The Jungle Book · Chapter
Epigraph explained
The epigraph sets the scene for the stories to come, invoking the transition from day to night in the jungle and the creatures that emerge under cover of darkness.
What happens
The epigraph sets the scene for the stories to come, invoking the transition from day to night in the jungle and the creatures that emerge under cover of darkness. It emphasizes the power and law of the jungle, calling for good hunting among those who abide by the Jungle Law.
Themes in this chapter
Survival and Nature
The poem highlights the natural cycle of day and night, and the predatory instincts that come alive after dark, underscoring the theme of survival in the wild.
Humanity vs. Wilderness
The contrast between the safety of herds in 'byre and hut' and the freedom of wild creatures 'loosed till dawn' illustrates the boundary between human civilization and the untamed jungle.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“Now Rann, the Kite, brings home the night That Mang, the Bat, sets free— The herds are shut in byre and hut, For loosed till dawn are we.”
As the kite brings the night and the bat is released, the domestic animals are secured in their shelters while the wild animals are free to roam until morning.
This opening establishes the transition from day to night and the division between domestic and wild realms.
“This is the hour of pride and power, Talon and tush and claw. Oh, hear the call!—Good hunting all That keep the Jungle Law!”
This is the time for the strong and the predatory, using their natural weapons. Listen to the summons: may those who follow the Jungle Law have successful hunting.
The closing lines celebrate the power of predators and the code of the jungle that governs their actions.