05-tiger,tiger-第2部分

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the　tiger　carried　off　a　man　at　twilight；　within　sight　of　the

village　gates。



Mowgli；　who　naturally　knew　something　about　what　they　were

talking　of；　had　to　cover　his　face　not　to　show　that　he　was

laughing；　while　Buldeo；　the　Tower　musket　across　his　knees；　climbed

on　from　one　wonderful　story　to　another；　and　Mowgli's　shoulders

shook。



Buldeo　was　explaining　how　the　tiger　that　had　carried　away

Messua's　son　was　a　ghost…tiger；　and　his　body　was　inhabited　by　the

ghost　of　a　wicked；　old　money…lender；　who　had　died　some　years　ago。

〃And　I　know　that　this　is　true；〃　he　said；　〃because　Purun　Dass

always　limped　from　the　blow　that　he　got　in　a　riot　when　his　account

books　were　burned；　and　the　tiger　that　I　speak　of　he　limps；　too；

for　the　tracks　of　his　pads　are　unequal。〃



〃True；　true；　that　must　be　the　truth；〃　said　the　gray…beards；

nodding　together。



〃Are　all　these　tales　such　cobwebs　and　moon　talk？〃　said　Mowgli。

〃That　tiger　limps　because　he　was　born　lame；　as　everyone　knows。　　To

talk　of　the　soul　of　a　money…lender　in　a　beast　that　never　had　the

courage　of　a　jackal　is　child's　talk。〃



Buldeo　was　speechless　with　surprise　for　a　moment；　and　the

head…man　stared。



〃Oho！　　It　is　the　jungle　brat；　is　it？〃　said　Buldeo。　　〃If　thou

art　so　wise；　better　bring　his　hide　to　Khanhiwara；　for　the

Government　has　set　a　hundred　rupees　on　his　life。　　Better　still；

talk　not　when　thy　elders　speak。〃



Mowgli　rose　to　go。　　〃All　the　evening　I　have　lain　here

listening；〃　he　called　back　over　his　shoulder；　〃and；　except　once　or

twice；　Buldeo　has　not　said　one　word　of　truth　concerning　the

jungle；　which　is　at　his　very　doors。　　How；　then；　shall　I　believe

the　tales　of　ghosts　and　gods　and　goblins　which　he　says　he　has

seen？〃



〃It　is　full　time　that　boy　went　to　herding；〃　said　the　head…man；

while　Buldeo　puffed　and　snorted　at　Mowgli's　impertinence。



The　custom　of　most　Indian　villages　is　for　a　few　boys　to　take

the　cattle　and　buffaloes　out　to　graze　in　the　early　morning；　and

bring　them　back　at　night。　　The　very　cattle　that　would　trample　a

white　man　to　death　allow　themselves　to　be　banged　and　bullied　and

shouted　at　by　children　that　hardly　come　up　to　their　noses。　　So

long　as　the　boys　keep　with　the　herds　they　are　safe；　for　not　even

the　tiger　will　charge　a　mob　of　cattle。　　But　if　they　straggle　to

pick　flowers　or　hunt　lizards；　they　are　sometimes　carried　off。

Mowgli　went　through　the　village　street　in　the　dawn；　sitting　on　the

back　of　Rama；　the　great　herd　bull。　　The　slaty…blue　buffaloes；　with

their　long；　backward…sweeping　horns　and　savage　eyes；　rose　out

their　byres；　one　by　one；　and　followed　him；　and　Mowgli　made　it　very

clear　to　the　children　with　him　that　he　was　the　master。　　He　beat

the　buffaloes　with　a　long；　polished　bamboo；　and　told　Kamya；　one　of

the　boys；　to　graze　the　cattle　by　themselves；　while　he　went　on　with

the　buffaloes；　and　to　be　very　careful　not　to　stray　away　from　the

herd。



An　Indian　grazing　ground　is　all　rocks　and　scrub　and　tussocks

and　little　ravines；　among　which　the　herds　scatter　and　disappear。

The　buffaloes　generally　keep　to　the　pools　and　muddy　places；　where

they　lie　wallowing　or　basking　in　the　warm　mud　for　hours。　　Mowgli

drove　them　on　to　the　edge　of　the　plain　where　the　Waingunga　came

out　of　the　jungle；　then　he　dropped　from　Rama's　neck；　trotted　off

