〃Rikki…Tikki…Tavi〃
  At　the　hole　where　he　went　in
  Red…Eye　called　to　Wrinkle…Skin。
  Hear　what　little　Red…Eye　saith：
  〃Nag；　come　up　and　dance　with　death！〃
  Eye　to　eye　and　head　to　head；
  （Keep　the　measure；　Nag。）
  This　shall　end　when　one　is　dead；
  （At　thy　pleasure；　Nag。）
  Turn　for　turn　and　twist　for　twist
  （Run　and　hide　thee；　Nag。）
  Hah！　　The　hooded　Death　has　missed！
  （Woe　betide　thee；　Nag！）
  This　is　the　story　of　the　great　war　that　Rikki…tikki…tavi　fought
  single…handed；　through　the　bath…rooms　of　the　big　bungalow　in
  Segowlee　cantonment。　　Darzee；　the　Tailorbird；　helped　him；　and
  Chuchundra；　the　musk…rat；　who　never　comes　out　into　the　middle　of
  the　floor；　but　always　creeps　round　by　the　wall；　gave　him　advice；
  but　Rikki…tikki　did　the　real　fighting。
  He　was　a　mongoose；　rather　like　a　little　cat　in　his　fur　and　his
  tail；　but　quite　like　a　weasel　in　his　head　and　his　habits。　　His
  eyes　and　the　end　of　his　restless　nose　were　pink。　　He　could　scratch
  himself　anywhere　he　pleased　with　any　leg；　front　or　back；　that　he
  chose　to　use。　　He　could　fluff　up　his　tail　till　it　looked　like　a
  bottle　brush；　and　his　war　cry　as　he　scuttled　through　the　long
  grass　was：　〃Rikk…tikk…tikki…tikki…tchk！〃
  One　day；　a　high　summer　flood　washed　him　out　of　the　burrow
  where　he　lived　with　his　father　and　mother；　and　carried　him；
  kicking　and　clucking；　down　a　roadside　ditch。　　He　found　a　little
  wisp　of　grass　floating　there；　and　clung　to　it　till　he　lost　his
  senses。　　When　he　revived；　he　was　lying　in　the　hot　sun　on　the
  middle　of　a　garden　path；　very　draggled　indeed；　and　a　small　boy　was
  saying；　〃Here's　a　dead　mongoose。　　Let's　have　a　funeral。〃
  〃No；〃　said　his　mother；　〃let's　take　him　in　and　dry　him。
  Perhaps　he　isn't　really　dead。〃
  They　took　him　into　the　house；　and　a　big　man　picked　him　up
  between　his　finger　and　thumb　and　said　he　was　not　dead　but　half
  choked。　　So　they　wrapped　him　in　cotton　wool；　and　warmed　him　over　a
  little　fire；　and　he　opened　his　eyes　and　sneezed。
  〃Now；〃　said　the　big　man　（he　was　an　Englishman　who　had　just
  moved　into　the　bungalow）；　〃don't　frighten　him；　and　we'll　see　what
  he'll　do。〃
  It　is　the　hardest　thing　in　the　world　to　frighten　a　mongoose；
  because　he　is　eaten　up　from　nose　to　tail　with　curiosity。　　The
  motto　of　all　the　mongoose　family　is　〃Run　and　find　out；〃　and
  Rikki…tikki　was　a　true　mongoose。　　He　looked　at　the　cotton　wool；
  decided　that　it　was　not　good　to　eat；　ran　all　round　the　table；　sat
  up　and　put　his　fur　in　order；　scratched　himself；　and　jumped　on　the
  small　boy's　shoulder。
  〃Don't　be　frightened；　Teddy；〃　said　his　father。　　〃That's　his
  way　of　making　friends。〃
  〃Ouch！　　He's　tickling　under　my　chin；〃　said　Teddy。
  Rikki…tikki　looked　down　between　the　boy's　collar　and　neck；
  snuffed　at　his　ear；　and　climbed　down　to　the　floor；　where　he　sat
  rubbing　his　nose。
  〃Good　gracious；〃　said　Teddy's　mother；　〃and　that's　a　wild
  creature！　　I　suppose　he's　so　tame　because　we've　been　kind　to　him。〃
