers. We will leave thelights of the village and go to the low moon.Waters of the Waingunga, the Man Pack have cast meout. I did them no harm, but they were afraid ofme. Why?Wolf Pack, ye have cast me out too. The jungle isshut to me and the village gates are shut. Why?As Mang flies between the beasts and the birds sofly I between the village and the jungle. Why?I dance on the hide of Shere Khan, but my heart isvery heavy. My mouth is cut and wounded with thestones from the village, but my heart is verylight because I have come back to the jungle.Why?These two things fight together in me as the snakesfight in the spring. The water comes out of myeyes; yet I laugh while it falls. Why?I am two Mowglis, but the hide of Shere Khan isunder my feet.All the jungle knows that I have killed Shere Khan.Look--look well, O Wolves!Ahae! My heart is heavy with the things thatI do not understand.