Guide to the Characters in Kipling's The Jungle Book The Jungle Book: A Complete List of Characters written by: Elizabeth Wistrom • edited by: SForsyth • updated: 1/4/2012 The cast of characters from The Jungle Book are detailed in this informative article. Also included with the information about the characters is a brief synopsis for each chapter or story. slide 1 of 9 Written by Rudyard Kipling in 1894, The Jungle Book is actually a collection of stories. For this reason, the cast of characters from The Jungle Book must be divided according to the chapter or story they appear in. A brief synopsis of each chapter and detailed information about the characters is designed to improve comprehension for the reader. slide 2 of 9 Mowgli's Brothers This story depicts a young boy named Mowgli the Frog, who is raised by a pack of wolves after wandering into the den of a wolf family. He learns the ways of the jungle from two mentors - a bear named Baloo and a black panther named Bagheera - until he is eventually expelled from the pack in a power struggle between Akela and Shere Khan at the Council Rock.

The Jungle Book characters introduced in this first chapter, or story, will resurface later in subsequent stories. Father Wolf - This is who first encounters the man cub (later called Mowgli) in the jungle. Father Wolf brings the baby into the den, so that Mother Wolf can take a closer look. Mother Wolf - Also referred to as "Raksha" and "The Demon," she immediately bonds with the man cub (Mowgli) and becomes his protector. Tabaqui - The jackal. Also referred to as the "Dish-licker." The narrator explains that they are despised in India because they run around telling tales and acting mischievously but that they are also feared because the jackal has a tendency toward "dewanee" - or madness. Shere Khan - This is the tiger who is hunting the man cub. He has other names in the story, as well: The Big One and Lungri, which means "the Lame One." He is called the Lame One because he was born with one lame foot. Shere Kahn threatens to one day kill Mowgli. Mowgli - Named Mowgli the Frog, this human boy is the main character of the story.

He is raised by Mother Wolf, Father Wolf and their wolf pack. Akela - The great gray Lone Wolf is the leader of the Seeone Wolf Pack. Once strong and cunning, Akela has grown older and is therefore deemed weaker. While he initially agreed to include Mowgli in the pack, his authority is eventually challenged. Baloo - The narrator mentions that Baloo is the only animal besides the wolves who is allowed to take part in the pack meetings. This is because this gentle brown bear is responsible for teaching the young wolf cubs the laws and ways of the jungle. Bagheera - This black panther convinces the skeptical wolf pack to accept the man cub into its tribe for the price of a bull. The reader later learns that Bagheera was not born in the wild. Instead, he was born captive, and remained so until one day he realized that he belonged in the jungle, with his animal brothers. The panther explains that this is the reason he paid the price for Mowgli to join the wolf pack instead of being turned over to Shere Kahn - so that Mowgli may once again join the men who are his brothers.

Bagheera continues to take a special interest in Mowgli as he grows from a baby to a young boy. slide 3 of 9 Kaa's Hunting This second chapter or story takes a closer look Mowgli's childhood in the jungle - specifically, the lessons he received from Baloo and Bagheera on the ways of the jungle. While many in the cast of characters reappear here, several new ones are added. Bandar-Log - These are the gray apes who populate the jungle. They are also referred to as the Monkey People. Mowgli is taught that the animals of the jungle are forbidden from socializing with the Bandar-log, because of the way the Monkey People behave. Mowgli does not obey this lesson, and eventually the Bandar-log kidnap him because they want his continued attention and the status it gives to their kind. Jungle People - This phrase is used in reference to the various animals who make the jungle their home. Chil the Kite - This is the bird who helps Mowgli by pinpointing his whereabouts and alerting Baloo and Bagheera of the location. Kaa - The Python snake who is feared by many - especially by the Monkey People.

He joins forces with Baloo and Bagheera to rescue Mowgli. Poison People - This is the name given to the poisonous snakes inhabiting the jungle. slide 4 of 9 Tiger! Tiger! In this story, or chapter, the reader learns what happens after Mowgli is exiled from the wolf pack. Determined to return to his own people, Mowgli continues on until he encounters an Indian village far from the jungle where he had once lived. By chance, it is the village where his real mother and father live, and they are reunited. Once again, there are several new encounters in the cast of characters from The Jungle Book stories shared thus far. Messua - Mowgli's birth mother and wife to the richest man in the village. Nathoo - Mowgli's given name at birth. Gray Brother - This is the oldest of Mother Wolf's cubs. He finds Mowgli outside the village to warn him that Shere Khan has vowed to kill Mowgli. Buldeo - The old village hunter who likes to tell stories and tall tales. Rama - The great bull of the buffalo herd.

