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VIII . The Hunger Dance of Kaa At last Kaa got over the wall . He came fast and silent . A python fights with its head , and it hits like a great hammer . Kaa’s first blow went into the crowd of monkeys round Baloo , and he did not need a second . “ It is Kaa ! ” screamed the monkeys . “ Run ! ” They all knew stories about Kaa , the night thief . He could look like a dead branch until the branch caught you . They ran in terror up the walls and onto the roofs . Then Kaa said one long hissing word , and the whole city went quiet . “ Get the man’s cub out of that trap , ” said Bagheera , climbing out of the water . “ I can do no more . ” “ Take him away , ” said the cobras inside . “ He dances like a peacock . He will step on our babies . ” So Kaa hit the marble wall with his nose again and again , until it broke in a cloud of dust . Mowgli jumped out and threw his arms round Baloo and Bagheera . “ Oh , my brothers , they have hurt you ! ” he cried . “ You are bleeding . ” “ It’s nothing , if you are safe , my little frog ! ” said Baloo . “ We will talk about that later , ” said Bagheera in a dry voice , and Mowgli did not like it . “ But now thank Kaa . You owe him your life . ” “ We be of one blood , ye and I , ” said Mowgli to the great snake . “ Tonight I take my life from you . If you are ever hungry , my kill will be your kill , O Kaa . And if you are ever in a trap , perhaps I can help you . ” “ A brave heart and a polite tongue , ” said Kaa , and he put his head on Mowgli’s shoulder for a moment . “ They will take you far in the jungle . But now go quickly with your friends . The moon is going down , and you should not see what comes next . ” Kaa moved to the middle of the terrace . “ Can you still see me , Bandar - log ? ” he asked . “ We see , O Kaa , ” moaned the monkeys on the walls . “ Good . Now begins the Hunger Dance of Kaa . Sit still and watch . ” He moved his great body slowly in circles and loops and figures of eight , and he hummed a low song . It grew darker and darker , until they could only hear his skin moving over the stones . “ Bandar - log , ” said Kaa at last , “ come one step nearer to me . ” The monkeys moved forward helplessly . And Baloo and Bagheera took one stiff step forward with them ! Mowgli put his hands on his two friends , and they jumped , as if they were waking from a dream . “ Keep your hand on my shoulder , ” whispered Bagheera , “ or I must go back to Kaa . ” And the three of them slipped out through a hole in the wall into the jungle . “ He knows more than we do , ” said Bagheera , shaking . “ I nearly walked down his throat . ” “ But I only saw a big snake making silly circles , ” said Mowgli . “ And his nose was sore . Ho ! Ho ! ”
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