The Water Truce, by Rudyard Kipling

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The quick-spread ears of the deer caught the last sentence, and a frightened whisper ran along the ranks. “The Truce! Remember the Truce!”

“Peace there, peace!” gurgled Hathi, the wild elephant. “The Truce holds, Bagheera. This is no time to talk of hunting.”

“Who should know better than I?” Bagheera answered, rolling his yellow eyes up-stream. “I am an eater of turtles — a fisher of frogs. Ngaa-yah! Would I could get good from chewing branches!”

“We wish so, very greatly,” bleated a young fawn, who had only been born that spring, and did not at all like it. Wretched as the Jungle People were, even Hathi could not help chuckling; while Mowgli, lying on his elbows in the warm water, laughed aloud, and beat up the scum with his feet.

“Well spoken, little bud-horn,” Bagheera purred. ‘“When the Truce ends that shall be remembered in thy favour,” and he looked keenly through the darkness to make sure of recognising the fawn again.

by Rudyard Kipling 1865-1936

From ‘The Jungle Book’ (1894) by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936).

Précis

Bagheera’s hints had alarmed the herds of prey. While the Truce held little Mowgli and even the elephant Hathi, presiding judge of the truce, could afford to laugh, but a young fawn reprimanded Bagheera for his ill manners. Bagheera complimented him on his eloquence, and promised (a little chillingly) that he would not forget it when the truce was over.

Questions for Critics

1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?

2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?

3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?

Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.

Sevens

Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.

What did Mowgli find so funny?

Suggestion

The way that Bagheera teased the herds.

Jigsaws

Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.

The truce forbade hunting. Bagheera said it was a pity. His words frightened the deer.

See if you can include one or more of these words in your answer.

IDuring. IIRegret. IIIWhen.

Précis

Questions for Critics

Sevens

Jigsaws

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