It was a three-foot ankus, or elephant- goad--something like a small boat-hook.
If thou wilt give me the ankus to take away, it is good hunting.
Let him have it." Mowgli had been standing with the ankus held point down.
"THUU" ("It is dried up"--Literally, a rotted out tree-stump), said Mowgli; and motioning Kaa away, he picked up the ankus, setting the White Cobra free.
My strength is dried up, but the ankus will do my work.
They were glad to get to the light of day once more; and when they were back in their own Jungle and Mowgli made the ankus glitter in the morning light, he was almost as pleased as though he had found a bunch of new flowers to stick in his hair.
Good hunting!" Mowgli danced off, flourishing the great ankus, and stopping from time to time to admire it, till he came to that part of the Jungle Bagheera chiefly used, and found him drinking after a heavy kill.
He was getting a little tired of the weight of the ankus. "If I had known this, I would not have taken it.
The ankus flew sparkling, and buried itself point down thirty yards away, between the trees.
He was ten years old, the eldest son of Big Toomai, and, according to custom, he would take his father's place on Kala Nag's neck when he grew up, and would handle the heavy iron ankus, the elephant goad, that had been worn smooth by his father, and his grandfather, and his great-grandfather.
Then I shall sit on thy neck, O Kala Nag, with a silver ankus, and men will run before us with golden sticks, crying, `Room for the King's elephant!' That will be good, Kala Nag, but not so good as this hunting in the jungles."