Lesson : 7

Mowgli Among the Wolves

Rudyard Kipling

Let's start :

The author, Rudyard Kipling, was a famous English short story writer, poet and novelist. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907. He is chiefly remembered for his stories for children. He was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) but grew up in England. His best known stories are Kim, Just So Stories, The Jungle Book etc. Mowgli Among the Wolves is abridged from a chapter of The Jungle Book.

Let's share :

• Have you ever heard stories related to a forest?
• Which animals are found in forests?
• Which animals are carnivorous?
• Which animals are herbivorous?

Unit-I

Let's read :

It was seven o'clock of a very warm evening in the Seeonee hills. Father Wolf woke up from his day's rest. He scratched himself, yawned, and spread out his paws one after the other to get rid of the sleepy feeling in their tips. Mother Wolf lay with her big grey nose dropped across her four tumbling, squealing cubs. The moon shone into the mouth of the cave where they all lived. “Augrrh!” said Father Wolf. "It is time to hunt again.” He was going to spring down hill when a little shadow with a bushy tail crossed the threshold and whined.

"Good luck goes with you, O Chief of the wolves. And your noble children may never forget the hungry in this world."

---

It was the jackal, Tabaqui. The wolves of India despise Tabaqui because he runs about making mischief, and telling tales, and eating rags and pieces of leather from the village rubbish-heaps. But they are afraid of him too because Tabaqui, more than anyone else in the jungle is apt to go mad. And then he runs through the forest biting everything in his way. Even the tiger runs and hides when Tabaqui goes mad.

"Enter, then, and look,” said Father Wolf stiffly, “but there is no food here."

"For a wolf, no," said Tabaqui, "but for so mean a person as myself a dry bone is a good feast. Who are we to pick and choose?" He scuttled to the back of the cave, where he found the bone of a buck with some meat on it. He sat cracking the end merrily.

"All thanks for this good meal," he said, licking his lips. "How beautiful are the noble children! How large are their eyes! And so young too!"

Now, Tabaqui knew as well as anyone else that there is nothing so unlucky as to compliment children on their faces. It pleased him to see Mother and Father Wolf look uncomfortable.

Tabaqui sat still, rejoicing in the mischief that he had made, and then he said spitefully:

"Sher Khan, the Big One, has shifted his hunting grounds. He will hunt among these hills for the next moon, so he has told me."

---

Sher Khan was the tiger who lived near the Waingunga River, twenty miles away.

"He has no right!" Father began angrily. "By the Law of the Jungle he has no right to change his quarters without due warning. He will frighten all game within ten miles, and I—I have to kill for two, these days."

"I go," said Tabaqui quickly. "You can hear Sher Khan below in the thickets."

Father Wolf listened, and below in the valley that ran down to the river he heard the dry, angry, snarly whine of a tiger.

"The fool!" said Father Wolf. "To begin a night's work with that noise! Does he think that our bucks are like his fat Waingunga bullocks?"

"H'sh. It is neither bullock nor buck he hunts tonight," said Mother Wolf. "It is a man."

"Man!" said Father Wolf, showing all his white teeth. “Faugh! Are there not enough beetles and frogs in the tanks that he must eat man and on our ground too?"

📚 Word Nest

squealing: speaking in a high voice; whined: complained in a crying voice; despise: to dislike and have no respect for somebody; apt: suitable; scuttled: ran with quick short steps; compliment: a remark that expresses praise or admiration of somebody; game: wild animal or bird that people hunt; thickets: a group of small trees growing closely together

Let's do :

📝 Activity 1

Choose the correct answer from the given alternatives:

(a) Father Wolf woke up at—(i) six o'clock (ii) seven o' clock (iii) eight o' clock. (b) Tabaqui was the name of a— (i) jackal (ii) wolf (iii) tiger. (c) On that night the tiger had hunted a—(i) man (ii) bullock (iii) buck.

---

📝 Activity 2

Identify which of the following statements are True and which are False. Give a supporting statement for each of your answers.

(a) Father Wolf woke up early in the morning. (b) Indian wolves do not like jackals for their mischievous nature. (c) Tabaqui did not find any food at the wolves' den. (d) The wolf family was not at all pleased to hear the compliments. (e) Sher Khan lived in the forest area twenty miles away from the wolves.

📝 Activity 3

Answer the following questions by referring to the text:

(a) How did Father Wolf come out of sleepiness? (b) Why are the animals scared of the jackal? (c) What was the 'law of the jungle'? (d) Why was Father Wolf angry on hearing the loud roar of the tiger?

Let's talk :

Sit in groups. Discuss with your friends and tell the class about-

• Your favourite animal character
• The general habits of a jackal
• How are the wolves different in nature in comparison to jackals?

💡 Let's learn :

Do you know that at times we use a certain word to substitute a group of words? This process is called 'One word substitution'.