Mowgli uses Rama to herd the buffalo - and eventually to lead a stampede which kills Shere Khan. slide 5 of 9 The White Seal Here, the reader encounters an entirely new cast of characters as Kipling tells the story of a white seal named Kotick, who leads his brother seals to the safety of an island where man cannot reach them. Limmershin - A Winter Wren who the narrator befriends. It is from Limmershin that the narrator learns of the adventures of Kotick. Sea Catch - A fifteen year old, very large gray seal. The narrator tells the reader that Sea Catch is scarred from numerous fights defending his territory by the sea set aside for his nursery, but that he is also ready and capable of fighting again. Matkah - Sea Catch's wife. Kotick - Matkah's baby, Kotick is the main character of the story. Early on, Matkah realizes that her baby will have a white coat - which is quite an anomaly for the seals. Kerick Booterin - An Aleut, he is the chief of the seal hunters. Since white seals are quite rare, Kerick believes that Kotick may be the ghost of another white seal - Zaharrof.

Patalamon - Kerick's son. Patalamon learns from his father that Kotick may be bad luck because of his white coat. Sea Lion - Kotick meets Sea Lion after seeing many of his friends slaughtered on the beaches at a place called Sea Lion's Neck. Sea Lion points him toward a place called Walrus Inlet, and tells him to look for a walrus named Sea Vitch when he gets there. Sea Vitch - An old, large and ugly walrus. He tells Kotick he knows of no place without man, and suggests Kotick go speak to Sea Cow, for surely Sea Cow can lead him to such a place. slide 6 of 9 Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Rikki-tikki-tavi is a little mongoose befriended by a young boy and his parents. Rikki is one of the most lovable of The Jungle Book characters. A loyal pet, he saves the family on more than one occasion from a dangerous cobra and the cobra's wife. Rikki-tikki-tavi - The mongoose is the main character in the story. Teddy - The small boy who finds Rikki-tikki-tavi and cares for him.

Teddy's Mother (Alice) and Father - Each play small roles in the story. Darzee the Tailorbird - A friend of Rikki's. They meet after one of Darzee's babies falls out of the nest and is eaten by Nag. Darzee's Wife - A little wiser and braver than her husband, she helps Rikki trick Nagaina, the snake. Nag - The big, black cobra living in the yard who tries to kill the boy and his family. Nagaina - Nag's wife. She is described as being very wicked, however, her utmost concern is preserving her brood. Karait - The brown snake Rikki kills when it threatens Teddy. Chuchundra - A muskrat Rikki encounters who delivers a somber warning that those who kills snakes are destined for retaliation. Chua - Chuchundra's cousin, the rat. Chua is menitoned, but does not play a significant role in the story. slide 7 of 9 Toomai of the Elephants The Jungle Book characters in this chapter center around the story of Little Toomai, who helps his father care for the elephants used as service to the Indian Government.

One night, after seeing one of his favorite elephants - Kala Nag - slip away during the night, Little Toomai follows along. When they boy relays to the other elephant hunters what he saw at the end of the journey, he is saluted by one and all. Kala Nag - A service elephant for the Indian Government. Radha Pyari - Kala Nag's mother. Big Toomai - Kala Nag's driver - son of Black Toomai (who had caught Kala Nag), and grandson of Toomai of the Elephants (who had supervised the capture of Kala). Little Toomai - Big Toomai's 10 year old son, and the main character of the story. Little Toomai is privileged to see what very few have seen before - the dance of the elephants. Petersen Sahib - The head of the stockade (Keddah) operations, the narrator tells us that Petersen Sahib is in charge of catching all of the elephants the Indian Government uses for service. He is also a powerful white man, and for this reason, Little Toomai is afraid of him. Pudmini - The clever female elephant belonging to Petersen Sahib.

Machua Appa - The head elephant tracker. slide 8 of 9 Servants of the Queen In this last story, The Jungle Book characters are once again mainly animals. The human narrator is in Rawal Pinki to observe a review of thousands of troops including men, camels, elephants, horses, bullocks and mules for the Viceroy of India and his guest, King Amie of Afghanistan. He is sleeping in a makeshift tent for a night after being driven away from the army camp by a ruckus. While he is trying to sleep, the animals of the camp - who have also been driven away - unknowingly come upon him. The narrator is able to understand the animals as they commiserate about their roles as servants to the Indian Government. The Narrator - Little is said of him, other than he is an Englishman, and he has picked up the ability to understand camp animals language from the natives. Little Vixen - The narrator's fox terrier. Billy - An old battery mule who has also been driven away from the camp for the night by the noise and upset.

