The Jungle Book and Cub Scouting
Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, based Cub Scouting on one of the stories in Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book. It was called "Mowgli's Brothers." We know it as "The Story of Akela and Mowgli." A copy of part of the story is in the Wolf Cub Scout Book. The story is continued in the Bear Cub Scout Book. A part of the story is also in the Cub Scout Leader Book. (The Jungle Book and other Rudyard Kipling books are described at the Penguin Books website.) | Rudyard Kipling |
BSA Cub Scouting has drawn upon the adventure and lore of the Native American, just as Seton's Native American lore influenced
Boy Scouting; but a strong influence from Kipling's Jungle Book still remains. The words "Law of the Pack," "Akela," "Wolf Cub," " Grand Howl,""den," and "pack" all come from the Jungle Book. The gold and silver arrows, Webelos, and Arrow of Light are taken from our Native American heritage. |
Jungle Book Names
The following may be of interest to Scouters not familiar with the Jungle Book nomenclature. It is a table of accepted pronunciations obtained from All the Mowgli Stories; Doubleday, 1936 and from Dee LaRock. These names are used in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and many other countries.
Characters in the Story |
Akela | Ah-ky-la*h* (the Father Wolf, leader of the
Pack) |
Bagheera | Ba*r*-gheer-a*h*; in history (the
Panther) |
Baloo | Baa-loo (the Bear) |
Bandarlog | Búnder-logue (the Monkey People) |
Chil | CheelCheel |
Hathi | Huttee or H*r*-ty |
Kaa | Kar, with a sort of gasp in it. (the Python) |
Mowgli | Mow(as in "cow")-gly (the Boy) |
Nag | Na*r*g |
Rikki-tikki-tavi | Rikky-tikky-tay-vy |
Shere Khan | Share-karn (Tiger) |
Tabaqui | Tar-bár-kee (the Jackal) |
Tha | Creator of the jungle |
Names Used in Cub Scout Packs The following (also from the same source) is a list of "Jungle Names for the Cub Pack". |
Names held "Ex Officio" |
Akela | Cubmaster |
Baloo | Assistant Cubmaster |
Bagheera | Assistant Cubmaster |
Raksha | Assistant Cubmaster |
Black Plume | Sixers (UK) |
Brown Tip | Sixers (UK) |
Grey Brother | Sixers (UK) |
Red Fang | Sixers (UK) |
Tawny Fur | Sixers (UK) |
WhiteClaw | Sixers (UK) |
Sahi (the Porcupine) | Pack Scribe (UK) |
White Hood | Pack Storekeeper (UK) |
Names Awarded for Prowess in Cub Activities |
Ahdeek (the Reindeer) | Team Games |
Apukwa (the Bulrush) | Weaving |
Blue Smoke | Signalling |
Chil (The Kite) | Singing |
Crimson Arrow | Throwing and catching |
Dahinda (the Bull-frog) | Leapfrog, cartwheels, etc. |
Ferao (the Scarlet Woodpecker) | Woodwork. |
Golden Quill | Artist. |
Hawkeye | Observation. |
Hiawatha | All-round athletics. |
Iagoo (the Story-teller) | Telling stories. |
Jacala (the Crocodile) | Acting. |
Kaa (the Python) | Tree-climbing. |
Karela (the Bitter Vine) | Knotting. |
Keego (the Fish) | Swimming. |
Keneu (the Great War Eagle) | Running. |
Kotick (the Seal) | Wrestling. |
Kwasin (the Strong Man) | Boxing. |
Limmerskin (the Wren) | Message-carrying. |
Little Beaver | Lair-building. |
Mysa (the Wild Buffalo) | Good hearing. |
Nag (the Cobra) | First Aid. |
Nushka ("Look!") | Guide. |
Oonai (the Wolf) | Reciting. |
Pukeena (the Grasshopper) | High Jump. |
Scarlet Feather | Fire-lighting. |
Sea Catch (the Seal) | Diving. |
Shaw-shaw (the Swallow) | Skipping. |
Singum (the Lion) | Book-carrying. |
Rann (the Eagle) | Good eyesight. |
Tilji-pho (the Lark) | Musician. |
Toomai | Folk-dancing. |
Wabeeno (the Magician) | Walking the Plank. |
Wawbeck (the Rock) | Modelling. |
White Elk | Long Jump. |
Won-tolla | Hopping. |
Names Awarded by Akela at his Discretion |
Hathi (the Elephant) | Punctual and regular attendance. |
Jeebi (the Ghost) | Fattest Cub. |
Kim (Little friend of all the world) | Helpfulness. |
Ko (the Crow) | Noisiest Cub. |
Mang (the Bat) | Obedience. |
Mor (the Peacock) | Tidiness and cleanliness. |
Onaway ("Awake!") | Alertness. |
Shada (the Pelican) | Perseverance. |
Rikki-tikki-tavi (the Mongoose) | Cheeriness, or Courage. |
Mowgli | Friend to animals. |
Sona (the Himalayan Bear) | Good manners. |
Suggeema (the Mosquito) | Smallest Cub. |
Tall Pine | Tallest Cub. |
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