`` I was born in the jungle . I have obeyed the Law of the Jungle , and there is no wolf of ours from whose paws I have not pulled a thorn . Surely they are my brothers ! '' Bagheera stretched himself at full length and half shut his eyes . `` Little Brother , '' said he , `` feel under my jaw . '' Mowgli put up his strong brown hand , and just under Bagheera 's silky chin , where the giant rolling muscles were all hid by the glossy hair , he came upon a little bald spot . `` There is no one in the jungle that knows that I , Bagheera , carry that mark -- the mark of the collar ; and yet , Little Brother , I was born among men , and it was among men that my mother died -- in the cages of the king 's palace at Oodeypore . It was because of this that I paid the price for thee at the Council when thou wast a little naked cub . Yes , I too was born among men . I had never seen the jungle . They fed me behind bars from an iron pan till one night I felt that I was Bagheera -- the Panther -- and no man 's plaything , and I broke the silly lock with one blow of my paw and came away . And because I had learned the ways of men , I became more terrible in the jungle than Shere Khan . Is it not so ? '' `` Yes , '' said Mowgli , `` all the jungle fear Bagheera -- all except Mowgli . '' `` Oh , thou art a man 's cub , '' said the Black Panther very tenderly . `` And even as I returned to my jungle , so thou must go back to men at last -- to the men who are thy brothers -- if thou art not killed in the Council . '' `` But why -- but why should any wish to kill me ? '' said Mowgli . `` Look at me , '' said Bagheera . And Mowgli looked at him steadily between the eyes .
The big panther turned his head away XXXXX half a minute .
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