by Brian Smith
Bagheera looked at him with his piercing eyes that meant sure death for many animals, but where Mowgli could see nothing but love.
“Little brother,” Bagheera said tenderly, “there are tales of men in the jungle. Many men have come with sticks like thunder. They are killing all the animals they see. Even Shere Khan and the wolves have chosen to go, to move while this evil is stirring in the jungle.”
By ‘thunder stick’ Bagheera meant any kind of rifle or gun. What he told Mowgli was quite true. The soldiers who had failed to take the hill fort on the previous day were now wandering about the jungle in groups, shooting and killing any creature they came across, partly because they were famished and partly to vent their anger at failing to conquer the fort.
“Then I will get the red flower that grows in the villages,” Mowgli said angrily. By ‘red flower’ he meant fire.
“I will get the red flower and make the men leave.”
“There speaks the man’s cub,” Bagheera said proudly. “But these men, they’re not like Shere Khan, they’re not afraid of the red flower and besides, their thunder sticks are far mightier than the red flower. No my little brother, we too must leave.”
Mowgli frowned under his heavy black eyebrows. He was the man cub in the jungle, his jungle. No animal had withstood him and the idea of having to run away was very galling. Suddenly they heard thunder rumbling through the jungle followed by the shriek of a monkey falling to the ground.
“They are here, little brother,” Bagheera said sadly. “Nothing can withstand their thunder sticks. We must leave.”
“Then by the bull that bought me, I will pay those men full tale for this, and it may be a little over,” said Mowgli and he bounded away. He hadn’t gone far when he met a member of the elephant patrol.
Mowgli lay down on the elephant
The elephant was in a near state of panic.
“The patrol!” he wailed. “Dead, all dead!”
That was all Mowgli could get out of him, but it was enough. He quickly mounted the elephant and lay on its back to calm the great creature down.
“Now go, my friend,” Mowgli the mahout said. “Go like the wind and do not stop for the world.”
The elephant was more than happy to get going again, the farther away the better, and he charged through the jungle at a reckless speed. Behind them they heard more of the thunders that terrorized the jungle. They were relieved to be leaving, yet Mowgli was thinking what he could do.
They hadn’t gone far when the elephant suddenly reared up and Mowgli almost fell down. There were three humans standing in their way. The elephant could not move anymore, frozen still by the fear of instant death. Mowgli cursed inwardly. How had he been caught so easily in his own jungle where he was master?
Then one of the humans pointed at Mowgli.
“You’re Mowgli, aren’t you?” Geetu said with a big grin.
This amazed Mowgli even more. Not only had the humans caught him so easily, they even knew his name. Before he could say anything Geetu happily went on talking.
“I know all about you, Mowgli. I know about Bagheera and Baloo and the wolves and Shere Khan and...”
This was too much for Mowgli.
“But how?” he cried in exasperation. “How can you know all this? I’ve never seen you before or heard of you.”
“I found out about you in my secret room,” Geetu said importantly. “I’ve read everything in the Jungle Books. Oh, and these are my friends Edward and Anthony. They’re here to ride on a tiger.”
They boys waved at Mowgli and smiled.
“Hi Mowgli,” Anthony said. “Can we also ride on your elephant?”
The only thing Mowgli understood was that these three humans could not be the same as those with the thunder sticks. For the first time in his life he felt shy and didn’t quite know what to say.
“Actually,” he said slowly, “we’re just leaving. There are evil men with thunder sticks and...”
“You mean the soldiers,” Edward said. “We saw them yesterday. They were fighting over a fort but they lost.”
“Well, now they’re here and the animals of the jungle are losing. The men are killing anything they see, so really, I haven’t got time for you. I’ve got to stop those men.”
“By running away?” Geetu said.
This made Mowgli angry but he didn’t know what to say. After all he knew in his heart that she was right.
“We can help you,” Geetu said.
“How?”
“Take us with you and I’ll tell you how.”
Mowgli made the elephant kneel down so they could climb up and then they set off again, for through the jungle the sounds of more shots indicated that the men were getting closer.
