“They fear me alone. They have good reason,” said Kaa. “Chattering, foolish, vain⁠—vain, foolish, and chattering⁠—are the monkeys. But a man-thing in their hands is in no good luck. They grow tired of the nuts they pick, and throw them down. They carry a branch half a day, meaning to do great things with it, and then they snap it in two. That manling is not to be envied. They called me also⁠—‘yellow fish,’ was it not?”

“Worm⁠—worm⁠—earthworm,” said Bagheera; “as well as other things which I cannot now say for shame.”

“We must remind them to speak well of their master. Aaa-sssh! We must help their wandering memories. Now, whither went they with thy cub?”

“The jungle alone knows. Toward the sunset, I believe,” said Baloo. “We had thought that thou wouldst know, Kaa.”

“I? How? I take them when they come in my way, but I do not hunt the Bandar-log⁠—or frogs⁠—or green scum on a water-hole, for that matter.”