"Pawpaw".... Ha! Of all the silly gibberish.
Mowgli
Bruce Reitherman · 20 quotes
Baloo
Phil Harris · 18 quotes
Bagheera
Sebastian Cabot · 17 quotes
Shere Khan
Bill Lee · 8 quotes
Buzzy
5 quotes
Kaa
Sterling Holloway · 5 quotes
Col. Hathi
J. Pat O'Malley · 4 quotes
Flaps
Lord Tim Hudson · 4 quotes
Dizzy
Chad Stuart · 3 quotes
Winifred
Verna Felton · 3 quotes
Most scenes together: Baloo & Bagheera (9), Bagheera & Mowgli (8), Baloo & Mowgli (5)
The Jungle Book quotes
Page 1 of 4
Akela [to Bagheera who volunteers to deliver Mowgli to the Man Village]
So be it. Now, there's no time to lose. Good luck.
[after Mowgli learns he has been deceived by the snake]
If I never see that skinny little shrimp again, it will be too soon. [slithering away] Oh, my s-ss-s-sacroiliac.
[first lines]
Many strange legends are told of these jungles of India, but none so strange as the story of a small boy named Mowgli. It all began when the silence of the jungle was broken by an unfamiliar sound. [At the sound of a baby's cries, Bagheera stopped at Baby Mowgli's boat] It was a sound that had never been heard before in this part of the jungle. [Bagheera looks at the boat with Baby Mowgli] It was a Man-Cub! If I had known how deeply I was to be involved, I would have obeyed my first impulse and walked away. [Bagheera turns back on the branch, but Baby Mowgli cries again, making him return. He looks down and Baby Mowgli looks at him playfully] This Man-Cub would have to have nourishment, and soon. It was many days' travel to the nearest Man Village, and without a mother's care, bam! He would soon perish. Then, it occurred to me. A family of wolves I knew had been blessed with a litter of cubs. [the wolf pups play around their mother Raksha, Bagheera is looking at them from bushes, Bagheera with Baby Mowgli watches from the bushes as the family of wolves walk into their lair and puts the baby boy right before the entrance. He goes back into the bushes and waits, but nothing happens, so he carefully sneaks back over and pushes the basket with his paw. He rushes away again as the baby cries out in surprise. The wolves come out and look at Baby Mowgli, and Raksha smiles down at him, who now giggles] I knew there'd be no problem with the mother, thanks to maternal instinct, but I wasn't so sure about Rama the father. [Rama comes from the jungle, sniffs suspiciously at the baby Man-Cub, sees the smiling face of Raksha, looks at Baby Mowgli playing with the wolf pups again, and smiles, too, and "My Own Home" starts in the background as the wolves take Baby Mowgli into the wolf lair. 10 years later...] 10 times the rains had come and gone, and I often stopped by to see how Mowgli the Man-Cub was getting along. He was a favorite with all the young wolf cubs of the pack. [Mowgli howls; Raksha and the four young wolves came out of the cave; Grey Brother and Leah playfully tackle and lick Mowgli] No Man-Cub was ever happier. And yet...I knew that someday, he would have to go back to his own kind. [scene switches to Council Rock on a misty, moonlit night, with howling] Then, one night, the Wolf Pack elders met at Council Rock, because Shere Khan, the tiger, had returned to their part of the jungle. This meeting had to change the Man-Cub's entire future.
Akela Shere Khan will surely kill the boy, and all who try to protect him. Now, are we all in agreement as to what must be done? [wolves solemnly nod] Now, it is my unpleasant duty to tell the boy's father. Rama. Uh, come over here, please.
Rama Yes, Akela?
Akela The Council has reached its decision. The Man-Cub cannot stay with the pack. He must leave at once.
Rama [shocked]
Leave?
Akela I'm sorry, Rama. There is no other way.
Rama But-- But the Man-Cub is-- Well, he's like my own son! Surely, he's entitled to the protection of the pack.
Akela But, Rama, even the strength of the pack is no match for the tiger.
Rama But the boy cannot survive alone in the jungle.
Akela, perhaps I can be of help.
Akela You, Bagheera? How?
I know of a Man Village where he'll be safe. Mowgli and I have taken many walks into this jungle together, so I'm pretty sure that he'll go with me.
Akela So be it. Now, there's no time to lose. Good luck.
[scene switches to Bagheera and Mowgli at night]
Bagheera... [tiredly stretches] ...I’m gettin' a little sleepy. Shouldn't we start back home?