  〃All　mongooses　are　like　that；〃　said　her　husband。　　〃If　Teddy
  doesn't　pick　him　up　by　the　tail；　or　try　to　put　him　in　a　cage；
  he'll　run　in　and　out　of　the　house　all　day　long。　　Let's　give　him
  something　to　eat。〃
  They　gave　him　a　little　piece　of　raw　meat。　　Rikki…tikki　liked
  it　immensely；　and　when　it　was　finished　he　went　out　into　the
  veranda　and　sat　in　the　sunshine　and　fluffed　up　his　fur　to　make　it
  dry　to　the　roots。　　Then　he　felt　better。
  〃There　are　more　things　to　find　out　about　in　this　house；〃　he
  said　to　himself；　〃than　all　my　family　could　find　out　in　all　their
  lives。　　I　shall　certainly　stay　and　find　out。〃
  He　spent　all　that　day　roaming　over　the　house。　　He　nearly
  drowned　himself　in　the　bath…tubs；　put　his　nose　into　the　ink　on　a
  writing　table；　and　burned　it　on　the　end　of　the　big　man's　cigar；
  for　he　climbed　up　in　the　big　man's　lap　to　see　how　writing　was
  done。　　At　nightfall　he　ran　into　Teddy's　nursery　to　watch　how
  kerosene　lamps　were　lighted；　and　when　Teddy　went　to　bed
  Rikki…tikki　climbed　up　too。　　But　he　was　a　restless　companion；
  because　he　had　to　get　up　and　attend　to　every　noise　all　through　the
  night；　and　find　out　what　made　it。　　Teddy's　mother　and　father　came
  in；　the　last　thing；　to　look　at　their　boy；　and　Rikki…tikki　was
  awake　on　the　pillow。　　〃I　don't　like　that；〃　said　Teddy's　mother。
  〃He　may　bite　the　child。〃　　〃He'll　do　no　such　thing；〃　said　the
  father。　　〃Teddy's　safer　with　that　little　beast　than　if　he　had　a
  bloodhound　to　watch　him。　　If　a　snake　came　into　the　nursery　now〃
  But　Teddy's　mother　wouldn't　think　of　anything　so　awful。
  Early　in　the　morning　Rikki…tikki　came　to　early　breakfast　in
  the　veranda　riding　on　Teddy's　shoulder；　and　they　gave　him　banana
  and　some　boiled　egg。　　He　sat　on　all　their　laps　one　after　the
  other；　because　every　well…brought…up　mongoose　always　hopes　to　be　a
  house　mongoose　some　day　and　have　rooms　to　run　about　in；　and
  Rikki…tikki's　mother　（she　used　to　live　in　the　general's　house　at
  Segowlee）　had　carefully　told　Rikki　what　to　do　if　ever　he　came
  across　white　men。
  Then　Rikki…tikki　went　out　into　the　garden　to　see　what　was　to
  be　seen。　　It　was　a　large　garden；　only　half　cultivated；　with
  bushes；　as　big　as　summer…houses；　of　Marshal　Niel　roses；　lime　and
  orange　trees；　clumps　of　bamboos；　and　thickets　of　high　grass。
  Rikki…tikki　licked　his　lips。　　〃This　is　a　splendid　hunting…ground；〃
  he　said；　and　his　tail　grew　bottle…brushy　at　the　thought　of　it；　and
  he　scuttled　up　and　down　the　garden；　snuffing　here　and　there　till
  he　heard　very　sorrowful　voices　in　a　thorn…bush。
  It　was　Darzee；　the　Tailorbird；　and　his　wife。　　They　had　made　a
  beautiful　nest　by　pulling　two　big　leaves　together　and　stitching
  them　up　the　edges　with　fibers；　and　had　filled　the　hollow　with
  cotton　and　downy　fluff。　　The　nest　swayed　to　and　fro；　as　they　sat
  on　the　rim　and　cried。
  〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Rikki…tikki。