Gun Bullocks - Oxen bulls used on the front lines to drag the large gun cannons when the elephants are too afraid to go any closer. Two of these bullocks talk with the other animals as they spend the night away from their lines. Two Tails - Camp slang for elephants, for they have a "tail at each end." (p. 207) Haybale - A camel to whom Billy spends the night talking with. Australia - The troop horse who also joins in the conversation. slide 9 of 9 Readers were most likely both enthralled and entertained by the cast of characters from The Jungle Book stories Kipling shared, for the wilds of India and the jungle were popular motifs of the time. This fascination still rings true today and explains the continuing popularity of this classic novel. ◄ ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ► Kipling, Rudyard. The Jungle Book. Mahwah, New Jersey. 1980 Watermill Press. Image is Author's own The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. Search eText, Read Online, Study, Discuss. I've heard the newer versions are revised and edited for children- to be less violent and easier to understand.

Does anyone know which versions are the original and which are revised? Thanks alot Posted By tom90022 at Wed 21 Jun 2006, 3:01 AM in The Jungle Book || 1 Reply Really need to understand Abridgement I really need someone to expalin to me why books are abridged. In particular the Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. I read the scholastic version which greatly shortened the length of the novel. It left out tales such as the white seal. I really want to understand why they do this and how it can be legal to simply dumb down a classic story and publish it for profit. I'm studying to become a teacher and I'd really like to be able to explain to my student why I prefer that they read the original version. If anyone can help I'd really appreciate it.

Posted By sassypengeduin at Tue 14 Mar 2006, 2:00 AM in The Jungle Book || 3 Replies Animals I have always been a fan of this book in particular, even if only for the difference between the animals society and the supposedly civilised human society, and the fact that if were all raised to love and respect all animals and our environment, we would be happier. My favourite animal would have to be Shere khan the tiger, I named my son after him :nod: (my son is now 1yr and he growls so he is well named) Posted By faery faun at Sun 12 Mar 2006, 1:59 AM in The Jungle Book || 8 Replies I wondered if any of the locations in the jungle book are based on real pendants in todays india, bangladesh or myanmar. thanks for sharing knowledge... kipling animals i am currently tutoring a 10 year old mexican child in english reading and speaking. reading the Jungle Book has convinced her that the story couldn't possibly be set in India because, as she pointed out - there are no bears and wolves in India.

She is also convinced that Kaa is an anaconda and not a python. where can we find a source to disspel these notions? even the tiger and elephant arguments do not seem to convince her that we're in India, and not in, say, south america or god knows where. Posted By paul at Tue 24 May 2005, 10:07 PM in The Jungle Book || 7 Replies How do you pronounce all the characters names, especially MOWGLI? Posted By Joe at Wed 6 Nov 2002, 6:00 AM in The Jungle Book || 6 Replies No Subject The stunning thing about this work is Kiplings diverse research into the area. The real existence however, of children raised by wolves in Imperialist Indian Jungle, was a sinister one, which makes this book so much more fantasticly fictional. Although it is a westernised view of life, and, in fact, alot of his subjects he standerdised, are in fact Indian taboos, "laws of the jungle" etc. The book is vivid and emotive and if writen for an older audience, could be a wonderful exploration into the fundimentals of human psychlogy.

This is a book that can be shared by all and it is wonderful that is recoginzed the world over. Posted By Jessica Quinnell at Tue 24 May 2005, 10:07 PM in The Jungle Book || 0 Replies Kipling's work, "The jungle book" is one of my favorites which involves such imagination that if you think about it, anyone may want to have the gift to talk to animals. Posted By Ariel at Tue 24 May 2005, 10:07 PM in The Jungle Book || 0 Replies No Subject I very much enjoyed reading this work by Kipling, however, I found the transition into the stories beginning with the white seal to be confusing. That is not to say I was not just as immersed in them as I was with the first part of the book, only that I did not feel what connection these stories had to the Mowgli of the book's beginning. Posted By T at Tue 24 May 2005, 10:07 PM in The Jungle Book || 1 Reply No Subject This work was eceptionaly great. It had an imaginative text which only enhanced its already wonderful storyline.

The characters were shown though their actions throughout the book. The great imagination of Kipling provides all readers with a strong perspective of this extravagent piece. This is really a wonderful work of Kipling. For me it is matter of proud because this story is of course related with central high lands of India, i live in same geographical part of central India. Posted By Unregistered at Tue 24 May 2005, 10:07 PM in The Jungle Book || 0 Replies Kaa | Disney Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia “It's like you said... You can't trust anyone!” ―Kaa to Mowgli Kaa is a sly and seductive character, speaking with a soft, often entrancing tone to either lure his victims into a weary, dreamlike state or manipulate them into bestowing their trust, thus allowing him to devour them unexpectedly. He furthers this by the use of his iconic ability to hypnotize his prey with his eyes, rendering them enchanted and under his command. A powerful and dangerous ability, Kaa is a feared member of the jungle, as evidenced by his interaction with the often composed and fearless Bagheera .

