“The python dropped his head lightly for a moment on Mowgli's shoulders. "A brave heart and a courteous tongue," said he. "They shall carry thee far through the jungle, manling. But now go hence quickly with thy friends. Go and sleep, for the moon sets and what follows it is not well that thou shouldst see.”

Rudyard Kipling’s collection of fables, based on the ancient tales and folklore of his birthplace in India, starts off with the most famous one — the story of the man-cub Mowgli who was abandoned by his human family and raised by wolves. Bagheera, Baloo, and Kaa protect the young Mowgli from the deadly tiger Shere Khan until he can return to his human village.

Accompanied by Kipling’s lesser-known tales of the mongoose Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and The White Seal (among others), The Jungle Books is an exploration of man’s basest nature. Whether human or animal, the Law of the Jungle applies to us all.

Kobo Editions offers this fully-accessible version of the original text for your enjoyment.