Example:

• a disease in which one is scared of water: Hydrophobia
• an animal that lives on the flesh of other animals: Carnivorous
• an animal that lives on plants: Herbivorous
• one who eats no meat, fish or eggs: vegetarian

---

• one who feeds on fruits: fruitarian
• one who writes novels: novelist
• one who writes poetry: poet
• a lover of animals: zoophilist

Let's work together :

Get into groups. Discuss among yourselves and write at least 15 words that substitute certain groups of words. Write those words and the group of words that they substitute on a chart paper. Display the chart in the classroom.

Unit II

Let's continue:

Father Wolf ran out a few paces and heard Sher Khan muttering and mumbling savagely as he tumbled about in the scrub. "The fool has had no more sense than to jump at a woodcutter's campfire, and he has burnt his feet,” said Father Wolf with a grunt.

"Something is coming uphill," said Mother Wolf, twitching one ear.

The bushes rustled a little, and Father Wolf got ready to leap. Then, if you had been watching, you would have seen the most wonderful thing in the world.

"Man!" he snapped. "A man's cub! Look!"

Directly in front of him, holding on by a low branch, stood a brown baby who could just walk. He looked up into Father Wolf's face, and laughed.

"Is that a man's cub?" said Mother Wolf. “I have never seen one. Bring it here."

"I have heard now and again of such a thing, but never in our pack or in my time," said Father Wolf. "He is altogether without hair!"

The moonlight was blocked out of the mouth of the cave, for Sher Khan's great square head and shoulders were thrust into the entrance. "What does Sher Khan need?" said Father Wolf. “A man's cub went this way. Its parents have run off," demanded Sher Khan.

"The wolves are free people," said Father Wolf. "They take orders from the head of the pack, and not any from striped animal. The man's cub is ours."

---

The tiger's roar filled the cave with thunder. Mother Wolf shook herself clear off the cubs and sprang forward. Her eyes were like two green moons in the darkness, facing the blazing eyes of the tiger. Sher Khan might have faced Father Wolf, but he could not stand up against Mother Wolf. He knew that where she stood she had all the advantage of the ground, and would fight to death. So he backed out of the cave mouth, growling.

Sher Khan speaks this much truth,” said Father Wolf. "The cub must be shown to the pack. Will you still keep him?"

"Assuredly I will keep him," said Mother Wolf. "Lie still little frog. O you, Mowgli— for Mowgli, the Frog, I will call you. The time will come when you will hunt Sher Khan as he has hunted you."

Akela, the great grey lone wolf, who led all the pack by strength and cunning, lay out at full length on his rock. "Who speaks for this cub?" said Akela. "Among the free people who speaks"? There was no answer. Mother Wolf got ready for what she knew would be her last fight if things came to fighting. Then the only other creature, who is allowed at the Pack Council, was Baloo the bear. He rose upon his head and grunted:

---

"I speak for the man's cub. Let him run with the pack, and be entered with the others. I myself will teach him."

"We need yet another," said Akela. “Baloo has spoken, and he is our teacher for the young cubs. Who speaks beside Baloo?"

A black shadow dropped down into the circle. It was Bagheera, the Black Panther. Everyone knew Bagheera and nobody dared to cross his path, for he was as cunning as a jackal, as bold as the buffalo and as reckless as a wounded elephant. But he had a voice as soft as wild honey dripping from a tree.

"To kill a little cub is shame. Besides, he may make better sport for you when he is grown. Baloo has spoken on his behalf," said Bagheera.

"Men and their cubs are very wise. He may be a help in time," said Akela.

"Truly, a help in time of need; for none can hope to lead the pack forever,” said Bagheera.

"Take him away," Akela said to Father Wolf, "and train him as befits one of the free people."

And that is how Mowgli was entered into the Seeonee wolf pack.

📚 Word Nest

muttering: to say something in a quiet voice that is difficult to hear; savagely: wildly; rustled: light dry sound of leaves; snapped: said something angrily; thrust: forced into; assuredly: with guarantee reckless: rash

Let's do:

📝 Activity 4

Which are the two animals that supported the wolf family to rear up Mowgli? Choose the correct option:

(a) Sher Khan and Tabaqui (b) Baloo and Bagheera (c) Tabaqui and Akela

---

📝 Activity 5

Complete the following chart with information from the text:

Cause	Effect
The tiger jumped into the camp fire.	Moonlight was blocked at the mouth of the cave.
Mother Wolf would fight to the death.

📝 Activity 6

Complete the followings sentences:

(a) Father Wolf heard Sher Khan_____________________________________________ (b) Sher Khan was unable to face the challenge of Mother Wolf because _________________________________________________________________ (c) The voice of Bagheera was___________________________________________ (d) When the man-cub will grow up__________________________________________

📝 Activity 7

Answer the following questions by referring to the text:

(a) What was the 'most wonderful thing in the world'? (b) Describe the 'brown baby' as he came to the wolves' den. (c) Where were the parents of the 'man cub'? (d) Why did Sher Khan come to the den of the wolves? (e) Who was Akela? Give a description of Akela. (f) Why do you think Akela wanted the 'man cub' to be in the wolf family?