Such fear, however, does not resonate with the unofficial ruler of the jungle, Shere Khan the tiger, who Kaa holds a disliking for, believing the act of killing for pleasure, as opposed to survival, to be dishonorable. The two beasts are often at odds, though Shere Khan views Kaa as an "eyes and ears" of the jungle, relying on him to assist his quest in finding Mowgli at one point in the film, though the manipulative Kaa was able to steer even Khan in the wrong direction, further showcasing his intelligence. While not as cruel and bloodthirsty as Shere Khan, Kaa is still a fairly villainous character. His first attempt to devour Mowgli was a casual means to eat and survive, but over time, his goal to eat the man-cub was mainly driven out of spite, evidenced by his lines "Just you wait 'till I get you in my coils!" Furthermore, he is perfectly willing to kill those who get in the way of his meals, as seen when he sadistically tormented, and nearly killed, Bagheera.

Though dangerous and cunning, Kaa is not without his faults, as he can be clumsy and easily sidetracked from his primary objective: to kill and eat Mowgli. This results in his interactions with the man-cub to often end in humiliation to some degree. Designs Kaa is a python that has grown to be extremely large in width. He was animated by Frank Thomas in his entrance appearance where he first met Mowgli and nearly ate him. Later on in the film, he was animated by Milt Kahl whose design for Kaa may be more iconic, being that his scene was longer and included his trademark song and Shere Khan's talk with the snake. Kaa also has a slight Wile E. Coyote-like facial expression. Abilities Hypnosis/Mind Control: Kaa's most infamous power is his unique ability to hypnotize anyone through eye contact and make others follow his commands. This ability also works when someone sees his reflection in the water. Though despite this, it is implied that certain individuals of high willpower (or simply intelligence) can resist his hypnosis (as displayed by Shere Khan). Appearances The Jungle Book Kaa in The Jungle Book.

Kaa comes across Mowgli and Bagheera in the branches of a large tree that the pair has chosen to spend the night in. As Bagheera is nearly asleep, he is unaware of Kaa as he investigates Mowgli. Annoyed, Mowgli angrily tells Kaa to leave him alone. Bagheera sleepily orders Mowgli to go to sleep, as he has assumed Mowgli was speaking to him. Kaa decides to take advantage of the situation, and hypnotizes Mowgli, wrapping the boy in his coils, with the intent of devouring him. During the hypnosis and coiling, Mowgli tries to call for help but is silenced when Kaa wraps and tightens Mowgli's neck with his tail and then squeezes the boy with all his coils, from legs to neck. But Mowgli's struggles awaken Bagheera, and he is able to rescue Mowgli by hitting Kaa in the face just before Mowgli is eaten. However, Kaa is angered by the interference and begins to hypnotize Bagheera.

By now, the coils around Mowgli unravel and he has awakened, and he shoves Kaa's massive coils off the branch, resulting in Kaa falling to the ground in a heap. While Mowgli awakens Bagheera by slapping him, Kaa begins to slither off, swearing revenge. However, his slithering is inhibited by a knot in his tail, which Mowgli laughs at. Kaa later reappears coming across the now bitter Mowgli, who is lost in the jungle. He tries to hypnotize Mowgli again, who has learned from his last encounter and is wary of the snake. Mowgli tries to leave, with the response that he doesn't trust anyone. However, Kaa uses the boy's desire to stay in the jungle as a means of gaining his trust. Kaa is able to hypnotize Mowgli again and sleepwalk him into his coils while singing the song " Trust in Me ". Before Kaa can devour Mowgli, Shere Khan stops by after hearing Kaa's singing. As Shere Khan is looking for Mowgli, Kaa is forced to hide the boy.

Kaa is able to trick Shere Khan into believing that Mowgli is nowhere in the area, despite Shere Khan choosing to inspect Kaa's coils. Shere Khan walks off to continue the search, leaving Kaa safe to admit his disgust for the tiger. When Kaa shivers after seeing the tiger walk off, his coils unravel like before and Mowgli awakens. Kaa takes a moment to pity the helpless Mowgli but reverts once he remembers his own intentions. At that point, Mowgli is able to push Kaa's coils to the ground. On the ground, Mowgli confronts Kaa and accuses the python of lying, which he wasn't. Kaa, assuring Mowgli that he indeed can't trust anyone, moves in to attack, but is once again stopped by a knot in his tail. Seeing Mowgli run off, Kaa apparently gives up trying to catch him as he slithers off again. The Jungle Book 2 Kaa in The Jungle Book 2. Kaa returned once again as the secondary antagonist and plays a relatively smaller role in the sequel than he did in the 1967 film.

