Tammy’s Reviews > The Jungle Book > Status Update

The reason why other animals hate him is none can look him in the eye, not even Bagheera who was born among men. He comes up with an idea for Mowgli to get the Red Flower (fire) tha man grows. Animals are afraid of it. Man grows it in the twilight and carries it around in pots (like the pioneers). Mowgli agrees to do so but, for the first time in his life, he is troubled.

Mowgli obeyed the Law of the Jungle (also Christ). Then Bagheera reveals to Mowgli that he was born in captivity. He and his mother wore a collar and lived in a cage with iron bars. Men fed him in pans. One day he was large enough to break his collar and break out of the cage. He learned the Law of the Jungle. That combined with his knowledge of man made him feared and powerful.

Raksha has warned Mowgli to steer clear of Shere Khan because some day he will kill the tiger. Because Akela was growing older and lacked the energy to do something about it, Shere Khan began to flatter the young wolves and turn them against Akela and Mowgli. It’s very much like the serpent in the garden. “I can’t believe you can’t look him in the eye.” Bagheera warns him that Shere Kahn will kill him some day.

“Thou canst kill everything that thou art strong enough to kill; but for the sake of the bull that bought thee thou must neverkill or eat any cattle young or old.” Mowgli is set apart like Samson and John the Baptist. “And he grew and grew strong as a boy must grow who does not know that he is learning any lessons.” Luke 4:20 “And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.”

Bagheera showed him things about the man village so that he would not get hurt. Mowgli also watched him hunt when he felt hungry. He warned him never to kill a bull because he was bought with the price of a bull. (Like Adam and Eve not eating animals and God did not permit eating animals until after the Flood). It’s a bit like the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in phrasing.

Mowgli seems to be living in paradise, but remembering the cave it is a false paradise. He cares for his fellow cubs by pulling out thorns. His days are divided between being educated by his father and living the good life with Baloo and Bagheera. He swims in pools (baptism). eats nuts and honey (John the Baptist), and swings through the air like an ape (mastery of nature in a way that wolves cannot).

“Only guess at all the wonderful life that Mowgli led among the wolves, because if it were written out it would fill ever so many books.”

John 21:25 “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”

WE ARE THE WOLVES.

Father Wolf teaches Mowgli to read nature (general revelation).

Shere Khan whines. All leave to feast but Baghera, Baloo, and Akela’s family. They wonder if Mowgli will help them out someday. Akela thinks of the day he can’t hunt and thinks Mowgli might be handy to have around. He is brough in through a sacrifice (Old Testament?) and words (New Testament?). Tenish years later (in the fullness of time), the story will pick up. There is a neat Biblical reference.

Bagheera shows deference in saying he has no right to speak but the promise of a bull causes the wolves to accept his words. He points out that it’s a shame to kill a naked cub and he will make more sport to kill if they chose to after he grows up. The wolves accept him mainly because they think he won’t survive the winter rains or the scorching sun. They are not afraid of a naked frog. Akela tells them to look well.

He seems to be the mirror of Shere Khan. He’s inky black but the marks are spots, not stripes, and are only appear in sunlight. He is a combination of cunning, bold, and reckless and he knows the Law very well. A cub can be affirmed with the price of a bull and it does not matter who pays it. He bows out of the conversation but a fat, newly killed bull must have made the mouths of young wolves water.