blood and pack and people; but when there is need of foot or
tooth or eye, or a word carried swiftly by night, remember,
Master of the Jungle, the Jungle is thine at call."

"The Middle Jungle is thine also," said Kaa. I speak for no
small people."

"Hai-mai, my brothers," cried Mowgli, throwing up his arms with
a sob. "I know not what I know! I would not go; but I am drawn
by both feet. How shall I leave these nights?"

"Nay, look up, Little Brother," Baloo repeated. There is no
shame in this hunting. When the honey is eaten we leave the
empty hive."

"Having cast the skin," said Kaa, "we may not creep into it
afresh. It is the Law."

"Listen, dearest of all to me," said Baloo. There is neither
word nor will here to hold thee back. Look up! Who may question
the Master of the Jungle? I saw thee playing among the white
pebbles yonder when thou wast a little frog; and Bagheera,
that bought thee for the price of a young bull newly killed,
saw thee also. Of that Looking Over we two only remain;
for Raksha, thy lair-mother, is dead with thy lair-father;
the old Wolf-Pack is long since dead; thou knowest whither
Shere Khan went, and Akela died among the dholes, where,
but for thy wisdom and strength, the second Seeonee Pack would
also have died. There remains nothing but old bones. It is no
longer the Man-cub that asks leave of his Pack, but the Master
of the Jungle that changes his trail. Who shall question Man
in his ways?"

"But Bagheera and the Bull that bought me," said Mowgli.
"I would not----"

His words were cut short by a roar and a crash in the thicket
below, and Bagheera, light, strong, and terrible as always,
stood before him.

"Therefore," he said, stretching out a dripping right paw,
"I did not come. It was a long hunt, but he lies dead in the
bushes now--a bull in his second year--the Bull that frees thee,
Little Brother. All debts are paid now. For the rest, my word is
Baloo's word." He licked Mowgli's foot. "Remember, Bagheera
loved thee," he cried, and bounded away. At the foot of the hill
he cried again long and loud, "Good hunting on a new trail,
Master of the Jungle! Remember, Bagheera loved thee."

"Thou hast heard," said Baloo. "There is no more. Go now;
but first come to me. O wise Little Frog, come to me!"

"It is hard to cast the skin," said Kaa as Mowgli sobbed and
sobbed, with his head on the blind bear's side and his arms
round his neck, while Baloo tried feebly to lick his feet.

"The stars are thin," said Gray Brother, snuffing at the dawn
wind. "Where shall we lair to-day? for from now, we follow
new trails."

......

And this is the last of the Mowgli stories.



THE OUTSONG

[This is the song that Mowgli heard behind him in the Jungle till
he came to Messua's door again.]

Baloo

For the sake of him who showed
One wise Frog the Jungle-Road,
Keep the Law the Man-Pack make--
For thy blind old Baloo's sake!
Clean or tainted, hot or stale,
Hold it as it were the Trail,
Through the day and through the night,
Questing neither left nor right.
For the sake of him who loves
Thee beyond all else that moves,
When thy Pack would make thee pain,
Say: "Tabaqui sings again."
When thy Pack would work thee ill,
Say: "Shere Khan is yet to kill."
When the knife is drawn to slay,
Keep the Law and go thy way.
(Root and honey, palm and spathe,
Guard a cub from harm and scathe!)
Wood and Water, Wind and Tree,
Jungle-Favour go with thee!


Kaa

Anger is the egg of Fear--
Only lidless eyes are clear.
Cobra-poison none may leech.


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