The Second Jungle Book

The Law of the Jungle-which is by far the oldest law in the world-has arranged foralmost every kind of accident that may befall the Jungle People, till now its code is asperfect as time and custom can make it.

You will remember that Mowgli spent a great partof his life in the Seeonee Wolf-Pack, learning the Law from Baloo, the Brown Bear; and itwas Baloo who told him, when the boy grew impatient at the constant orders, that the Lawwas like the Giant Creeper, because it dropped across every one's back and no one couldescape. "When thou hast lived as long as I have, Little Brother, thou wilt see how all theJungle obeys at least one Law. And that will be no pleasant sight," said Baloo.This talk went in at one ear and out at the other, for a boy who spends his life eating andsleeping does not worry about anything till it actually stares him in the face.

But, one year,Baloo's words came true, and Mowgli saw all the Jungle working under the Law.It began when the winter Rains failed almost entirely, and Ikki, the Porcupine, meetingMowgli in a bamboo-thicket, told him that the wild yams were drying up.

Now everybodyknows that Ikki is ridiculously fastidious in his choice of food, and will eat nothing but thevery best and ripest.

So Mowgli laughed and said, "What is that to me?""Not much NOW," said Ikki, rattling his quills in a stiff, uncomfortable way, "but later weshall see.

Is there any more diving into the deep rock-pool below the Bee-Rocks, LittleBrother?""No.

The foolish water is going all away, and I do not wish to break my head," saidMowgli, who, in those days, was quite sure that he knew as much as any five of the JunglePeople put together.