Now this is the Law of the Jungle — as old and as true as the sky; And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the Wolf that shall break it must die.
As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk the Law runneth forward and back —
For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.
Wash daily from nose-tip to tail-tip; drink deeply, but never too deep;
And remember the night is for hunting, and forget not the day is for sleep.
The Jackal may follow the Tiger, but, Cub, when thy whiskers are grown,
Remember the Wolf is a Hunter — go forth and get food of thine own.
Keep peace with the Lords of the Jungle — the Tiger, the Panther, and Bear.
And trouble not Hathi the Silent, and mock not the Boar in his lair.
When Pack meets with Pack in the Jungle, and neither will go from the trail,
Lie down till the leaders have spoken — it may be fair words shall prevail.
When ye fight with a Wolf of the Pack, ye must fight him alone and afar,
Lest others take part in the quarrel, and the Pack be diminished by war.
The Lair of the Wolf is his refuge, and where he has made him his home,
Not even the Head Wolf may enter, not even the Council may come.
The Lair of the Wolf is his refuge, but where he has digged it too plain,
The Council shall send him a message, and so he shall change it again.
If ye kill before midnight, be silent, and wake not the woods with your bay,
Lest ye frighten the deer from the crop, and your brothers go empty away.
Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates, and your cubs as they need, and ye can;
But kill not for pleasure of killing, and seven times never kill Man!
If ye plunder his Kill from a weaker, devour not all in thy pride;
Pack-Right is the right of the meanest; so leave him the head and the hide.
The Kill of the Pack is the meat of the Pack. Ye must eat where it lies;
And no one may carry away of that meat to his lair, or he dies.
The Kill of the Wolf is the meat of the Wolf. He may do what he will;
But, till he has given permission, the Pack may not eat of that Kill.
Cub-Right is the right of the Yearling. From all of his Pack he may claim
Full-gorge when the killer has eaten; and none may refuse him the same.
Lair-Right is the right of the Mother. From all of her year she may claim
One haunch of each kill for her litter, and none may deny her the same.
Cave-Right is the right of the Father — to hunt by himself for his own:
He is freed of all calls to the Pack; he is judged by the Council alone.
Because of his age and his cunning, because of his gripe and his paw,
In all that the Law leaveth open, the word of your Head Wolf is Law.
Now these are the Laws of the Jungle, and many and mighty are they;
But the head and the hoof of the Law and the haunch and the hump is — Obey!
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Kipling
From guest Bill McVey (contact)
Wisdom abounds in his verse. We stand upright and will not bend to those who are his critics. And did he not in the end reconcile with the Irish? Fore his son died with them . All the " Man Cubs "must know his tale. Bill McVey of New York USA -
Reminiscing before a Rivalry game!
From guest Jeff Cohen (contact)
I played football at the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1983 and this beginning quote was on the wall in our defensive meeting room. We used to recite it and it signified playing together as a team, everyone carrying out their responsibilities, and getting 11 helmets to the ball. Great quote and motivator! -
Great inspiration for teamwork
From guest Mark (contact)
I use the opening stanza at work from time to time, when I'm trying to inspire my co-workers and help remind them that the "the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack". -
Inspiration of Kipling
From guest Haley (contact)
Kipling is a great writer. I have read this poem over and over, but never gotten tired of it. Matter of fact, it has inspired me to write books. He never gets old. -
Rediscovering Kipling
After trying my hand at writing for the last couple months, it is all the more amazing to read some of these Greats. Kipling was really in a league all his own! -
FOOTBALL
From guest Leslie James Tripp (contact)
THIS POEM HAS SIMLY MADE ME A BETTER FOOTBALL PLAYER AND STUDENT BC IM ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR MY TEAMATES AND DOING MY BEST AT EVERYTHING! -
15 yrs can know more than zoo!
The Law of the Jungle" shows an intermingling that is watched for a tangling but the cage is not the spirit.
The additives do give it verve :
"as old and as true as the sky"
but then I'd be curious why a holy writing would make for allignment again of the wilder with the lion no longer an obligate carnivore but an omnivore along a main one of now in Isaiah 11:6-9.
But there are organizational skills! Line 2!
Ln 4 reminds thoroughness is not overboard.
Following that, one's propulsion can't go out of one's blocks of time, thus the nocturnal "forget not the day is for sleep"
The ninth line tells of the unruly circus that could break out if we don't equate silent with contentment and not to take advantage of it.
10-11 presents the formidable task of letting mediation!
12-13 is the maturest way of dealing with an ember of dispute, and not brandish it negligently to all.
16 had me all ears as to the rubric of animal law going to building codes too!
19 your way isn't just strewn about!
considerate to think about.
25 stealth is not the wealth when the calm is in the communal taking or to teach, there won't be a furtive turning on you!
28 raised by a village ripples, we're roused to think of a donation and not just our donut
30-31 babies a priority even after they're looking bigger
32 decidely circumstancial as lives are
37. wonderfully interwoven that the might or substance of the law is not in the brawn but comfort to not be rammed, so obey! -
Very good
i love to reread this have not done so for many years it still draws me in as it did the first time i read this poem. i never grow tire of it -
Relaxing yet challenging. Tremendous flow of words. I've not read Kipling in a long time.
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Good
I had forgotten Rudyard Kipling and hadn't read any of his works in many years. His poetry is comfortable like a favorite old pair of sneakers. I was surprised how the law of the Jungle was so very much like Robert Service's Law of the Yukon. I suggest you read it and compare
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