Explain the signifigance of Baloo and Bagheera in Mowgli’slife
August 29, 2010 by visibleprocrastinations
Silver Boomerang
5 – Our Cub Scout Traditions
* Explain the significance of Baloo and Bagheera in Mowgli’s life
…
“Who speaks for this cub?” said Akela. “Among the Free People who speaks?” There was no answer and Mother Wolf got ready for what she knew would be her last fight, if things came to fighting.Then the only other creature who is allowed at the Pack Council–Baloo, the sleepy brown bear who teaches the wolf cubs the Law of the Jungle: old Baloo, who can come and go where he pleases because he eats only nuts and roots and honey–rose upon his hind quarters and grunted.
“The man’s cub–the man’s cub?” he said. “I speak for the man’s cub. There is no harm in a man’s cub. I have no gift of words, but I speak the truth. Let him run with the Pack, and be entered with the others. I myself will teach him.”
“We need yet another,” said Akela. “Baloo has spoken, and he is our teacher for the young cubs. Who speaks besides Baloo?”
A black shadow dropped down into the circle. It was Bagheera the Black Panther, inky black all over, but with the panther markings showing up in certain lights like the pattern of watered silk. Everybody knew Bagheera, and nobody cared to cross his path; for he was as cunning as Tabaqui, as bold as the wild buffalo, and as reckless as the wounded elephant. But he had a voice as soft as wild honey dripping from a tree, and a skin softer than down.
“O Akela, and ye the Free People,” he purred, “I have no right in your assembly, but the Law of the Jungle says that if there is a doubt which is not a killing matter in regard to a new cub, the life of that cub may be bought at a price. And the Law does not say who may or may not pay that price. Am I right?”
“Good! Good!” said the young wolves, who are always hungry. “Listen to Bagheera. The cub can be bought for a price. It is the Law.”
“Knowing that I have no right to speak here, I ask your leave.”
“Speak then,” cried twenty voices.
“To kill a naked cub is shame. Besides, he may make better sport for you when he is grown. Baloo has spoken in his behalf. Now to Baloo’s word I will add one bull, and a fat one, newly killed, not half a mile from here, if ye will accept the man’s cub according to the Law. Is it difficult?”
There was a clamor of scores of voices, saying: “What matter? He will die in the winter rains. He will scorch in the sun. What harm can a naked frog do us? Let him run with the Pack. Where is the bull, Bagheera? Let him be accepted.” And then came Akela’s deep bay, crying: “Look well–look well, O Wolves!”
Mowgli was still deeply interested in the pebbles, and he did not notice when the wolves came and looked at him one by one. At last they all went down the hill for the dead bull, and only Akela, Bagheera, Baloo, and Mowgli’s own wolves were left. Shere Khan roared still in the night, for he was very angry that Mowgli had not been handed over to him.
“Ay, roar well,” said Bagheera, under his whiskers, “for the time will come when this naked thing will make thee roar to another tune, or I know nothing of man.”
“It was well done,” said Akela. “Men and their cubs are very wise. He may be a help in time.”
“Truly, a help in time of need; for none can hope to lead the Pack forever,” said Bagheera.
Akela said nothing. He was thinking of the time that comes to every leader of every pack when his strength goes from him and he gets feebler and feebler, till at last he is killed by the wolves and a new leader comes up–to be killed in his turn.
“Take him away,” he said to Father Wolf, “and train him as befits one of the Free People.”
And that is how Mowgli was entered into the Seeonee Wolf Pack for the price of a bull and on Baloo’s good word. …
— The Jungle Book: Mowgli’s Brothers
Rudyard Kipling
Baloo
Baloo teaches Mowgli the Laws of the Jungle
Game: Jungle Story (version of Fruit Salad)
Each Cub Scout is given a name from the story (attached) and when that name is mentioned they run to the end of the hall and back. When the word “Cub” or “Jungle” is mentioned they all run.
Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, Shere Khan, Mother Wolf, Father Wolf.
Story:
Now I am going to tell you a story about a man cub called Mowgli who was taught the way of the jungle by Baloo the brown bear and Bagheera the black panther. Mowgli came to be in the jungle because Shere Khan the tiger had killed his parents. He was taken in by Mother Wolf and Father Wolf, which made Shere Khan very angry. They decided to call him Mowgli which means frog because his skin was smooth and with no hair like a frog’s.
He stayed with Mother Wolf and Father Wolf and their own four cubs until the night of the full moon when they set off for the Council Circle. Shere Khan claimed the man cub was his but Mother Wolf and Father Wolf were not to be ordered around by someone not from the pack. It was here that Akela reminded the wolves that if there was an argument about a cub, two people would have to speak for him. Baloo said “I will speak for the man Cub” and Bagheera gave a newly killed bull to pay for the Man Cub’s life. So he was allowed to stay in the jungle with Baloo and Bagheera who taught him many things. Lord Baden Powell based the Cub Scout section on the jungle story.
Bagheera
Bagheera, the panther, taught Mowgli to hunt and how to move silently in the jungle. He would sometimes lie beneath a tree and Mowgli would try and creep up on him without being heard.
Game: Hunting with Bagheera
Cubs line up across one end of the Hall. At the other end are a number of chairs. Tell Cub Scouts a little of how Bagheera was the greatest hunter, but must important thing to remember is to stalk quietly. “Softly, softly, catches the monkey”. On GO, each Cub must move towards the other end. It is not a race – the quietest Cub down the hall, through the legs of a chair and back wins. ‘Noisy’ Cubs become frightened monkeys – they must curl up in a ball and hope Bagheera doesn’t see them (when tagged by a Leader)
Work-Sheet
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