Mowgli, this time, we're not going back. I'm taking you to a Man Village.
But why?
Because Shere Khan has returned to this part of the jungle, and he has sworn to kill you.
Kill me? But why would he wanna do that?
He hates man, and Shere Khan is not going to allow you to grow up to become a man; just another hunter with a gun.
Aw, we'll just explain to him that I'd never do a thing like that.
Nonsense. No one explains anything to Shere Khan.
Well, maybe so, but I'm not afraid. And besides, I--
[interrupts Mowgli]
Now, that's enough. We'll spend the night here. Things will look better in the morning. Man-Cub? Man-Cub! Now, come on. Up this tree. You'll be safer up there.
Well, you're--you're not gonna believe me, Bagheera, but look-- Now, I used the same words you did and he ran out on me!
[stammering]
W-Well, don't just stand there! Let's separate! W-We've got to find him! [runs off in the opposite direction]
Oh, if anything happens to that little guy, bam! I'll never forgive myself. I gotta find him. Mowgli? Mowgli?!
And furthermore, Mowgli seems to have man's ability to get into trouble, and your influence hasn't been exactly--
Shhh! Keep it down 'cause you're gonna wake up Li'l Buddy. Well, he's had a big day that it was a real sockaroo. You know that it ain't easy learnin' to be like me.
Puh! A disgraceful performance; associating with those undesirable, scatterbrained apes. Huh. I hope he learned something from that experience.
Ha-ha. That's my boy.
Oh, nonsense. [Baloo puts leaves under Mowgli's head.] Baloo? Get over here. I'd like to have a word with you.
A word? You gonna talk some more? [yawns] All right, what's up, Bagheera?
Baloo, the Man-Cub must go back to the Man Village. The jungle is not the place for him.
Yes, just look at yourself. Look at that eye. [Baloo looks himself in the river and sees that he has a black eye.]
Yeah. It's beautiful, ain't it?
Frankly, you're a disreputable sight.
Well, you don't look exactly like a basket of fruit, yourself. [Bagheera looks himself in the river and sees that he, too, has a black eye.]
D'oh! [clears his throat] Baloo, you can't adopt Mowgli as your son.
Why not?
Uh.... how can I put it? [Baloo eats a handful of grapes] Baloo, birds of a feather should flock together. [Baloo shrugs] You wouldn't marry a panther, would you?
I don't know. [chuckling] Come to think of it, no panther ever asked me!
Yes, like you did when the monkeys kidnapped him, huh?
Can a guy make one mistake?
Not in the jungle. And another thing; sooner or later, Mowgli will meet Shere Khan.
He hates man with a vengeance, you know that! Because he fears Man's gun and Man's fire.
But little Mowgli don't have those things.
Shere Khan won't wait until he does. He'll get Mowgli while he remains young and helpless. [raises a paw at Baloo] Just one swipe--!
Oh! Well, well, what are we going to do?
[seeing that Baloo is now just as worried about Mowgli as he is]
We'll do what's best for the boy.
You better believe it. You name it, and I'll do it.
Good. Then make Mowgli go to the Man Village.
[furiously]
Are you outta your mind?! I promised him that he could stay here in the jungle with me!
Well, that's just the point! As long as he remains with you, he's in danger. So, it's up to you.
Why me?
Be-Because he won't listen to me!
Then, think of what's best for Mowgli, and not yourself.
But-- Well, can't-- Well, can I wait until morning?
It's morning, now. Go on, Baloo.
[An emotional Baloo sighs and walks towards Mowgli before looking back at Bagheera with a choked-up facial expression. Bagheera understands that it's really hard for him, but he urges him with a nod.] [sighs; he isn't sure how to tell Mowgli the difficult truth]
Oh, boy. Mowgli? Mowgli. Um, it's time to get up.
Hi. Hey, rub that old sleep outta your eyes. You and me, we got a long walk ahead of us.
[not really noticing that Baloo is now looking melancholy]
Swell! Gee, we'll have lots of fun together!
Well, good-bye, Bagheera. Me and Baloo, we've got things to do.
Goodbye, Man-Cub. And good luck.
Buzzy, Dizzy, Flaps & Ziggy
CHARGE!!
Yeah, yeah! [ducks during Shere Khan's attack] Missed me a mile, he did!
I dunno. Whatcha wanna do?
Ziggy
I've got it! Let's flap over to the east side of the jungle. They've always got a bit of action, a bit of a swingin' scene, all right!
