The Jungle Book Mowgli s Brothers Chapter 1 Dear young readers, I d like to tell you an extraordinary story set in a far away and wonderful country. Are you ready? One hot evening in the hills of south India, the moon is big in the sky. Father Wolf is sleeping in his cave with Mother Wolf and their four cubs. He wakes up and says, It s time to hunt1 again. Hello! says a voice. It is the jackal Tabaqui. Wolves do not like jackals; they are afraid of2 them because they are dirty, always angry and they eat the rubbish near the villages, too. They also tell lies3 and create problems for the other animals. Tabaqui! Why are you here? asks Father Wolf. Good morning, chief of the wolves, have you got something for me to eat? There s nothing here for you, Father Wolf answers. Looking at the cubs, Tabaqui says, Your children are so beautiful! but this is not a good thing to say. In India, people and animals believe it is unlucky4 to tell children they re beautiful in front of them. Shere Khan the tiger is coming here to hunt, says Tabaqui. What? He can t do that. He must respect the Law of the Jungle, he must tell us first, says Father Wolf, surprised. 1. to hunt: to kill animals for food. 2. to be afraid of: to feel fear or worry about something or someone. 3. lie: something that is not true. 4. unlucky: when good things do not happen to you frequently, unfortunate. 7 1