One night, Kaa appears when Mowgli meets up with Baloo near the beginning of the film. Like before, Kaa attempts to eat Mowgli but faces many accidents and injuries as he pursues them. Mowgli and Baloo remain unaware of Kaa's presence, and the two walk away unharmed. Kaa angrily states that he never wants to see another Man-Cub again, but changes his mind after he comes across Shanti . Kaa manages to corner and hypnotizes the young girl. Before he can eat her, Shanti is saved by Ranjan , who pulls Shanti out of the way, beats up Kaa with a large stick which resulted in him swallowing down a large rock which Shanti was standing on and sends him sliding down a cliff to a coconut tree after Ranjan scares him. He is then encountered by Shere Khan in his search for Mowgli; Khan believes that Kaa knows about Mowgli's whereabouts (after hearing him say "man-cub"), but truthfully, Kaa has no idea where Mowgli is; but Shere Khan won't believe him and continues to threaten the python.

To stop angering Khan, Kaa fearfully lies to the tiger that Mowgli is at the swamp, allowing him to flee. He isn't seen again for the rest of the film but is mentioned by Shere Khan when he arrives at the swamp where Mowgli is nowhere to be seen and angrily splashes the water saying "That snake lied to me!". Jungle Cubs Kaa in Jungle Cubs. Kaa appeared as a much younger snake in the Jungle Cubs, with Baloo , Bagheera , Colonel Hathi , King Louie and Shere Khan . Unlike the movie, he is a protagonist, which interestingly, actually follows the original story, unlike the film. As a younger snake, Kaa has yet to master hypnosis at his young age, usually failing or hypnotizing the wrong person by mistake. Kaa is more of the cowardly friend in the group, often being doubtful when an adventure is at hand. Most of the time, his fearfulness can be understandable, being that the children often find themselves in some of the most dangerous predicaments in their jungle. Kaa is often seen attempting to eat a local shrew with a wise-cracking persona.

However, as the shrew is too clever for the snake, he ultimately fails in the end. Many episodes revolve around Kaa, including one where his birthday arrived, and yet everyone forgot. To make up for it, they acted as if his hypnotism was excellent and pretended to be in trances. In the end, however, Kaa discovers this and breaks down. His friends comfort him and apologize, leaving all to be well. In the Jungle Cubs: Born to Be Wild DVD, Kaa, as an adult, was the first character to be revisited by Baloo, Mowgli, and Bagheera. Here, he attempts to devour Mowgli whilst he rested, but Baloo foiled the snake by grabbing his tail and throwing him into a gorge. House of Mouse Kaa in Mickey's House of Villain. Kaa makes several cameos in the show House of Mouse . In the episode "Ask Von Drake", he is seen being threatened by Shere Khan while Ludwig Von Drake sings a song. In "Turkey Day", Kaa was seen attempting to devour Mowgli after not receiving a turkey for dinner.

In "Jiminy Cricket", he is seen sitting at a table with Baloo, Mowgli, Shere Khan and Bagheera. In "Max's Embarrassing Date", he is seen sitting a table with Sir Hiss. In "Goofy's Menu Magic", Kaa is seen having coiled and hypnotized Mowgli when Mickey mentioned the guests were getting hungry. In Mickey's House of Villains , Kaa joins his fellow villains in taking over the House of Mouse on Halloween. He joins in the hostile takeover during the song " It's Our House Now! ", while attempting to hypnotize Minnie, during which he briefly reprises "Trust in Me". He later stands by Jafar 's side when he battles Mickey and soon enough flees with the other villains when Mickey and his friends defeat Jafar. Cameos A snake-like character resembling Kaa made a cameo during the final scene of Who Framed Roger Rabbit , with the other Disney characters. Live-action appearances Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book Kaa in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. A far more menacing incarnation of the character appeared in the 1994 live-action adaptation.

He was brought to life using an anaconda but the bulk of his appearances were made using a mixture of CGI and animatronics. Kaa seemed to serve King Louie , killing any intruders to the city when the orangutan clapped his hands 9 times to summon him. Kaa attacked Mowgli inside the monkey city by tackling him into the moat and attempted to drown him, but Mowgli wounded him with a bejeweled dagger, the python is then seen fleeing in a cloud of his blood. By the time Mowgli returns to the city with Captain William Boone (the main villain of the film) and Kitty , Kaa has fully healed from their prior confrontation. Mowgli flees with Kitty when he hears King Louie summoning the snake. Boone starts gathering as much treasure as he can, but suddenly notices that the monkeys have gone silent; Kaa suddenly appears, then scares the injured Boone into the moat, where the heavy load of treasure he is carrying weighs him straight to the bottom in a cloud of his own blood. Desperately trying to struggle free, Boone sees the skeletal remains of Kaa's past victims, just seconds before the villain finally meets his death by the snake.

