At last Buldeo finished telling his stories.
The villagers left the fig tree.
They rushed toward Messua's hut, waving clubs and knives.
They all carried torches.
"Let's burn down the sorcerers' hut!" people yelled angrily.
The crowd reached the hut and tore off the door.
Everyone expected to see Messua and her husband trapped inside.
Instead, stretched out on the bed with his paws crossed, was a fierce black panther.
Bagheera slowly raised his head, flashing sharp white teeth.
The villagers screamed.
Then, in a panic, they scrambled to get outside.
They raced to their huts and slammed shut the doors.
Mowgli stepped out of the shadows and grinned.
"That was a good plan, Bagheera!"
"Thank you," the panther said proudly as he licked his paws.
"The villagers won't come out until daylight. Let's get some rest now."
When Mowgli woke the next day, he saw Rann, the hawk.
"I have a message from Mother Wolf," the bird called.
"Messua and her husband are safe in the new village. It is near a marsh."
Mowgli waved happily. "Thank you!" Then he went off to tell Bagheera.
"The people are still huddled indoors," Bagheera said.
"Why don't we go hunting and forget about them?"
Mowgli shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Bagheera. I have to finish what I started.
It's the law of the jungle.
Those who break rules must be punished, remember?"
Bagheera shrugged.
"Where can I find Hathi?" Mowgli asked.
"Hathi?" Bagheera said.
"I don't know. He feeds wherever he wants."
"Can you find him and bring him to me?"
Bagheera gave Mowgli a puzzled look.
"I can't give orders to the master of the jungle."
"Please, Bagheera." Then Mowgli had an idea.
"If Hathi won't come, say these words: the sacking of the fields.
Trust me, that will make him follow you."
"'The sacking of the fields'?"
Bagheera repeated the words until he remembered them.
Then off he ran.
It was dark when Bagheera finally returned.
To Mowgli's relief, Hathi was with him.
The elephant's three sons trailed after them.
"Hello, Mowgli!" Hathi called.
Mowgli greeted the old elephant.
Then he turned to Bagheera.
"I'm going to tell you a story about a wise elephant," Mowgli said.
Bagheera looked startled, but he gave Mowgli a nod.
"This elephant once got caught in a hunter's trap."
Mowgli glanced at Hathi.
In the moonlight everyone could see a long white scar on his side.
It looked as if someone had hit him with a red-hot whip.
"Men came to take him from the trap," Mowgli continued.
"But he was very strong and broke free of the ropes.
He went away until his wound healed.
Then one night he came back with some other elephants."
He looked at Hathi. "What happened next?"
Hathi finished the story.
"We stomped on the men's fields.
We ate their crops.
We tore the roofs off their huts.
And then . . ." He paused.
"We let the wild jungle in.
It grew back and swallowed up everything."
Mowgli nodded, satisfied.
The elephant swung his trunk to look at him.
"How did you know about the sacking of the fields?"
"Buldeo told that story one night," Mowgli said.
"I guess he tells the truth once in a while."
"What do you want from me?" Hathi asked.
"The people living in this village are cruel," Mowgli explained.
"They hurt Messua and her husband.
They were planning to kill me.
And then they were going to kill Messua with the red flower.
It's only right to punish them."
Bagheera shivered and dropped down low.
Now he understood why Mowgli had sent for Hathi.