Rikki-Tikki-Tavi

"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" is a short story in the 1894 anthology The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling about adventures of a valiant young Indian grey mongoose.[1] It has often been anthologised, and has been published several times as a short book.

Later edition cover of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling

Plot
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi in Chuck Jones' animated film

The story follows the experiences of a mongoose named Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (after his chattering vocalizations) after he becomes the pet of a British family residing in India as protection against cobras. He becomes friendly with some of the other creatures inhabiting the garden and is warned of the cobras Nag and Nagaina, who are angered by the family's presence on their territory.

Accordingly, Nag enters the house's bathroom before dawn to kill the humans and make Rikki leave, so that their babies will grow up in a safe place. Rikki attacks Nag from behind him in the bathroom; the ensuing struggle awakens the family, and Rikki kills Nag with one bite in the back of Nag's neck.[2]

The grieving Nagaina attempts revenge against the humans, cornering them as they have breakfast on an outdoor veranda. She is distracted by a female tailor bird, while Rikki destroys the cobra's unhatched brood of eggs, except for one. He carries it to where Nagaina is threatening to bite little Teddy, while his parents watch helplessly.

Nagaina recovers her egg but is pursued by Rikki away from the house to the cobra's underground nest, where an unseen final battle takes place. Rikki emerges triumphant from the hole, declaring Nagaina dead. With the immediate threat defeated, Rikki dedicates his life to guarding the garden, where no snake dares to enter.

Adaptations

Director Alexandra Snezhko-Blotskaya shot an animated short film of the story titled Рикки-Тикки-Тави (Rikki-Tikki-Tavi) in 1965 in the Soviet Union, at the film studio Soyuzmultfilm. Ten years later, Chuck Jones adapted it for a half hour television special in the United States.[3] Aleksandr Zguridi and Nana Kldiashvili directed a live action feature film entitled Rikki-Tikki-Tavi four years later.[4]

In the anime television series, Jungle Book Shōnen Mowgli, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is a supporting character who is the pet of an Indian family and is a heroic defender of them.

References
  1. Kipling, Rudyard. "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi." Haley Huang. 16 January 2014.
  2. Kipling, Rudyard. Rudyard Kipling. p. 94. ISBN 1-85052-202-2.
  3. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 316. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  4. "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
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