The Jungle Book (1894) is a collection of stories written by Rudyard Kipling. The stories were first published in magazines in 1893–1894. The original publications contained illustrations, some by Rudyard's father, John Lockwood Kipling. Kipling was born in India and spent the first six years of his childhood there. After about ten years in England, he went back to India and worked there for about six-and-half years. These stories were written when Kipling lived in Vermont.

The tales in the book are fables, using animals in an anthropomorphic manner to give moral lessons. The verses of The Law of the Jungle, for example, lay down rules for the safety of individuals, families and communities. Kipling put in them nearly everything he knew or "heard or dreamed about the Indian jungle." Other readers have interpreted the work as allegories of the politics and society of the time. The best-known of them are the three stories revolving around the adventures of an abandoned 'man cub' Mowgli who is raised by wolves in the Indian jungle. The most famous of the other stories are probably Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the story of a heroic mongoose, and Toomai of the Elephants, the tale of a young elephant-handler. Kotick, The White Seal seeking for his people a haven where they would be safe from hunters, has been considered a metaphor for Zionism, then in its beginning.

As with much of Kipling's work, each of the stories is preceded by a piece of verse, and succeeded by another. The title of each is given in italics in the list of stories below.

The Jungle Book, because of its moral tone, came to be used as a motivational book by the Cub Scouts, a junior element of the Scouting movement. This use of the book's universe was approved by Kipling after a direct petition of Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scouting movement, who had originally asked for the author's permission for the use of the Memory Game from Kim in his scheme to develop the morale and fitness of working-class youths in cities. Akela, the head wolf in The Jungle Book, has become a senior figure in the movement, the name being traditionally adopted by the leader of each Cub Scout pack.

Plot Summary

The first 6 chapters in the Jungle Book, arguably the most popular of The Jungle Book stories, tell the story of Mowgli-- a boy who is adopted and raised by a wolf family in the Indian jungle. The story starts when Mowgli, a young toddler, wanders into the cave of a wolf family. Shere Khan follows shortly and approaches the cave demanding the wolf family give up the man cub. Shere Khan is a jungle tiger who was born lame in one foot and who eats village cattle and occasionally humans. Mother wolf, Raksha, refuses to give up the defensless boy and prophesies that one day Mowgli will hunt Shere Khan.

The wolf family, comprising of mother wolf, father wolf, four wolf cubs, and mowgli present Mowgli and the wolf cubs at the next Pack Council. The Law of the Jungle says that if any cub is in question that at least two members, not of his own family, must speak for him. At this point Baloo the lazy jungle bear who trains wolf cubs speaks out for the boy. Moments later Bagheera the black jungle panther speaks, but as he does not belong to the pack so he offers to buy the boy with a bull he has killed. The hungry pack accepts the offer and Mowgli was accepted into the pack against Shere Khan's will.

Many years pass which are not written about in this book but Mowgli grows and learns the ways of the Jungle under the tutalage of Baheera and Baloo. As the time passes Shere Khan gains favor with many of the young wolfs and convinces them that Mowgli doesn't belong in the pack. Akela, the lead wolf, misses a kill and as the leader of the pack must relenquish his leadership position. Shere Khan demands the pack give him Mowgli and all of Shere Khan's followers agree. Mowgli feels betrayed and unwanted by the wolfs and attacks with fire that he has taken from the village. He attacks and drives Shere Khan and his followers out. Mowgli the cries for the first time. He leaves the Jungle to the village.

The story then flashes back to a time when Mowgli was still in the jungle and was being taught the Law of the Jungle by Baloo and Bagheera. Upon taking a nap with his tutoors Mowgli was whisped away by the Monkey People before Baloo and Bagheera had a chance to save the boy. The monkeys carried him swiftly through the trees to the monkey city a fair distance away. Mowgli send word of his location to his friends with Chil the Kite (a bird). Baloo and Bagheera decided to enlist the help of Kaa the jungle python who the Monkey People were deathly afraid of. Upon arriving at the city first Bagheera was spotted and attacked by the monkeys. Kaa who arrieved at the same time snuck around back. Mowgli was hidden in one of the old city water tanks by the Monkeys. Mowgli yelled out to Bagheera who managed to make his way to the water tank. Baloo had arrived late and was fighting for his own life against a mob of monkeys. Just then Kaa revealed himself to the dread of the monkeys who fled. Kaa released Mowgli from the tank. Mowgli thanked all of this friends for saving his life and swore never to play with Monkey People again.

The story now returns to Mowgli who had gone to join the village. Mowgli was adoped by Messua who had once lost her son to a tiger many years ago. Mowgli reminded her of her son. Mowgli must learn how to speak, how to use money. He doesn't understand the caste system works and is repremanded. Mowgli is assigned to watch the village cattle after correcting Buldeo, the village hunter, about the Jungle and Shere Khan. Mowgli learns from his wolf brother that Shere Khan has returned to kill him. Mowgli also learns that Shere Khan has just eaten and drinken and that he was asleep in a canyon with steep cliffs. Mowgli drives half the cattle and buffalo he is watching down the ravine while Akela and his brother wolf drive the other half to block Shere Khan's escape at the bottom. Shere Khan is killed in the stampede. Buldeo hears of the stampeded and comes to take credit for the kill. Mowgli command Akela to take charge of Buldeo. Buldeo is knocked to the ground by the wolf and runs scared back to the village telling the villagers that Mowgli is an evil wizard who commands jungle beasts. After Mowgli has skinnned the tiger and returns to the village he is stonned by the villagers who have been told by Buldeo that Akela has stood on his hind legs and talked like a man. Now Mowgli has been expeled from both the wolf pack and the village and hunts alone in the Jungle with only his four wolf brothers.

Chapters in The Jungle Book

The complete book, having passed into the public domain, is on-line at Project Gutenberg's official website and elsewhere.

• 1. Mowgli's Brothers
• 2. Hunting-Song of the Seeonee Pack
• 3. Kaa's Hunting
• 4. Road Song of the Bandar-Log
• 5. Tiger! Tiger!
• 6. Mowgli's Song

• 7. The White Seal: Kotick, a rare white-furred seal, searches for a new home for his people, where they will not be hunted by humans.

• 8. Lukannon

• 9. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi: Rikki-Tikki the mongoose defends a human family living in India against a pair of cobras. This story has also been published as a short book.

• 10. Darzee's Chant

• 11. Toomai of the Elephants: Toomai, a ten-year old boy who helps to tend working elephants, is told that he will never be a full-fledged elephant-handler until he has seen the elephants dance. This story has also been published as a short book.

• 12. Shiv and the Grasshopper

• 13. Her Majesty's Servants (originally titled "Servants of the Queen"): On the night before a military parade a British soldier eavesdrops on a conversation between the camp animals.

• 14. Parade-Song of the Camp Animals parodies several well-known songs and poems, including Bonnie Dundee.

References

Wikipedia