The Jungle Book: A Retelling for Curious Readers

A look inside

The opening of The Jungle Book: A Retelling for Curious Readers, free to read.

1. 

   Mowgli’s Brothers

   It was seven o’clock of a very warm evening in the Seeonee hills. Up the hillside crept Tabaqui the Jackal, sniffing for scraps and trouble. He peeked into a cave. Mother Wolf lay curled around four wriggling cubs, and Father Wolf gave a big stretch, eager to hunt. Tabaqui slipped into the doorway.

2. 

   “Good luck, Chief of the Wolves,” whined Tabaqui slyly. “Shere Khan, the Big One, will hunt among these hills next moon.” Father Wolf bristled. “He has no right! The Law says he must give fair warning.” “His mother did not call him Lungri, the Lame One, for nothing,” said Mother Wolf. “He is lame, so he hunts the slow village cattle.” Tabaqui slunk off. Then, far below, something yowled. “The fool has jumped at a woodcutters’ fire,” said Father Wolf.

3. 

   “Is that a man’s cub?” said Mother Wolf. “I have never seen one. Bring it here.” Father Wolf had crouched to pounce on whatever was pushing through the bushes. Now he stood nose to nose with a brown baby no taller than a cub. The baby clung to a branch with one fist and chuckled, as if a wolf were the best toy in the jungle.

4. 

   Soon the baby was tucked into the warm heap of cubs as if he had always lived there. “Look,” said Mother Wolf. “He is not afraid!” Then her nose twitched. Tiger! Outside, Tabaqui squeaked, “My lord, it went in here!” A moment later, Shere Khan’s huge striped face was wedged in the doorway, snarling. That was as far as he could squeeze.