书虫2级《森林王子》5．最后的决斗

5. Tiger-Tiger

Mowgli knew that he had enemies now and he went far away. He ran until he came to a village in a place with many rocks and narrow valleys. Everywhere Mowgli could see cows and buffaloes. Some little boys were looking after the cows, but when they saw Mowgli, they shouted and ran away. Mowgli walked on until he came to the village.

He sat down by the gate. When a man came out of the village, Mowgli opened his mouth to show that he wanted food. The man ran back into the village and came back with a hundred other people. They all looked at Mowgli and saw the bite-marks on his arms and legs.

Look,' said a man, 'those are the bite-marks of wolves. He is a wolf-child who has run away from the jungle.'

He is a good-looking boy,' said one of the women. 'Messua, he looks like your little boy that was taken by the tiger.'

Let me look,' said Messua. 'Yes, he is thin, but he looks like my son.'

Take him to your house, Messua,' the villagers said. 'The jungle took your boy, and the jungle has given you this one back.'

The woman called Messua took Mowgli to her house and gave him milk and bread. This was Mowgli's first time in a house, and he did not like it. It felt like a prison.

But I am a man now,' he thought, 'and I must do what men do. I must also learn to speak like men.' He knew all the many languages of the jungle, and so it was easy for him to learn the sounds of men. That first evening he learnt many words from Messua.

But that night he did not want to sleep inside the house. So he climbed out of the window, and went to sleep in a field near the village. Before he went to sleep, a soft grey nose touched his face. It was Grey Brother, the eldest of Mother Wolf's cubs.

Wake, Little Brother,' he said. 'I bring news. Shere Khan has gone away. You burnt his coat with the Red Flower. But he says that, when he comes back, he will kill you.'

I remember also what I said about Shere Khan,' said Mowgli. 'But it is good to have news. Will you always bring me news, Grey Brother?'

Yes, Little Brother. But you will not forget that you are a wolf? You will not forget us when you are with men?'

Never,' replied Mowgli. 'I will always remember that I love you all.'

*　　*　　*

For three months Mowgli learnt how to be like a man. He had to wear clothes, learn how to use money, and how to work in the fields. In the evenings he sat with the villagers under a great tree, while the men told stories about the jungle and the animals. Once, when Buldeo, the village hunter, told a story about a tiger, Mowgli had to hide his face because he was laughing. At the end he said, 'Buldeo's stories are stupid. He knows nothing about the jungle.'

The villagers did not like this, and after that they sent Mowgli out every day with the other boys, to look after the herds of cows and buffaloes while they ate. Mowgli enjoyed this work, and usually went on alone, with a big group of cows and buffaloes.

One day he saw Grey Brother under a tree near the jungle. 'Shere Khan has come back, but he is hiding for a while. Then he is coming to kill you,' said Grey Brother.

Very good,' said Mowgli. 'Tell me when he comes. Meet me at the river, by the big dhak-tree with golden flowers. I will watch for you there every day.'

Day after day Mowgli went out with the herds, but there was nobody at the dhak-tree. Then at last the day came when Grey Brother was waiting for him.

Shere Khan has waited for a month, and is hoping that you have now forgotten about him,' said the wolf. 'He's going to wait for you at the village gate this evening. But now he is hiding in the big dry ravine of the Waingunga. I met Tabaqui this morning —' here Grey Brother showed his teeth a little '— and before I broke his back, he told me all about Shere Khan's plan.'

Has Shere Khan eaten today, or does he hunt empty?' The answer was life or death for Mowgli.

He killed and ate this morning. And he has drunk, too.'

How stupid he is!' said Mowgli. 'Does he think that I shall wait until he has slept?' He stood and thought for a while. 'The ravine of Waingunga! I can take the buffaloes round to the top end and chase Shere Khan down the ravine. After a meal, he cannot fight or climb easily. But I need a big group of cows at the bottom end of the ravine, to stop him escaping. Then we will catch him between the buffaloes and the cows. Can you help me, Grey Brother?'

Not I alone,' said Grey Brother, 'but I have someone who will help me.' And the big grey head of Akela came out from the trees.

