Of course , Kaa could have crushed a dozen Mowglis if he had let himself go ; but he played carefully , and never loosed one-tenth of his power . Ever since Mowgli was strong enough to endure a little rough handling , Kaa had taught him this game , and it suppled his limbs as nothing else could . Sometimes Mowgli would stand lapped almost to his throat in Kaa 's shifting coils , striving to get one arm free and catch him by the throat . Then Kaa would give way limply , and Mowgli , with both quick-moving feet , would try to cramp the purchase of that huge tail as it flung backward feeling for a rock or a stump . They would rock to and fro , head to head , each waiting for his chance , till the beautiful , statue-like group melted in a whirl of black-and-yellow coils and struggling legs and arms , to rise up again and again . `` Now ! now ! now ! '' said Kaa , making feints with his head that even Mowgli 's quick hand could not turn aside . `` Look ! I touch thee here , Little Brother ! Here , and here ! Are thy hands numb ? Here again ! '' The game always ended in one way -- with a straight , driving blow of the head that knocked the boy over and over . Mowgli could never learn the guard for that lightning lunge , and , as Kaa said , there was not the least use in trying . `` Good hunting ! '' Kaa grunted at last ; and Mowgli , as usual , was shot away half a dozen yards , gasping and laughing . He rose with his fingers full of grass , and followed Kaa to the wise snake 's pet bathing-place -- a deep , pitchy-black pool surrounded with rocks , and made interesting by sunken tree-stumps . The boy slipped in , Jungle-fashion , without a sound , and dived across ; rose , too , without a sound , and turned on his back , his arms behind his head , watching the moon rising above the rocks , and breaking up her reflection in the water with his toes .
Kaa 's diamond-shaped head cut the pool like a razor , and came out to rest on XXXXX 's shoulder .
Brother Jungle-fashion Mowgli Mowglis bathing-place feints fro lightning one-tenth tree-stumps