📝 Activity 8

The following statements summarize the story of Mowgli. But they are not in order. Rearrange the statements. Put the numbers in the given brackets.

(a) Mowgli was included in the wolf family. ( ) (b) Father Wolf was surprised to find a little boy in front of their den. ( )

---

(c) Bagheera also supported the demand of the Father Wolf. ( ) (d) Sher Khan came to the den to hunt the boy. ( ) (e) Baloo gave his support to the wolf family. ( ) (f) Father Wolf and Mother Wolf refused to part with the boy. ( )

Let's talk :

Suppose you are the writer of the story 'Mowgli Among the Wolves'.

• Tell your friends what other title you would have given to the story
• Tell the class what should be the ending of the story

📝 Activity 9

Read units I and II and identify the words used in the text whose meanings are given below:

(a) Baby of wolves (b) doorway (c) desire to hurt (d) speaking in a way that is difficult to hear

💡 Let's learn :

Study the following sentence carefully:

• He was as cunning as a jackal, as bold as the buffalo and as reckless as a wounded elephant.
• But he had a voice as soft as wild honey dripping from a tree.

In these sentences, the coloured words indicate comparisons. In English, we use adjectives not only for qualifying the noun, but also to compare one noun or pronoun with the other. In the above sentences, the qualities of Bagheera are compared with a jackal, a buffalo, a wounded elephant and honey dripping from a tree.

Let us take some more examples of comparisons:

• as cool as cucumber
• as soft as wool
• as red as rose
• as white as snow
• as hard as stone

---

• as busy as a bee
• as dry as a bone

These comparisons are known as Similes.

📝 Activity 10

Make sentences with the following similes :

as white as snow; as red as rose; as brave as a lion; as big as an elephant; as free as a bird; as easy as A-B-C

💡 Let's learn :

Study the following sentences taken from the text:

• He has burnt his feet.
• Baloo has spoken on his behalf
• Its parents have run off.

In each of the above sentences have or has is associated with the past participle of the verbs 'burn', 'speak' and 'run'. In English, such structures are called Present Perfect tense. In other words, present perfect tense can be formed with the following verb structure:

Have/has + past participle form of the verb.

Present Perfect tense indicates that the action has just been completed, but the effect of the action is still present.

Let us take some more examples:

• I have just completed my task.
• Meena has just reached our house.
• Imran has taken all his books to the school.
• My dog has eaten its food.
• We have won the match.

---

📝 Activity 11

Underline the Present Perfect tense in the following sentences:

(a) They have worked till sunset. (b) He has gone to sleep. (c) The actor has received the award. (d) Sher Khan and Tabaqui have been unsuccessful. (e) Baloo has supported the wolves.

📝 Activity 12

Make sentences with the following words using the Present Perfect tense of the verb forms:

Finish, hear, lead, take, come, show, shine

💡 Let's learn :

Now look at the verbs in these sentences. Do you find any difference with the Present Perfect forms?

• Tabaqui sat still, rejoicing in the mischief that he had made.
• The actor had been to Kashmir.
• She had gone to work.
• Ramu had not eaten for many days.
• Sher Khan had jumped into camp fire.

In each of these sentences 'had' is used with the past participle form [or third form of the verb] of the following verbs:' be', 'go', 'eat' and 'jump'. The verb structures are in Past Perfect forms. Past Perfect tense is used when the action was completed a long time ago but the effect of the action remained for some time in the past.

Let's do :

📝 Activity 13

Make sentences with the Past Perfect tense of the following verbs:

run, begin, call, watch, play, drop, burn

---

📝 Activity 14

Choose the correct option of the given verb forms :

(a) The jackal found only a bone to eat as the wolves [eats/had eaten/have eaten] everything. (b) Father Wolf [wake/ have woken/had woken] up at seven in the evening. (c) Bagheera and Baloo [had supported/support/has supported] the demand of the Wolf family. (d) I [have finished/finishes/finish] my task well before the scheduled time. (e) Mary Kom [win/have won/had won] a Bronze medal in the London Olympics.

📝 Activity 15

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs given in brackets :

Mowgli's parents _______[run] away leaving the little baby. Sher Khan _ [come] to the cave of the wolves in search of Mowgli. The wolves [want] to rear up Mowgli. Bagheera and Baloo [support] the demand of the wolves. Finally, Akela agreed.

📝 Activity 16

Write a short story [in about seventy words] using the following points. Give a title to the story:

• A hare challenges a tortoise to a race—the race starts—hare takes rest on the way—falls asleep—the tortoise reaches the goal first.

📝 Activity 17

Suppose you have visited the zoo with your parents. Write a letter to your friend telling him/her about your experience in the zoo. You can use the following hints:

• Wild animals and birds you saw—their habits—your feelings—should they be kept in a zoo or in a reserve forest

Let's work together :

Choose dialogues from the story. Arrange them in order. Work in groups and turn the conversations into a short play. Now act out the short play in your class.