The boy could climb almost as well as he could swim , and swim almost as well as he could run . So Baloo , the Teacher of the Law , taught him the Wood and Water Laws : how to tell a rotten branch from a sound one ; how to speak politely to the wild bees when he came upon a hive of them fifty feet above ground ; what to say to Mang the Bat when he disturbed him in the branches at midday ; and how to warn the water-snakes in the pools before he splashed down among them . None of the Jungle People like being disturbed , and all are very ready to fly at an intruder . Then , too , Mowgli was taught the Strangers ' Hunting Call , which must be repeated aloud till it is answered , whenever one of the Jungle-People hunts outside his own grounds . It means , translated , `` Give me leave to hunt here because I am hungry . '' And the answer is , `` Hunt then for food , but not for pleasure . '' All this will show you how much Mowgli had to learn by heart , and he grew very tired of saying the same thing over a hundred times . But , as Baloo said to Bagheera , one day when Mowgli had been cuffed and run off in a temper , `` A man 's cub is a man 's cub , and he must learn all the Law of the Jungle . '' `` But think how small he is , '' said the Black Panther , who would have spoiled Mowgli if he had had his own way . `` How can his little head carry all thy long talk ? '' `` Is there anything in the jungle too little to be killed ? No . That is why I teach him these things , and that is why I hit him , very softly , when he forgets . '' `` Softly ! What dost thou know of softness , old Iron-feet ? '' Bagheera grunted . `` His face is all bruised today by thy -- softness . Ugh . '' `` Better he should be bruised from head to foot by me who love him than that he should come to harm through ignorance , '' Baloo answered very earnestly . `` I am now teaching him the Master Words of the Jungle that shall protect him with the birds and the Snake People , and all that hunt on four feet , except his own pack .
He can now claim protection , if he will only remember the words , XXXXX all in the jungle .
above by for from in like of till upon with