Stories about feral children---children brought up in the wild by animals---have been popular in India since the early days of civilization. Most of the sal forest of India is impenetrable, and filled with a variety of wild animals like tigers, bears, monkeys, panthers, and snakes of an amazing variety. So it is easy to understand why talking beast stories--called Jataka Tales---gained an early foothold in the folklore of India.

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Mowgli was once the little man-cub raised by Mother Wolf. Now Mowgli is the Jungle Lord ruling over the elephant and the panther, the python and the crocodile. All obey him and he fears no one...not even Man...

Jungle Book II tells of the further adventures of Mowgli, the boy raised by wolves in the jungle. Through his cunning and fearlessness, Mowgli earns the respect of the animals of the jungle. He leads his wolf-brothers into battle against a threatening pack of red dogs. And when Mowgli"s human parents are persecuted by a violent group of villagers, he comes to their aid. This is the story of how Mowgli must come face-to-face with himself as a man and decide whether he will leave his jungle kingdom to join the society of man.

THE LIFE OF RUDYARD KIPLING

Foreword

HOW FEAR CAME

The Law of the Jungle

A Song of Kabir

Mowgli"s Song Against People

THE UNDERTAKERS

A Ripple Song

THE KING"S ANKUS

The Song of the Little Hunter

QUIQUERN

"Angutivaun Taina"

RED DOG

Chil"s Song

THE SPRING RUNNING

The Outsong

Afterword