Mowgli (Disney)

"Many strange legends are told of these jungles of India, but none so strange as the story of a small boy named Mowgli."

- Bagheera

Mowgli ( /ˈmaʊɡli/), commonly referred to as the Man-Cub, is the main protagonist in the 1967 Disney film The Jungle Book and its 2003 sequel, The Jungle Book 2.

The Jungle Book
Mowgli is first seen as an infant lying in a basket in the remains of a boat deep in the Indian jungle. He is found by a panther named Bagheera and taken to a wolf pack where he is cared for by Raksha and her mate Rama alongside their own cubs.

10 years later, a tiger named Shere Khan arrives in the area of the jungle where the pack live. Knowing of Shere Khan's hatred of man, the pack's leader Akela, fearing for Mowgli's safety, decides that he should be sent away. Bagheera suggests taking Mowgli to a nearby Man Village, which Akela agrees to. Later, Bagheera begins to escourt Mowgli to the Man Village, before napping in a tree. However as Bagheera sleeps, a python named Kaa hypnotises Mowgli and tries to eat him, only for Bagheera to wake up and save Mowgli. Angered, Kaa then hypnotieses Bagheera, but Mowgli saves him by pushing Kaa off the tree, sending the python falling to the ground and swearing vengence. After this, Mowgli and Bagheera go back to sleep.

The following morning, Mowgli is awoken by Colonel Hathi's patrol and soon befriends Hathi's son Hathi Jr.. Afterwards, Mowgli and Bagheera get into an argument over Mowgli refusing to leave the jungle and go their seperate ways. After wandering on his own, Mowgli meets and befriends a bear named Baloo, who sings "The Bare Necessities". Later, whilst swimming in a river with Baloo, Mowgli is taken by a group of monkeys and is taken to their leader, an orangutan named King Louie, who says that he can help Mowgli stay in the jungle if Mowgli teaches him how to make fire. However, Mowgli does not know how to make fire. Luckily, Baloo and Bagheera soon arrive and save Mowgli. Later that night as Mowgli sleeps, Baloo agrees with Bagheera that Mowgli should go to the Man Village. The next day, Baloo reveals to Mowgli that he has to take him to the Man Village, much to Mowgli's dismay, who storms off.

Mowgli then runs into Kaa, who tries to eat him again, only to be distracted by Shere Khan, who wishes to know Mowgli's whereabouts. Mowgli later meets and befriends a group of vultures before encountering Shere Khan. With help from Baloo and the vultures, Mowgli manages to defeat Shere Khan by tying a burning branch onto his tail, causing the tiger to flee. Mowgli then moarns an apparently dead Baloo, who had been attacked by Shere Khan. However much to Mowgli's happiness, Baloo is alive.

Later whilst travelling through the jungle with Baloo and Bagheera, Mowgli hears singing and follows the sound. He finds a girl around his age collecting water for the Man Village. Smitten by the girl, Mowgli helps her collect water and decides to go with her to live in the Man Village as Baloo and Bagheera watch on.

Quotes

 * "You Don't scare me. I don't run from anyone." - facing Shere Khan.
 * "WOOO-OOO-WOOOOOOOOOO!" - Mowgli's wolf call.
 * "Yeah man!" - most common

Trivia

 * Like Tarzan, and George of the Jungle, Mowgli's raised by animals.