Aw, come off it. Things are right dead all over.
Ziggy
You mean that you wish they were! [They all laugh, except for Dizzy]
Very funny.
OK. So, what we gonna do?
I dunno. What'cha wanna do?
Look, Flaps. First I say, "What we gonna do?" Then you say, "I don't know. What'cha wanna do?" Then I say, "What we gonna do?" Then you say, "Whatcha wanna do?" "What we gonna do? What you want..." Let's do something!
OK. Whatcha wanna do? [Buzzy sighs]
Oh, blimey. There you go again, the same notes again!
Ziggy
[snaps his fingers]
I've got it! This time, I've really got it!
So, you got it. So, what we gonna do?
Hey, what in the world is that?
Ziggy
What a crazy-looking bunch of bones.
Yeah, and they're all walking about by themselves! [They all laugh]
So, what are we gonna do?
I dunno--Hey, now, don't start that again!
Ziggy
[Pushing the others off the tree]
C'mon, lads. C'mon. Let's have some fun with this little fella. This little blokey!
Run, friend! Run!
Run? Why should I run?
Why should you run? Could it be possible that you don't know who I am?
I know you, all right. You're Shere Khan.
Precisely. And you should also know that everyone runs from Shere Khan. [pokes Mowgli's chin with his right pointy claw]
Ah, you have spirit for one so small. And such spirit is deserving of a sporting chance. Now, I'm going to close my eyes, and count to 10. It makes the chase more interesting...for me. 1... [Mowgli looks for something to defend himself with as Shere Khan continues counting]...2... [Mowgli spots something and goes over to retrieve it.] ...3... [As Mowgli picks up a stick, Shere Khan begins to suspect something.] ...4... [Mowgli prepares to defend himself] You're trying my patience. [counts faster just as Baloo arrives] 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!
[Shere Khan leaps at Mowgli with a loud roar, Mowgli loses all of his nerve at the sight of this fearsome creature; Shere Khan almost catches Mowgli until Baloo grabs him by the tail]
Run, Mowgli, run!
Let go, you big oaf!
He's got a tiger by the tail, he has!
And he'd better hang on, too!
[Baloo hides beside a tree, but Shere Khan bites him in the butt] [screams in serious pain]
YEOW!!!!
Let 'im 'ave it again, kid! 'it 'im again, kid! Go on!
[looking closely at a recruit’s trunk]
Tsk, tsk, tsk. A dusty muzzle. [to elephant in question] Soldier, remember, in battle, that trunk can save your life. [taps trunk with cane] Take good care of it, my man.
Elephant #2
Yes, sir!
Very good. Carry on. [the next recruit has dirty tusks and is lazily chewing on some vegetation until the Colonel clears his throat in serious annoyance] Let's have a little more spit and polish on those bayonets. [taps tusk with cane]
Elephant #3
Yes, sir!
Esprit de corps! That's the way that I earned my commission in the Mahajarah's 5th Pachyderm Brigade. Back in '88, it was-- Or was it?
It was then I received the Victoria Cross, for bravery above and beyond the call of duty. [chuckles] Those were the days. Discipline! Discipline was the thing! [leans on his bamboo cane] It builds character and all that sort of thing, you know. [his cane snaps in half as he leans on it] Oh. Uh, where was I? Oh, yes. Inspection. [The next recruit is a rough-looking elephant with bent tusks and a black eye] Well, very good. [The next recruit is an elephant with a goofy-looking grin across his face] Wipe off that silly grin, soldier! This is the army. [The elephant's smile droops into a sad frown, making his tusks droop. The next recruit is focused on a fly buzzing around his face which lands on his trunk] Ahem. [swats the fly with his cane] Eyes front. [Next, the lieutenant, with a mop of hair] Tsk, tsk, tsk. Lieutenant, that haircut is not regulation. [messes the hair up] Rather on the gaudy side, don't you think? [Hathi swipes his cane across, giving the lieutenant a military-style flat-topped haircut] There. That's better. [Hathi looks to the left] And as for you-- [Realizes that he's talking to his son Hathi Jr. and looks down] Oh, there you are. [chuckles] Let's keep those heels together, shall we, son?
Junior OK, Pop--sir!
Yes, that's better. [turns to Mowgli] Well, a new recruit, eh? [chuckles and pokes Mowgli's nose with his cane] I say, what happened to your trunk?
Hey! Stop that!