Akela! Akela!' said Mowgli. 'I knew you would not forget me.' The two wolves ran here and there among the herd, and soon the cows and buffaloes were in two groups. Already, they were getting excited and dangerous. The other herd-boys, who were watching a long way away, ran back to the village with the news.

Keep the cows together, Grey Brother,' called Mowgli. 'Drive them into the bottom end of the ravine and keep them there until we come down. Akela, you and I will take the buffaloes round to the top.'

They drove the buffaloes round in a big circle uphill. It took a long time because they did not want Shere Khan to hear them. At last Mowgli was ready. He stopped and shouted down the ravine.

Shere Khan! It is I, Mowgli. It is time for our meeting!'

Mowgli rode on the back of Rama, the biggest of the buffaloes, and Akela chased the herd from behind. The buffaloes began to run down the ravine, faster and faster, and the ground shook under their heavy feet.

Shere Khan heard the noise and woke up. He knew what it was, and he began to run down the ravine. No tiger can hope to stand against a herd of buffaloes when they are moving fast. He looked for a way to escape, but the ravine was narrow, with high rocky walls. He had to go on, heavy with his dinner and his drink. Then he saw the cows at the bottom of the ravine, and turned. But it was too late. He fell under the feet of the buffaloes, and they ran over him like a river running down a mountain.

The buffaloes did not stop until they crashed into the herd of cows. Mowgli jumped off Rama's back and shouted to Akela and Grey Brother.

It is done! Shere Khan is dead! He died the death of a dog, not a fighting tiger.'

Mowgli took his knife and started to cut the coat from Shere Khan's body. It was hard work. After an hour Mowgli was still working when suddenly he felt a hand on his back. It was Buldeo, the village hunter.

Go and look after your buffaloes,' he cried angrily. 'I will take this tiger's coat. I can sell it for a hundred rupees, and you can have one rupee for yourself.'

No,' said Mowgli. 'I need this coat.'

Listen, boy!' shouted Buldeo. 'I am the village hunter, and I will take the coat, and keep all the money.'

Then Mowgli spoke to Akela in the wolf-language, and suddenly Buldeo was lying on his back on the ground with a big grey wolf standing over him.

Buldeo,' said Mowgli, 'for a long time this tiger has wanted to kill me. But I have killed him.'

Buldeo was very afraid. Who was this boy, who could talk to wolves and kill tigers? 'Great King,' he said to Mowgli, 'I am an old man. I thought you were just a herd-boy. Let me go now, and I will go away.'

Go, and peace go with you,' replied Mowgli, and he went on with his work.

It was nearly dark when at last he and the wolves pulled the great coat away from the tiger's body.

Now we must hide this and take the cows and the buffaloes back to the village,' said Mowgli.

But when Mowgli came near the village, there was a crowd of people waiting for him at the gate. 'Go away, wolf-child!' they shouted. 'Go away, or we will kill you!'

Mowgli did not understand. Shere Khan — the tiger who killed cows and stole children — was dead, but people were angry with him. He turned away and looked up at the stars in the sky. 'No more sleeping in houses for me, Akela. Let us get Shere Khan's coat and go away.'

The moon climbed high in the sky, and the frightened villagers watched while Mowgli began to run across the fields, with the two grey wolves running at his side.

*　　*　　*

The moon was going down when Mowgli and the two wolves came to Mother Wolf's cave. 'The men do not want me, Mother,' called Mowgli. 'I have come home, and I have brought the coat of Shere Khan.'

Mother Wolf came out of the cave, very happy to see Mowgli again, and to know that Shere Khan was dead.

From the jungle came the deep voice of Bagheera. 'Little Brother, we are pleased to see you.'

Then Mowgli took the coat of Shere Khan and put it on the great rock at the wolves' meeting place. Akela lay on it and called, 'Look well, O Wolves!' And the Wolf-Pack came and looked, and saw that Shere Khan was dead.

Now,' said Mowgli, 'I do not belong to the Wolf-Pack, or to the Man-Pack. I will hunt alone in the jungle.'

And we will hunt with you,' said Grey Brother and the rest of Mother Wolf's cubs.

And Mowgli went away into the jungle and lived and hunted with his brothers, the wolves.