Tales of Mowgli, the man-cub raised by wolves in the jungles of India, and the many animal acquaintances who populate his wild world: Akela, the wolf; Bagheera, the panther; Kaa, the python; Hathi, the elephant; Kotick, the white seal; Shere Khan, the tiger, and, of course, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the valorous mongoose. .