And because I had learned about men, the animals of the jungle are more scared of me than Shere Khan. Is this not true?"

"Yes," said Mowgli, "everyone in the jungle fears Bagheera - except Mowgli."

"Oh, you are a man's cub," said the Black Panther very gently and affectionately. "I returned to the jungle, and in the same way you must go back to men in the end - they are your brothers. Though you may be killed in the wolves Council first."

"But why - but why should anyone wish to kill me?" said Mowgli.

"Look at me," said Bagheera. And Mowgli looked at him steadily between the eyes. The big panther turned his head away in half a minute. "That is why," he said, moving his paw around on the leaves. "Not even I can look into your eyes, and I was born among men, and I love you, Little Brother. The others hate you because their eyes cannot look into yours; because you are wise; because you have pulled out thorns from their feet - because you are a man."

"I did not know these things," said Mowgli. He was angry and upset, and frowned with his heavy black eyebrows.