to　a　bamboo　clump；　and　found　Gray　Brother。　　〃Ah；〃　said　Gray

Brother；　〃I　have　waited　here　very　many　days。　　What　is　the　meaning

of　this　cattle…herding　work？〃



〃It　is　an　order；〃　said　Mowgli。　　〃I　am　a　village　herd　for　a

while。　　What　news　of　Shere　Khan？〃



〃He　has　come　back　to　this　country；　and　has　waited　here　a　long

time　for　thee。　　Now　he　has　gone　off　again；　for　the　game　is　scarce。

But　he　means　to　kill　thee。〃



〃Very　good；〃　said　Mowgli。　　〃So　long　as　he　is　away　do　thou　or

one　of　the　four　brothers　sit　on　that　rock；　so　that　I　can　see　thee

as　I　come　out　of　the　village。　　When　he　comes　back　wait　for　me　in

the　ravine　by　the　dhak　tree　in　the　center　of　the　plain。　　We　need

not　walk　into　Shere　Khan's　mouth。〃



Then　Mowgli　picked　out　a　shady　place；　and　lay　down　and　slept

while　the　buffaloes　grazed　round　him。　　Herding　in　India　is　one　of

the　laziest　things　in　the　world。　　The　cattle　move　and　crunch；　and

lie　down；　and　move　on　again；　and　they　do　not　even　low。　　They　only

grunt；　and　the　buffaloes　very　seldom　say　anything；　but　get　down

into　the　muddy　pools　one　after　another；　and　work　their　way　into

the　mud　till　only　their　noses　and　staring　china…blue　eyes　show

above　the　surface；　and　then　they　lie　like　logs。　　The　sun　makes　the

rocks　dance　in　the　heat；　and　the　herd　children　hear　one　kite

（never　any　more）　whistling　almost　out　of　sight　overhead；　and　they

know　that　if　they　died；　or　a　cow　died；　that　kite　would　sweep　down；

and　the　next　kite　miles　away　would　see　him　drop　and　follow；　and

the　next；　and　the　next；　and　almost　before　they　were　dead　there

would　be　a　score　of　hungry　kites　come　out　of　nowhere。　　Then　they

sleep　and　wake　and　sleep　again；　and　weave　little　baskets　of　dried

grass　and　put　grasshoppers　in　them；　or　catch　two　praying　mantises

and　make　them　fight；　or　string　a　necklace　of　red　and　black　jungle

nuts；　or　watch　a　lizard　basking　on　a　rock；　or　a　snake　hunting　a

frog　near　the　wallows。　　Then　they　sing　long；　long　songs　with　odd

native　quavers　at　the　end　of　them；　and　the　day　seems　longer　than

most　people's　whole　lives；　and　perhaps　they　make　a　mud　castle　with

mud　figures　of　men　and　horses　and　buffaloes；　and　put　reeds　into

the　men's　hands；　and　pretend　that　they　are　kings　and　the　figures

are　their　armies；　or　that　they　are　gods　to　be　worshiped。　　Then

evening　comes　and　the　children　call；　and　the　buffaloes　lumber　up

out　of　the　sticky　mud　with　noises　like　gunshots　going　off　one

after　the　other；　and　they　all　string　across　the　gray　plain　back　to

the　twinkling　village　lights。



Day　after　day　Mowgli　would　lead　the　buffaloes　out　to　their

wallows；　and　day　after　day　he　would　see　Gray　Brother's　back　a　mile

and　a　half　away　across　the　plain　（so　he　knew　that　Shere　Khan　had

not　come　back）；　and　day　after　day　he　would　lie　on　the　grass

listening　to　the　noises　round　him；　and　dreaming　of　old　days　in　the

jungle。　　If　Shere　Khan　had　made　a　false　step　with　his　lame　paw　up

in　the　jungles　by　the　Waingunga；　Mowgli　would　have　heard　him　in

those　long；　still　mornings。



At　last　a　day　came　when　he　did　not　see　Gray　Brother　at　the

signal　place；　and　he　laughed　and　headed　the　buffaloes　for　the

ravine　by　the　dhk　tree；　which　was　all　covered　with　golden…red

flowers。　　There　sat　Gray　Brother；　every　bristle　on　his　back

lifted。



〃He　has　hidden　for　a　month　to　throw　thee　off　thy　guard。　　He