  〃We　are　very　miserable；〃　said　Darzee。　　〃One　of　our　babies　fell
  out　of　the　nest　yesterday　and　Nag　ate　him。〃
  〃H'm！〃　said　Rikki…tikki；　〃that　is　very　sadbut　I　am　a
  stranger　here。　　Who　is　Nag？〃
  Darzee　and　his　wife　only　cowered　down　in　the　nest　without
  answering；　for　from　the　thick　grass　at　the　foot　of　the　bush　there
  came　a　low　hissa　horrid　cold　sound　that　made　Rikki…tikki　jump
  back　two　clear　feet。　　Then　inch　by　inch　out　of　the　grass　rose　up
  the　head　and　spread　hood　of　Nag；　the　big　black　cobra；　and　he　was
  five　feet　long　from　tongue　to　tail。　　When　he　had　lifted　one…third
  of　himself　clear　of　the　ground；　he　stayed　balancing　to　and　fro
  exactly　as　a　dandelion　tuft　balances　in　the　wind；　and　he　looked　at
  Rikki…tikki　with　the　wicked　snake's　eyes　that　never　change　their
  expression；　whatever　the　snake　may　be　thinking　of。
  〃Who　is　Nag？〃　said　he。　　〃I　am　Nag。　　The　great　God　Brahm　put
  his　mark　upon　all　our　people；　when　the　first　cobra　spread　his　hood
  to　keep　the　sun　off　Brahm　as　he　slept。　　Look；　and　be　afraid！〃
  He　spread　out　his　hood　more　than　ever；　and　Rikki…tikki　saw　the
  spectacle…mark　on　the　back　of　it　that　looks　exactly　like　the　eye
  part　of　a　hook…and…eye　fastening。　　He　was　afraid　for　the　minute；
  but　it　is　impossible　for　a　mongoose　to　stay　frightened　for　any
  length　of　time；　and　though　Rikki…tikki　had　never　met　a　live　cobra
  before；　his　mother　had　fed　him　on　dead　ones；　and　he　knew　that　all
  a　grown　mongoose's　business　in　life　was　to　fight　and　eat　snakes。
  Nag　knew　that　too　and；　at　the　bottom　of　his　cold　heart；　he　was
  afraid。
  〃Well；〃　said　Rikki…tikki；　and　his　tail　began　to　fluff　up
  again；　〃marks　or　no　marks；　do　you　think　it　is　right　for　you　to　eat
  fledglings　out　of　a　nest？〃
  Nag　was　thinking　to　himself；　and　watching　the　least　little
  movement　in　the　grass　behind　Rikki…tikki。　　He　knew　that　mongooses
  in　the　garden　meant　death　sooner　or　later　for　him　and　his　family；
  but　he　wanted　to　get　Rikki…tikki　off　his　guard。　　So　he　dropped　his
  head　a　little；　and　put　it　on　one　side。
  〃Let　us　talk；〃　he　said。　　〃You　eat　eggs。　　Why　should　not　I　eat
  birds？〃
  〃Behind　you！　　Look　behind　you！〃　sang　Darzee。
  Rikki…tikki　knew　better　than　to　waste　time　in　staring。　　He
  jumped　up　in　the　air　as　high　as　he　could　go；　and　just　under　him
  whizzed　by　the　head　of　Nagaina；　Nag's　wicked　wife。　　She　had　crept
  up　behind　him　as　he　was　talking；　to　make　an　end　of　him。　　He　heard
  her　savage　hiss　as　the　stroke　missed。　　He　came　down　almost　across
  her　back；　and　if　he　had　been　an　old　mongoose　he　would　have　known
  that　then　was　the　time　to　break　her　back　with　one　bite；　but　he　was
  afraid　of　the　terrible　lashing　return　stroke　of　the　cobra。　　He
  bit；　indeed；　but　did　not　bite　long　enough；　and　he　jumped　clear　of
  the　whisking　tail；　leaving　Nagaina　torn　and　angry。
  〃Wicked；　wicked　Darzee！〃　said　Nag；　lashing　up　as　high　as　he
  could　reach　toward　the　nest　in　the　thorn…bush。　　But　Darzee　had
  bu