“I thought you were going to help us ride a tiger,” Edward said crossly, “not fight a war.”
Geetu smiled at him sweetly.
“Mowgli’s the only person in the whole world who can help you ride a tiger. If you want his help then I think we’ll have to help him first.
Even though he wasn’t happy about the idea there was nothing Edward could say. Geetu was right. How could they expect Mowgli’s help if they didn’t help him in his hour of need?
“So where are we going now?” Edward asked.
“Back to the palace, of course. Only the raja can deal with these men.”
“Won’t your dad be angry when he sees you?” Anthony asked. “I don’t want to be trampled by his elephants as punishment for taking you here.”
Geetu laughed. “He’ll be angry, cross, furious even, but when I tell him where the enemy soldiers are hiding he will forgive me, and you too.”
7
In the palace the raja was beside himself with rage. Princess Geetu, Edward and Anthony stood before him with their heads hanging low. Geetu had never seen her father so angry before and she was beginning to get worried for her friends. She had expected him to be more interested in where the enemy soldiers were hiding, but so far he had not taken any interest.
The raja jumped up from his golden throne and paced up and down the room shouting “Traitors, thieves, kidnappers! What venomous snakes have I taken in to my home as guests who would bite my hand and steal my daughter. Take my daughter from the safety of our palace into the middle of a battle!”
He shouted plenty more and all the while those present kept staring at the floor. They were all afraid to catch his eye and become the next target of his fury. And who knew what he might do? His word was law and if he ordered the boys or anyone else to be trampled to death by elephants then his soldiers would carry out the order immediately.
At last Mowgli could not bear to listen to the raja’s outpouring of anger any longer. He stepped right in front of the raja.
“Sahib,” he said and bowed. “I have brought your daughter safely to your palace.”
This was undeniable and the raja knew he was in Mowgli’s debt.
“Well then,” the raja said, “ what is it?”
“It is said that anger makes blind and there are those unseen in the jungle that ask for your royal protection. They are on your lands and yet men have come who kill them. I ask you, sahib. Protect those who are loyal to you and let justice wait until your kingdom is safe for all its inhabitants once more.”
The raja frowned and thought. He knew that Mowgli was right. It was better not to speak judgment in a moment of anger and he also couldn’t let the enemy soldiers roam free on his lands.
Colonel Thompson stepped forward.
“If I may offer my professional advice...?”
The raja nodded.
These children have brought us very accurate information about where the enemy is. We should gather our forces as fast as possible and strike now before the enemy has time to regroup or move on. If we strike now we can end the whole war in a day.”
The raja nodded unwillingly.
“My mind knows you’re right, though my heart does not care,” he said with a furious glance at the three children.
Assembling the army
While the raja’s army rallied, Geetu and the boys managed to escape from attention and sneak out.
“Come!” Geetu said. “We’ve got to find horses or camels to take us to the battle.”
“Won’t your dad be even angrier if we go out again?” Anthony asked.
“Oh, he’ll be all right,” Geetu said. She was used to crossing her father and being forgiven later, but Edward wasn’t so sure.
“But Geetu...,” he began.
“And remember,” she said, “if you want Mowgli’s help to ride a tiger then now’s the time to help him.”
She clapped her hands in excitement.
“Oh what a pukka adventure,” she said. “I love it.”
When they left the palace Geetu spotted a number of camels that were being prepared for the battle.
Geetu spotted some camels
She quickly talked the soldiers into taking her and the boys along.
Within an hour of being called to assemble, the army was ready to march. Mowgli accompanied the raja while Colonel Thompson took charge of the troops and rode ahead with the light cavalry. Unbeknown to them Geetu, Edward and Anthony had disguised themselves as soldiers and were riding with a camel unit.
The merciless sun was burning down on a steamy sultry day. Clouds of dust were thrown in the air by the thousands of men, horses, camels, elephants and guns. And not the slightest breath of wind brought even a moment of relief to the marching troops.
Only around noonday scouts brought news of the enemy’s position. Colonel Thompson gave orders to the troops to deploy