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his mark upon all our people； when the first cobra spread his hood
to keep the sun off Brahm as he slept。 Look； and be afraid！〃
He spread out his hood more than ever； and Rikki…tikki saw the
spectacle…mark on the back of it that looks exactly like the eye
part of a hook…and…eye fastening。 He was afraid for the minute；
but it is impossible for a mongoose to stay frightened for any
length of time； and though Rikki…tikki had never met a live cobra
before； his mother had fed him on dead ones； and he knew that all
a grown mongoose's business in life was to fight and eat snakes。
Nag knew that too and； at the bottom of his cold heart； he was
afraid。
〃Well；〃 said Rikki…tikki； and his tail began to fluff up
again； 〃marks or no marks； do you think it is right for you to eat
fledglings out of a nest？〃
Nag was thinking to himself； and watching the least little
movement in the grass behind Rikki…tikki。 He knew that mongooses
in the garden meant death sooner or later for him and his family；
but he wanted to get Rikki…tikki off his guard。 So he dropped his
head a little； and put it on one side。
〃Let us talk；〃 he said。 〃You eat eggs。 Why should not I eat
birds？〃
〃Behind you！ Look behind you！〃 sang Darzee。
Rikki…tikki knew better than to waste time in staring。 He
jumped up in the air as high as he could go； and just under him
whizzed by the head of Nagaina； Nag's wicked wife。 She had crept
up behind him as he was talking； to make an end of him。 He heard
her savage hiss as the stroke missed。 He came down almost across
her back； and if he had been an old mongoose he would have known
that then was the time to break her back with one bite； but he was
afraid of the terrible lashing return stroke of the cobra。 He
bit； indeed； but did not bite long enough； and he jumped clear of
the whisking tail； leaving Nagaina torn and angry。
〃Wicked； wicked Darzee！〃 said Nag； lashing up as high as he
could reach toward the nest in the thorn…bush。 But Darzee had
built it out of reach of snakes； and it only swayed to and fro。
Rikki…tikki felt his eyes growing red and hot （when a
mongoose's eyes grow red； he is angry）； and he sat back on his
tail and hind legs like a little kangaroo； and looked all round
him； and chattered with rage。 But Nag and Nagaina had disappeared
into the grass。 When a snake misses its stroke； it never says
anything or gives any sign of what it means to do next。
Rikki…tikki did not care to follow them； for he did not feel sure
that he could manage two snakes at once。 So he trotted off to the
gravel path near the house； and sat down to think。 It was a
serious matter for him。
If you read the old books of natural history； you will find
they say that when the mongoose fights the snake and happens to
get bitten； he runs off and eats some herb that cures him。 That
is not true。 The victory is only a matter of quickness of eye and
quickness of footsnake's blow against mongoose's jumpand
as no eye can follow the motion of a snake's head when it strikes；
this makes things much more wonderful than any magic herb。
Rikki…tikki knew he was a young mongoose； and it made him all the
more pleased to think that he had managed to escape a blow from
behind。 It gave him confidence in himself； and when Teddy came
running down the path； Rikki…tikki was ready to be petted。
But just as Teddy was stooping； something wriggled a little in
the dust； and a tiny voice said： 〃Be careful。 I am Death！〃 It
was Karait； the dusty brown snakeling that lies for choice on the
dusty earth； and his bite is as dangerous as the cobra's。 But he
is so small that nobody thinks of him； and so he does the more
harm to people。
Rikki…tikki's eyes grew red again； and he danced up to Karait
with the peculiar rocking； swaying motion that he had inherited
from his family。 It looks very funny； but it is so perfectly
balanced a gait that you can fly off from it at any angle you
please； and in dealing with snakes this is an advantage。 If
Rikki…tikki had only known； he was doing a much more dangerous
thing than fighting Nag； for Karait is so small； and can turn so
quickly； that unless Rikki bit him close to the back of the head；
he would get the return stroke in his eye or his lip。 But Rikki
did not know。 His eyes were all red； and he rocked back and
forth； looking for a good place to hold。 Karait struck out。
Rikki jumped sideways and tried to run in； but the wicked little
dusty gray head lashed within a fraction of his shoulder； and he
had to jump over the body； and the head followed his heels close。
Teddy shouted to the house： 〃Oh； look here！ Our mongoose is
killing a snake。〃 And Rikki…tikki heard a scream from Teddy's
mother。 His father ran out with a stick； but by the time he came
up； Karait had lunged out once too far； and Rikki…tikki had
sprung； jumped on the snake's back； dropped his head far between
his forelegs； bitten as high up the back as he could get hold； and
rolled away。 That bite paralyzed Karait； and Rikki…tikki was just
going to eat him up from the tail； after the custom of his family
at dinner； when he remembered that a full meal makes a slow
mongoose； and if he wanted all his strength and quickness ready；
he must keep himself thin。
He went away for a dust bath under the castor…oil bushes；
while Teddy's father beat the dead Karait。 〃What is the use of
that？〃 thought Rikki…tikki。 〃I have settled it all；〃 and then
Teddy's mother picked him up from the dust and hugged him； crying
that he had saved Teddy from death； and Teddy's father said that
he was a providence； and Teddy looked on with big scared eyes。
Rikki…tikki was rather amused at all the fuss； which； of course；
he did not understand。 Teddy's mother might just as well have
petted Teddy for playing in the dust。 Rikki was thoroughly
enjoying himself。
That night at dinner； walking to and fro among the
wine…glasses on the table； he might have stuffed himself three
times over with nice things。 But he remembered Nag and Nagaina；
and though it was very pleasant to be patted and petted by Teddy's
mother； and to sit on Teddy's shoulder； his eyes would get red
from time to time； and he would go off into his long war cry of
〃Rikk…tikk…tikki…tikki…tchk！〃
Teddy carried him off to bed； and insisted on Rikki…tikki
sleeping under his chin。 Rikki…tikki was too well bred to bite or
scratch； but as soon as Teddy was asleep he went off for his
nightly walk round the house； and in the dark he ran up against
Chuchundra； the musk…rat； creeping around by the wall。 Chuchundra
is a broken…hearted little beast。 He whimpers and cheeps all the
night； trying to make up his mind to run into the middle of the
room。 But he never gets there。
〃Don't kill me；〃 said Chuchundra； almost weeping。
〃Rikki…tikki； don't kill me！〃
〃Do you think a snake…killer kills muskrats？〃 said Rikki…tikki
scornfully。
〃Those who kill sn