The Law of the Jungle

Just to give you an idea of the immense variety of the Jungle Law, I have translated into verse (Baloo always recited them in a sort of sing-song) a few of the laws that apply to the wolves. There are, of course, hundreds and hundreds more, but these will do for specimens of the simpler rulings.

     Now this is the Law of the Jungle—as old and as true as
        the sky;
     And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the Wolf
        that shall break it must die.

     As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk the Law runneth
        forward and back—
     For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength
        of the Wolf is the Pack.

     Wash daily from nose-tip to tail-tip; drink deeply, but
        never too deep;
     And remember the night is for hunting, and forget not
        the day is for sleep.

     The jackal may follow the Tiger, but, Cub, when thy
        whiskers are grown,
     Remember the Wolf is a hunter—go forth and get food
        of thine own.

     Keep peace with the Lords of the Jungle—the Tiger, the
        Panther, the Bear;
     And trouble not Hathi the Silent, and mock not the Boar
        in his lair.

     When Pack meets with Pack in the Jungle, and neither
        will go from the trail,
     Lie down till the leaders have spoken—it may be fair
        words shall prevail.

     When ye fight with a Wolf of the Pack, ye must
        fight him alone and afar,
     Lest others take part in the quarrel, and the Pack be
        diminished by war.

     The Lair of the Wolf is his refuge, and where he has
        made him his home,
     Not even the Head Wolf may enter, not even the Council
        may come.

     The Lair of the Wolf is his refuge, but where he has
        digged it too plain,
     The Council shall send him a message, and so he shall
        change it again.

     If ye kill before midnight, be silent, and wake not the
        woods with your bay,
     Lest ye frighten the deer from the crops, and the brothers
        go empty away.

     Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates, and your cubs
        as they need, and ye can;
     But kill not for pleasure of killing, and SEVEN TIMES NEVER
        KILL MAN.

     If ye plunder his Kill from a weaker, devour not all in
        thy pride;
     Pack-Right is the right of the meanest; so leave him the
        head and the hide.

     The Kill of the Pack is the meat of the Pack. Ye must
        eat where it lies;
     And no one may carry away of that meat to his lair, or
        he dies.

     The Kill of the Wolf is the meat of the Wolf. He may
        do what he will,
     But, till he has given permission, the Pack may not eat
        of that Kill.

     Cub-Right is the right of the Yearling. From all of his
        Pack he may claim
     Full-gorge when the killer has eaten; and none may
        refuse him the same.

     Lair-Right is the right of the Mother. From all of her
        year she may claim
     One haunch of each kill for her litter, and none may
        deny her the same.

     Cave-Right is the right of the Father—to hunt by himself
        for his own.
     He is freed of all calls to the Pack; he is judged by the
        Council alone.

     Because of his age and his cunning, because of his gripe
        and his paw,
     In all that the Law leaveth open, the word of the Head
        Wolf is Law.

     Now these are the Laws of the Jungle, and many and
        mighty are they;
     But the head and the hoof of the Law and the haunch
        and the hump is—Obey!