The most likely reason for this change in adaptation is because, in the original story of The Jungle Book, the treasure within the monkey city was guarded by a cobra. The Jungle Book (2016) Kaa in the 2016 film. Kaa appears in the 2016 live-action film adaptation as the tertiary antagonist. Unlike in the previous adaptations, this incarnation of Kaa is a female, voiced by Scarlett Johansson . In this version, she is depicted as a Reticulated python (due to the fact that she is, even more, longer). Kaa first appears when Mowgli stumbles upon her territory deep in the forest, after he is separated from Bagheera by the evil tiger named Shere Khan, where he discovers her shed snakeskin. After climbing into the trees and chasing animals that stole his food, Kaa begins to speak to him from above the trees before revealing herself to him. Luring him in by promising to keep him safe, Kaa hypnotizes him and reveals that Mowgli came to live in the jungle because Shere Khan killed his father as they were traveling between villages, and that Bagheera later found Mowgli and brought him over to the wolves for protection.

She also reveals to him the power of the "Red Flower" (fire) and its dangers in her vision. During her storytelling, she attempts to devour him, but a passing sloth bear named Baloo attacks Kaa and rescues Mowgli, freeing him in the process. Kaa isn't seen again for the rest of the film; it is unknown if Baloo killed her or she went away and never came back. During the end credits however, she is heard singing her song, "Trust in Me". Video games Kaa is one of the characters set to be part of Garden of the Twelve Friends at Shanghai Disneyland , representing the Chinese Zodiac symbol of the Snake. Gallery The Disney Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Kaa . Trivia In the original book by Rudyard Kipling , Kaa was one of Mowgli's friends and his wisest mentor. Throughout the book, Kaa was quite loyal to Mowgli and very protective of him, but in the film and following appearances, Kaa is a dangerous threat to Mowgli's life. The reason Kaa is an antagonist is because Walt Disney found it hard to believe that a snake would be well received as a protagonist.

Ironically, Kaa has proven to be one of the movie's most popular characters, and one of Disney's most recognizable villains. Interestingly enough, the incarnation of the character in Jungle Cubs is by far the most accurate depiction of said character when compared to the original novels. Despite popular belief, Kaa is not a henchman to Shere Khan , being the fact that he does none of his evil biddings and the two appear to dislike each other. In the books and movies, Kaa is depicted as being an Indian Rock Python (Python molurus), a species that usually grows to 3 meters (9.8 feet). Kaa, however, is closer to 9 meters (30 feet long), much larger than normal for his/her species. The only snakes capable of reaching such sizes, in reality, are Green Anacondas and Reticulated Pythons, both of which can grow to such lengths and weigh from 200-500 lb. In the book, Kaa was able to hypnotize via dancing. Whereas in the Disney films, he does so via colorful spirals in his eyes.

But in the book, humans are immune to Kaa's hypnosis while in the films his hypnotic powers appear to work on anyone who looks directly into his eyes. In the 2016 film, Kaa's hypnosis via color-changing patterns in her eyes remains and is further augmented with undefined psychic powers, as Kaa is able to show Mowgli a vision of the man cub's past. Kaa means "snake" in Hindi. Kaa is the second character who was originally voiced by Sterling Holloway and later taken over by Hal Smith and then Jim Cummings . Holloway also voiced Winnie the Pooh , another Disney character played by Jim Cummings. Coincidentally, when Jim Cummings voiced Kaa in the Jungle Book 2, he sounded like Pooh. Although Kaa is colored golden yellow in the original film and all of his other animated appearances, in The Jungle Book 2 however, he was a shade of green. Kaa was seen in concept art for the attraction Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom over at Walt Disney World , but did not appear in the finished project.

During one of the attempts at the classic musical number " The Bare Necessities " from the second film, two prickly pears land on Kaa's head and one tiny pear on his nose, making him look like Mickey Mouse . This could possibly be an example of a Hidden Mickey . Though Kaa was not one of the ringleader villains in Mickey's House of Villains , he is featured on the cover of the DVD and VHS. However, he does assist in kicking Mickey and Minnie out of the club. Kaa is the only Disney villain voiced by Sterling Holloway. The other Disney characters Holloway voiced were protagonists (or anti-heroes, as with the Cheshire Cat ). Even though Kaa is thought of as a villain, he is not actually malevolent as, like real life predators, Kaa simply desires to eat Mowgli for survival rather than selfish goals. So basically, he's doing what nature intended for him to do. Even though Kaa wants to eat Mowgli in the films, real life pythons do not usually view humans as a part of their food chain or prey in any way and usually do not attack humans unless threatened or provoked.

