The Jungle Book illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Librarians recently discovered a rare edition of The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling, which included a handwritten note to his daughter five years before her death at age six. The note said, ““This book belongs to Josephine Kipling for whom it was written by her father, May 1894.”

It’s ironic that this should re-surface now, when I am re-reading that epic collection of stories; the basis for numerous television and movies that have adapted its themes, characters, and likeness. The younger generation remembers it primarily as ‘’that Disney movie.” And I also have a brief memory of a version played by real people about Mowgli’s life as an adult man in the human village.

And sure, Mowgli, Baloo and Baghera are surprisingly true to their characters in the 1967 animated version. But the Jungle Book(s) aren’t just about these characters. It’s about the Law of the Jungle and Rikki-Tikki, Hathi, Shere Khan (who is more complicated than you can imagine), the Brotherhood, Naiga…

This work of art (because it is a work of art) lets you forget about the logistics behind animals that speak a common language; although I suppose that’s a thought in itself worth debating in another literary review. Richard Kipling was a poet and his use of language emphasizes personification, even the animals refer to themselves as ‘the people.’ What is the meaning of it?

I can’t yet tell you, because I haven’t finished the book. But I can tell you what I know so far and my 26 year old brain can’t help but compare to the Disney version. So let me dispel a few myths while I’m at it…

Baloo wasn't always the playful pal Disney made him out to be

For starters, Baloo beat the crap out of Mowgli. He’s a bear; there was no delicate rough-housing. And since he did think of Mowgli as his ‘cub’ at times, he treated him so. It wasn’t Baloo’s fault that Mowgli was a scrawny human.

Shockingly, neither tigers nor man are really considered King of the Jungle. This title actually belongs to Hathi the Elephant, and his father and grandfather, and so on. You see, the elephant actually created the Jungle although it’s known that the first Tiger was there to witness it all. And man… well, he didn’t come until after the creation of Death. And what noble title is bestowed upon him? Fear.

Man is described as a ‘hairless thing’, which emerged from a cave and their ability to learn brought fire and fear. Fear that could be hunted down by one animal by right—the Tiger.

There is no right and wrong in the Jungle, only the Law. In Rikki-Tikki-Tavi we meet a young Mongoose who judiciously hunts down the cobras in Man’s garden and with equal menace smashed the fully formed baby eggs which are just about to hatch. There is no judge on something so natural… because that is what killing is—natural. The Jungle Books are not just for children and if this misconception has kept you from reading it… well, now you have no excuse.

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