crossed　the　ranges　last　night　with　Tabaqui；　hot…foot　on　thy

trail；〃　said　the　Wolf；　panting。



Mowgli　frowned。　　〃I　am　not　afraid　of　Shere　Khan；　but　Tabaqui

is　very　cunning。〃



〃Have　no　fear；〃　said　Gray　Brother；　licking　his　lips　a　little。

〃I　met　Tabaqui　in　the　dawn。　　Now　he　is　telling　all　his　wisdom　to

the　kites；　but　he　told　me　everything　before　I　broke　his　back。

Shere　Khan's　plan　is　to　wait　for　thee　at　the　village　gate　this

eveningfor　thee　and　for　no　one　else。　　He　is　lying　up　now；　in

the　big　dry　ravine　of　the　Waingunga。〃



〃Has　he　eaten　today；　or　does　he　hunt　empty？〃　said　Mowgli；　for

the　answer　meant　life　and　death　to　him。



〃He　killed　at　dawn；a　pig；and　he　has　drunk　too。

Remember；　Shere　Khan　could　never　fast；　even　for　the　sake　of

revenge。〃



〃Oh！　　Fool；　fool！　　What　a　cub's　cub　it　is！　　Eaten　and　drunk

too；　and　he　thinks　that　I　shall　wait　till　he　has　slept！　　Now；

where　does　he　lie　up？　　If　there　were　but　ten　of　us　we　might　pull

him　down　as　he　lies。　　These　buffaloes　will　not　charge　unless　they

wind　him；　and　I　cannot　speak　their　language。　　Can　we　get　behind

his　track　so　that　they　may　smell　it？〃



〃He　swam　far　down　the　Waingunga　to　cut　that　off；〃　said　Gray

Brother。



〃Tabaqui　told　him　that；　I　know。　　He　would　never　have　thought

of　it　alone。〃　　Mowgli　stood　with　his　finger　in　his　mouth；

thinking。　　〃The　big　ravine　of　the　Waingunga。　　That　opens　out　on

the　plain　not　half　a　mile　from　here。　　I　can　take　the　herd　round

through　the　jungle　to　the　head　of　the　ravine　and　then　sweep　down

but　he　would　slink　out　at　the　foot。　　We　must　block　that　end。

Gray　Brother；　canst　thou　cut　the　herd　in　two　for　me？〃



〃Not　I；　perhapsbut　I　have　brought　a　wise　helper。〃　　Gray

Brother　trotted　off　and　dropped　into　a　hole。　　Then　there　lifted　up

a　huge　gray　head　that　Mowgli　knew　well；　and　the　hot　air　was　filled

with　the　most　desolate　cry　of　all　the　junglethe　hunting　howl

of　a　wolf　at　midday。



〃Akela！　　Akela！〃　said　Mowgli；　clapping　his　hands。　　〃I　might

have　known　that　thou　wouldst　not　forget　me。　　We　have　a　big　work　in

hand。　　Cut　the　herd　in　two；　Akela。　　Keep　the　cows　and　calves

together；　and　the　bulls　and　the　plow　buffaloes　by　themselves。〃



The　two　wolves　ran；　ladies'…chain　fashion；　in　and　out　of　the

herd；　which　snorted　and　threw　up　its　head；　and　separated　into　two

clumps。　　In　one；　the　cow…buffaloes　stood　with　their　calves　in　the

center；　and　glared　and　pawed；　ready；　if　a　wolf　would　only　stay

still；　to　charge　down　and　trample　the　life　out　of　him。　　In　the

other；　the　bulls　and　the　young　bulls　snorted　and　stamped；　but

though　they　looked　more　imposing　they　were　much　less　dangerous；

for　they　had　no　calves　to　protect。　　No　six　men　could　have　divided

the　herd　so　neatly。



〃What　orders！〃　panted　Akela。　　〃They　are　trying　to　join　again。〃



Mowgli　slipped　on　to　Rama's　back。　　〃Drive　the　bulls　away　to

the　left；　Akela。　　Gray　Brother；　when　we　are　gone；　hold　the　cows

together；　and　drive　them　into　the　foot　of　the　ravine。〃



〃How　far？〃　said　Gray　Brother；　panting　and　snapping。



〃Till　the　sides　are　higher　than　Shere　Khan　can　jump；〃　shouted

Mowgli。　　〃Keep　them　there　till　we　come　down。〃　　The　bulls　swept　off

as　Akela　bayed；　and　Gray　Brother　stopped　in　front　of　the　cows。

They　charged　down　on　him；　and　he　ran　just　before　them　to　the　foot

of　the　ravine；　as　Akela　drove　t