Moreover, real Indian Rock Pythons are too small to eat a human; only the closely related Reticulated Python, African Rock Python, and the Green Anaconda are known to have tried to eat humans. Kaa is changed into a Reticulated python, due to the fact that she is even longer. Kaa's hypnosis faculty appear to be increased in 2016 film as he is able to see the past of Mowgli. Kaa is the second Disney character to be gender-swapped in the live-action version of their film. He was preceded by Jaq , who was a female mouse called Jacqueline in the 2015 version of Cinderella . The decision to make Kaa a female in the 2016 film was based on the need for gender diversity within the primarily male-driven cast of the 1967 animated film. [1] External links The Jungle Book Summary - eNotes.com The Jungle Book Summary Trivia The Jungle Book Summary In The Jungle Book, a young boy named Mowgli becomes a member of the Seeonee Wolf Pack. A cruel tiger named Shere Khan plots against Mowgli and the leader of his pack, Akela.

When Mowgli grows up, he realizes that he must rejoin the ranks of men. Mowgli strays from his village one day. After being attacked by Shere Khan, he's saved by Father Wolf, who asks Akela, the leader of the wolves, to accept Mowgli as a member of the pack. Mowgli briefly returns to the world of men, but leaves after he learns that Shere Khan has been plotting against Akela. He defeats the tiger, but knows that someday he will rejoin the man-pack. A python named Kaa takes Mowgli down to the Cold Lairs, where he steals an ankus. He discards the ankus, fearing its deadly curse. This results in the death of six men. After this incident, Mowgli becomes unhappy and gradually drifts toward the world of men. link Link Shere Khan, the tiger, pursues a small Indian boy who strays from his native village, but Shere Khan is lame and misses his leap upon the child. When Father Wolf takes the boy home with him to show to Mother Wolf, Shere Khan follows and demands the child as his quarry. Mother Wolf refuses. The tiger retires in anger.

Mowgli, the frog, for such he is named, is reared by Mother Wolf along with her own cubs. Father Wolf takes Mowgli to the Council Rock to be recognized by the wolves. Bagheera, the panther, and Baloo, the bear, speak for Mowgli’s acceptance into the Seeonee wolf pack. Therefore, Mowgli becomes a wolf. Baloo becomes Mowgli’s teacher and instructs him in the lore of the jungle. Mowgli learns to speak the languages of all the jungle people. Throughout his early life, the threat of Shere Khan hangs over him, but Mowgli is certain of his place in the pack and of his friends’ protection; someday when Akela, the leader of the wolves, misses his kill, the pack will turn on him and Mowgli. Bagheera tells Mowgli to get the Red Flower, or fire, from the village to protect himself. When Akela misses his quarry one night and is about to be deposed and killed, Mowgli attacks all of the mutual enemies with his fire sticks and threatens to destroy anyone who molests Akela.

That night, Mowgli realizes that the jungle is no place for him, and that someday he will go to live with men. That time, however, is still far off. One day, Mowgli climbs a tree and makes friends with the Bandar-Log, the monkey tribe, who because of their stupidity and vanity are despised by the other jungle people. When the Bandar-Log carries off Mowgli, Bagheera and Baloo go in pursuit, taking along Kaa, the rock python, who loves to eat monkeys. Mowgli is rescued at the old ruined city of the Cold Lairs by the three pursuers, and Kaa feasts royally upon monkey meat. One year during a severe drought in the jungle, Hathi the elephant proclaims the water truce; all animals are allowed to drink at the water hole unmolested. Shere Khan announces to the animals gathered there one day that he killed a man, not for food but from choice. The other animals are shocked. Hathi allows the tiger to drink and then tells him to be off. Then Hathi tells the story of how fear came to the jungle and why the tiger is striped.

It is the tiger who first kills man and earns the human tribe’s unrelenting enmity; for his deed, the tiger is condemned to wear stripes. For one day a year, the tiger is not afraid of man and can kill him. This day is called, among jungle people, the Night of the Tiger. One day, Mowgli wanders close to a native village, where he is adopted by Messua, a woman who lost her son some years before. Mowgli becomes a watcher of the village herds; from time to time, he meets Gray Wolf, his brother, and hears the news of the jungle.... (The entire section is 1166 words.) Get Free Access Start your free trial with eNotes for complete access to this resource and thousands more. 30,000+ Study Guides Save time with thousands of teacher-approved book and topic summaries. Get Homework Help Ask real teachers questions on any subject or search 300,000+ answers. On the Go Access Are you a teacher or educator? Find out about our Teacher’s Edition .

More Content: Summary (hide) The Jungle Book is a collection of stories that relate the experiences of a human child, Mowgli, who is adopted and raised by wolves... (The entire section is 209 words.) Get Free Access Book 1 Mowgli’s Brothers Shere Khan the tiger has hunted a man cub, but the wolves have adopted him as their own and named him Mowgli (the frog). As Mowgli grows up, he is guided by Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther, who supported Mowgli’s wolf parents in their desire to raise Mowgli. Bagheera, who had been raised by man, teaches Mowgli how to retain his humanity and warns him that some day he must go back to the village. When Akela misses a kill, Shere Khan and the young wolves he has flattered demand that Mowgli be given to him. Mowgli threatens the tiger with the Red Flower (fire), his one fear. Shere Khan backs down, but Mowgli knows that he must leave the jungle and return to the world of men.

