The old brown bear, Baloo, began teaching Mowgli the law of the jungle.
He showed the boy where to find good nuts.
He taught him not to bother Mang, the bat, while he slept during the day.
Mowgli also learned to warn the water snakes before he splashed into their pool.
Each day Bagheera came to check on Mowgli's progress.
"Mowgli is amazing!" Baloo said, beaming.
"He climbs as well as he swims.
And he swims almost as well as he runs."
Baloo made Mowgli work very hard.
One day Mowgli got bored.
When Baloo scolded him for being lazy, Mowgli ran off.
"Where's the boy?" Bagheera asked when he arrived.
Baloo sighed. "He went off in a huff."
"The man cub is very young," Bagheera said.
"Maybe his head is too little to remember all these things."
"Well, he's not too little to be killed!" Baloo replied.
"That's why I'm teaching him the law of the jungle.
He's even learning all of the languages of the jungle.
This will protect him and keep him safe here."
"Maybe." Bagheera stretched out a paw to admire his sharp claws.
"When we find Mowgli, I'll ask him to show you his skill with the languages," Baloo said.
"But who knows when he'll return."
"I'm right here!" a voice snapped from above.
Mowgli slid down a tree trunk and glared at Baloo.
"I only came down because of Bagheera.
I'm still mad at you, fat old Baloo!"
"Show Bagheera how you can speak the jungle languages," Baloo said.
"Which one? I know all of them," Mowgli boasted.
"Okay, great scholar," Baloo teased him.
"Why don't you speak like the lion?"
Mowgli spoke in a deep voice. "We are of one blood."
"Good," Baloo said. "Now speak like a bird."
Mowgli made a hawk's call.
Bagheera was impressed.
"Now the snake's language."
"Ssss!" Mowgli said.
He clapped for his own performance and then jumped onto Bagheera's back.
He banged his heels on the panther's sides while making nasty faces at Baloo.
"Someday you will thank me," Baloo muttered.
"Baloo, how did you learn all the languages?" Bagheera asked.
The bear patted his big furry stomach proudly.
"I learned them from Hathi the elephant."
Meanwhile Mowgli was kicking Bagheera and grabbing at his fur.
"Hey!" Bagheera said. "Watch out for my ribs."
"Someday I'll have a whole tribe of my own," Mowgli bragged.
"I'll lead everyone through the jungle.
I'll play and eat all day long." He laughed.
"And I'll throw branches and dirt at old Baloo."
Whoof! Baloo's big paw scooped Mowgli off Bagheera's back.
"Mowgli!" Baloo said.
"You sound just like the monkeys. You've been spending time with them!"
Mowgli lay on the ground.
He looked at Bagheera, whose eyes had turned cold.
"The monkeys have no laws.
They are rude and silly," Baloo said.
"Stay away from them!"
Mowgli sniffled.
"You were mean to me before.
But the monkeys were nice.
They came down from the trees and played with me.
They gave me nuts too."
Baloo snorted.
"They said I'm going to be their leader one day," Mowgli added spitefully.
"They have no leader," Bagheera snapped. "And they lie."
"Listen, Mowgli." Baloo's voice rumbled like thunder.
"The monkeys live in the trees. They boast and chatter constantly.
We do not drink where the monkeys drink.
We do not go where the monkeys go."
Mowgli lay very still.
"We do not notice them," Baloo added.
"Even when they throw nuts on our heads!"
Just then nuts poured down from the trees.
A bunch of monkeys howled loudly with laughter.