The Jungle Book, part 9 · page 21 2101Buldeo, who was still stooping over Shere Khan’s head, found himself sprawling on the grass, with a gray wolf standing over him, while Mowgli went on skinning as though he were alone in all India.102“Ye-es,” he said, between his teeth.103“Thou art altogether right, Buldeo.104Thou wilt never give me one anna of the reward.105There is an old war between this lame tiger and myself--a very old war, and--I have won.”106To do Buldeo justice, if he had been ten years younger he would have taken his chance with Akela had he met the wolf in the woods, but a wolf who obeyed the orders of this boy who had private wars with man-eating tigers was not a common animal.107It was sorcery, magic of the worst kind, thought Buldeo, and he wondered whether the amulet round his neck would protect him.108He lay as still as still, expecting every minute to see Mowgli turn into a tiger too.checked by a teacher109“Maharaj!110Great King,” he said at last in a husky whisper.111“Yes,” said Mowgli, without turning his head, chuckling a little.112“I am an old man.113I did not know that thou wast anything more than a herdsboy.114May I rise up and go away, or will thy servant tear me to pieces?”115“Go, and peace go with thee.116Only, another time do not meddle with my game.117Let him go, Akela.”118Buldeo hobbled away to the village as fast as he could, looking back over his shoulder in case Mowgli should change into something terrible.119When he got to the village he told a tale of magic and enchantment and sorcery that made the priest look very grave.120Mowgli went on with his work, but it was nearly twilight before he and the wolves had drawn the great gay skin clear of the body.121“Now we must hide this and take the buffaloes home!122Help me to herd them, Akela.”123The herd rounded up in the misty twilight, and when they got near the village Mowgli saw lights, and heard the conches and bells in the temple blowing and banging.124Half the village seemed to be waiting for him by the gate.125“That is because I have killed Shere Khan,” he said to himself.126But a shower of stones whistled about his ears, and the villagers shouted: “Sorcerer!127Wolf’s brat!128Jungle demon!129Go away!130Get hence quickly or the priest will turn thee into a wolf again.131Shoot, Buldeo, shoot!”132The old Tower musket went off with a bang, and a young buffalo bellowed in pain.133“More sorcery!” shouted the villagers.134“He can turn bullets.135Buldeo, that was thy buffalo.”136“Now what is this?” said Mowgli, bewildered, as the stones flew thicker.137“They are not unlike the Pack, these brothers of thine,” said Akela, sitting down composedly.138“It is in my head that, if bullets mean anything, they would cast thee out.”139“Wolf!140Wolf’s cub!141Go away!” shouted the priest, waving a sprig of the sacred tulsi plant.142“Again?143Last time it was because I was a man.144This time it is because I am a wolf.145Let us go, Akela.”146A woman--it was Messua--ran across to the herd, and cried: “Oh, my son, my son!147They say thou art a sorcerer who can turn himself into a beast at will.148I do not believe, but go away or they will kill thee.149Buldeo says thou art a wizard, but I know thou hast avenged Nathoo’s death.”150“Come back, Messua!” shouted the crowd.151“Come back, or we will stone thee.”152Mowgli laughed a little short ugly laugh, for a stone had hit him in the mouth.153“Run back, Messua.154This is one of the foolish tales they tell under the big tree at dusk.155I have at least paid for thy son’s life.156Farewell; and run quickly, for I shall send the herd in more swiftly than their brickbats.157I am no wizard, Messua.158Farewell!”159“Now, once more, Akela,” he cried.160“Bring the herd in.”161The buffaloes were anxious enough to get to the village.162They hardly needed Akela’s yell, but charged through the gate like a whirlwind, scattering the crowd right and left.163“Keep count!” shouted Mowgli scornfully.164“It may be that I have stolen one of them.165Keep count, for I will do your herding no more.166Fare you well, children of men, and thank Messua that I do not come in with my wolves and hunt you up and down your street.”167He turned on his heel and walked away with the Lone Wolf, and as he looked up at the stars he felt happy.168“No more sleeping in traps for me, Akela.169Let us get Shere Khan’s skin and go away.170No, we will not hurt the village, for Messua was kind to me.”171When the moon rose over the plain, making it look all milky, the horrified villagers saw Mowgli, with two wolves at his heels and a bundle on his head, trotting across at the steady wolf’s trot that eats up the long miles like fire.172Then they banged the temple bells and blew the conches louder than ever.173And Messua cried, and Buldeo embroidered the story of his adventures in the jungle, till he ended by saying that Akela stood up on his hind legs and talked like a man.174The moon was just going down when Mowgli and the two wolves came to the hill of the Council Rock, and they stopped at Mother Wolf’s cave.175“They have cast me out from the Man-Pack, Mother,” shouted Mowgli, “but I come with the hide of Shere Khan to keep my word.”176Mother Wolf walked stiffly from the cave with the cubs behind her, and her eyes glowed as she saw the skin.177“I told him on that day, when he crammed his head and shoulders into this cave, hunting for thy life, Little Frog--I told him that the hunter would be the hunted.178It is well done.”1 2← previousThe Jungle Book, part 8next →The Jungle Book, part 10↑ back to The Jungle BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg236/9/page/2/