That was the Ghaut of the village of Mugger-Ghaut . Night was falling fast over the fields of lentils and rice and cotton in the low-lying ground yearly flooded by the river ; over the reeds that fringed the elbow of the bend , and the tangled jungle of the grazing-grounds behind the still reeds . The parrots and crows , who had been chattering and shouting over their evening drink , had flown inland to roost , crossing the out-going battalions of the flying-foxes ; and cloud upon cloud of water-birds came whistling and `` honking '' to the cover of the reed-beds . There were geese , barrel-headed and black-backed , teal , widgeon , mallard , and sheldrake , with curlews , and here and there a flamingo . A lumbering Adjutant-crane brought up the rear , flying as though each slow stroke would be his last . `` Respect the aged ! Brahmins of the River -- respect the aged ! '' The Adjutant half turned his head , sheered a little in the direction of the voice , and landed stiffly on the sand-bar below the bridge . Then you saw what a ruffianly brute he really was . His back view was immensely respectable , for he stood nearly six feet high , and looked rather like a very proper bald-headed parson . In front it was different , for his Ally Sloper-like head and neck had not a feather to them , and there was a horrible raw-skin pouch on his neck under his chin -- a hold-all for the things his pick-axe beak might steal . His legs were long and thin and skinny , but he moved them delicately , and looked at them with pride as he preened down his ashy-gray tail-feathers , glanced over the smooth of his shoulder , and stiffened into `` Stand at attention . '' A mangy little Jackal , who had been yapping hungrily on a low bluff , cocked up his ears and tail , and scuttered across the shallows to join the Adjutant . He was the lowest of his caste -- not that the best of jackals are good for much , but this one was peculiarly low , being half a beggar , half a criminal -- a cleaner-up of village rubbish-heaps , desperately timid or wildly bold , everlastingly hungry , and full of cunning that never did him any good . `` Ugh ! '' he said , shaking himself dolefully as he landed . `` May the red mange destroy the dogs of this village ! I have three bites for each flea upon me , and all because I looked -- only looked , mark you -- at an old shoe in a cow-byre . Can I eat mud ? '' He scratched himself under his left ear .
`` I heard , '' said the XXXXX , in a voice like a blunt saw going through a thick board -- `` I HEARD there was a new-born puppy in that same shoe . ''
Adjutant Adjutant-crane Mugger-Ghaut jackals left mange rubbish-heaps shallows sheldrake yearly