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‘They have no law. They are outcaste. They have no speech of their own, but use the stolen words which they overhear … Their way is not our way. They are without leaders. They have no remembrance. They boast and chatter and pretend that they are a great people about to do great affairs, but the falling of a nut turns their minds to laughter, and all is forgotten…’ |
This is from ‘Kaa’s Hunting’ in The Jungle Book. Mowgli has been making friends with the Bandar-log, the monkeys. Here wise old Baloo, his teacher, is explaining the contempt others feel for the monkey-folk, as a people without the Law of the Jungle. Shortly after his warning is borne out when the Bandar-log kidnap Mowgli and carry him off to the ruined city of Cold Lairs, from where he is rescued by Kaa, the great rock python. |
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