Kaa’s Hunting The Bander-log (monkey tribe) kidnap Mowgli, carry him far into the jungle, and hold him prisoner. Bagheera and Baloo fear that they are not strong enough to fight the entire Bander-log, so they appeal to Kaa the serpent. Kaa agrees reluctantly, and the three follow the directions of Mang the Bat. They find the tribe and attack, though it is Kaa who causes the monkeys to fear and flee. In gratitude, Mowgli promises to drive goats toward Kaa should the serpent ever be hungry. Tiger! Tiger! Mowgli leaves the wolf pack and returns to the village. He is met with suspicion but is adopted by Messua and her husband, who think Mowgli is Nathoo, the child they lost to Shere Kahn. Messua examines Mowgli carefully and realizes that it is unlikely that he is Nathoo, but she is determined to raise him as her own anyway. Mowgli has trouble adjusting to life in the village. The hunter Buldeo is especially antagonistic to him and sets him herding cattle. Mowgli’s brother wolf, Grey Cub, tells Mowgli that Shere Khan is nearby in a ravine.

Mowgli herds the cattle into the ravine, trapping the tiger. The cattle trample Shere Khan to death, and Mowgli skins him. Buldeo arrives and tries to claim the skin. Mowgli orders Grey Cub to attack Buldeo, who returns to the village claiming that Mowgli is a sorcerer. Mowgli is driven out of the village and returns to the wolf pack, bringing Shere Khan’s skin with him. The White Seal Kotick is a white fur seal born on an island in the Bering Sea. The island is crowded year after year when the seals come to mate before heading south for the winter. Kotick discovers that hunters round up hundreds of seals each year. He wishes to find someplace where there are no men. He travels the seas until he finds a Sea Cow who tells him of a prophecy that a white seal would come out of the north and lead the seals to a safe haven. He leads him to a place than can be reached only by an underwater tunnel. Kotick believes he has found his haven, and he returns to his home and tries to convince the others to follow him. He meets resistance and engages in many fights.

At last some of the older seals and the young “bachelor” seals agree to follow him. They swim to their new home of peace and safety, with Kotick the White Seal as their leader. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Rikki-tikki-tavi, a mongoose in India, is washed out of his burrow and rescued by an English family. His curiosity keeps him constantly busy, and he discovers a cobra, Nag, and his wife, Nagaina. Rikki kills another snake named Karait, who is equally as poisonous as a cobra. Rikki mocks the cobras, so the snakes plan to kill the humans so that Rikki will leave when the house is empty. Rikki overhears their plans and kills Nag in the bathroom. Rikki learns that the cobras’ eggs will soon hatch, so he destroys them and goes after the grieving Nagaina on her way to kill the boy Teddy in revenge. After a fierce struggle, Rikki kills Nagaina, securing the safety of the home for the grateful humans. Toomai of the Elephants Little Toomai follows his father, Big Toomai, as he serves the English elephant hunter, Petersen Sahib.

As the elephants are put into the keddah (corral), Little Toomai sees that one of the other elephant tenders has dropped his lead rope. Little Toomai jumps down from his elephant, grabs the rope, and returns it to the tender. Big Toomai is furious with his son for endangering himself among the elephants. Petersen Sahib, however, rewards him for his courage but tells him that he will not be able to go into the keddah until he has seen the elephants dance (an Indian metaphor for “never”). One night, Little Toomai follows his elephant, Kala Nag, into the jungle. They reach a clearing where many elephants are marching—“dancing”—around the space to make it bigger. Little Toomai returns to the camp and tells what he has seen. Petersen Sahib examines the place and realizes that the boy is telling the truth. Little Toomai is celebrated by man and elephant alike, being proclaimed a future elephant hunter, “Toomai of the Elephants.” Servants of the Queen The human narrator is traveling with the British army in Afghanistan when he is driven from his tent by a camel stampede and finds shelter under a gun.

He is joined by several animals: a troop horse, a mule, two gun bullocks, and a camel. The camel explains that he started the stampede due to bad dreams. This leads to a conversation among the animals of their differing roles in the military; each claims to possess some special skill that makes him indispensible. They are interrupted by an elephant chained nearby who explains that he is afraid of things like the big guns near the battle as well as the narrator’s little dog. From this, the animals discuss their fears. The next morning after the rain, the troops and animals go on parade, with the narrator standing with the viceroy of India and the Amir of... (The entire section is 2370 words.)

Question: What is the name of the python in Rudyard Kipling’s novel ‘The Jungle Book’?
Answer: Kaa