[gasps, sputters]
A Man-Cub! [picking up Mowgli with his trunk] Oh, this is treason! Sabotage! I’ll have no Man-Cub in my jungle! [puts him down on ground]
It’s not your jungle!
Hold it. Hold it! I can explain, Hathi.
Colonel Hathi, if you please, sir.
Oh, yes, yes. Colonel Hathi. The Man-Cub is with me. I'm taking him back to the Man Village.
To stay?
You have the word of Bagheera.
Good. And remember that an elephant never forgets. [mumbling, and Mowgli crosses his arms and frowns at him] Heh. I don't know what the army's coming to these days. These young whippersnappers, who do they think they are?
Bugler, when the Man-Cub is sighted, you will sound your trumpet three times.
Bugler Elephant
Yes, sir. [trumpets loudly, but Hathi abruptly stops him.]
Shh! Not now, soldier.
Bugler Elephant
[nasally]
Sorry, sir.
[to Lieutenant]
Lieutenant, our strategy shall be the element of surprise. [whispers] You will take one squad, and cover the right flank.
Lieutenant
[whispers]
Yes, sir.
[whispers]
And I shall take the other squad on the left flank. Very well. [bellows] COMPANY-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y!!!!! FORWARD, MARCH!
Element of surprise? Ho. I say. And now for my rendezvous with the little lost Man-Cub.
Oh, now what? I'll be right down. [gets down from the tree almost completely] Yes? Yes? Who is it?
It's me. Shere Khan. I'd like a word with you, if you don't mind.
Shere Khan. What a surprise.
Yes, isn't it? I just dropped by. Now, forgive me if I've interrupted anything.
Oh, no, no. Nothing at all.
[his claws pop out from his paw, and he drums on the ground with them]
I thought perhaps that you were entertaining someone up there in your coils.
Coils? Someone? Oh, no. I was just curling up for my siesta.
But you were singing to someone. [grabs hold of Kaa's throat] Who is it, Kaa?
Indeed.
Yes. You see, I have... [gulps] ...trouble with my sinuses.
What a pity? [releases Kaa's neck and gently pins him to the ground]
Oh, you have no idea. It's s-ss-simply terrible. I can't eat. I can't s-ss-sleep. So, I s-ss-sing myself to s-ss-sleep. You know, s-ss-self-hypnosis? [smiles deviously, brings his head close to Shere Khan's face] Let me show you how it works-ss-s. [He uses his hypnosis technique with his eyes] "Trus-ss-st in me...."
[Shere Khan pushes Kaa away and pins his head to the ground, unaffected]
Oh, no, I can't be bothered with that. I have no time for that sort of nonsense.
Some other time, perhaps?
Perhaps. But at the moment, I'm searching for a Man-Cub.
Man-Cub? What Man-Cub?
The one who's lost. Now, where do you suppose he could be?
Search me. [He closes his mouth for telling Shere Khan to search Mowgli on his tentacles]
That's an excellent idea. I'm sure that you wouldn't mind showing me your coils, would you, Kaa?
Certainly not. Nothing here... [lowering his tail] ...and nothing in here. [his tail pointing to his mouth open, and Shere Khan hears Mowgli snoring. Alarmed, he starts snorting and coughs.] It's my sinuses.
Hmm. Indeed. And now, how about the middle?
The middle? Oh, the middle. [lowering the middle leaving Mowgli on the tree trunk spinning around and showing Shere Khan the middle of his coils and then getting tickled] Absolutely nothing in the middle!
Hmm. Really? Well, if you do just happen to see the Man-Cub, you will inform me first. Understand? [scratching Kaa's neck gently]
[gulps]
I get the point. [spinning himself into a bow with his head on top] Cross my heart and hope to die.
Good show. And now, I must continue my search for the helpless little lad. [leaves]
Ooh, who does he think he's fooling? "The helpless little lad." Ooooh, he gives me the sh-sh-sh-shivers. [Kaa's shivering unintentionally wakes up Mowgli] Picking on that poor, little, helpless boy. [smiling] Oh, yes. Poor, little, helpless boy. [Mowgli pushes the rest of Kaa off the branches and sends him falling comically to the ground yet again]
It's like you s-ss-said; you can't trus-ss-st anyone! [tries to strike Mowgli, only to again be caught in by a knot in his tail; when he pulls it out, his body comes back like an accordion] If I never see that s-ss-skinny little shrimp again, it will be too s-s-s-soon. Oh, my s-s-s-sacriliac.