Here’s a Sparks Notes version of “The Jungle Book”

Rudyard Kipling created The Jungle Book in 1894. It was a collection of short stories ranging from the story of Mowgli the jungle boy to Rikki Tikki Tavi. Walt Disney eventually used Kiplings book for the premise of his own Jungle book movie which focused only the story of Mowgli. This same premise is what’s going to be used for the upcoming movie directed by Jon Favreau. However for those who haven’t watched the animated movie in a while and forgot the premise, we have got you covered! Enjoy this picturesque summary of The Jungle Book:

The movie starts off with a black panther named Bahgeera finding a little man cub named Mowgli. He decides that the little man cub should be cared for by a pack of wolves and proceeds to bring him to them.

As Mowgli grows older he becomes a beloved part of the wolf pack. However when news reaches the pack that Shere Khan the tiger is back they decide that its not safe for Mowgli to be around them. That’s when Bagheera says he knows of a man village that he can take Mowgli to so he won’t get caught by Shere Khan. Mowgli disagrees with Bahgeera about going to the man village because he thinks he can take care of himself. They decide it’d be best to go during the day and as such perch up in a tree and this is where they meet Kaa the python. Kaa hypnotizes Mowgli but not before Bahgeera wakes up and disrupts the hypnosis. The two work together and get Kaa to leave and go back to sleep.

In the morning Mowgli meets a group of elephants marching in military formation. An elephant named Hathi  led them. Mowgli wants to join in the march and follows behind Junior, a baby elephant. They stop in a line for an inspection check and Hathi see’s Mowgli in line with the rest of the elephants. He gets angry and says there will be no man cub in his jungle. Then Bagheera catches up to the group and says he’s there to take Mowgli to the man village.

Mowgli still being stubborn says he doesn’t want to go to the man village and hugs a tree to signify him staying put. Bagheera is fed up with Mowgli’s antics and says he’s had it and leaves Mowgli on his own. This is where he meets Baloo the bear. After teaching him how to growl like a bear, Baloo shows Mowgli the “Bare-necessities” of life and how to live in the jungle.

While Baloo and Mowgli are floating down the river Mowgli gets captured by monkeys and gets taken to the ancient temple where an orangutan named King Louie lives. Louie wanting to be just like man strikes a deal with Mowgli. For allowing Mowgli to live in the jungle, Louie wants Mowgli to show him how to make fire. However Mowgli doesn’t know how to make fire. Then Bagheera and Baloo show up to rescue Mowgli from King Louie. In order to rescue Mowgli, Baloo disguises himself as a monkey and starts dancing with King Louie. It almost worked, but his disguise fell apart. They grab Mowgli and make a run for it, but the monkeys are chasing them now. Pretty soon its a game of “grab Mowgli” with King Louie grabbing him last. As King Louie grabbed Mowgli he accidentally took down the foundation of the temple and threw Mogli to Baloo so he could save his home. With King Louie preoccupied Bagheera, Baloo, and Mowgli make their escape.

The three of them get to a secluded area and Mowgli falls asleep. Bagheera talks with Baloo about how dangerous it is for Mowgli to be left in the jungle under Baloo’s care, and after some convincing Baloo agree’s that the jungle is too dangerous for Mowgli. In the morning Baloo takes Mowgli for a walk and tells him that he’s taking Mowgli  to the man village for his own safety. Mowgli gets angry and leaves Baloo.

This is the first time Shere Khan appears in the movie as he stalks a deer that looks eerily similar to Bambi. The deer runs away because it hears the roar from Colonel Hathi and his group of elephants walking in military formation. Shere Khan starts to stalk the elephants and then Bagheera appears and says that Mowgli is lost and has ran away. Shere Khan overhears their conversation and is delighted to know that Mowgli is alone and unprotected.

Mowgli is walking along the jungle floor by himself and then gets picked up by Kaa. Kaa tries to tell Mowgli that he can help him to not leave the jungle. Mowgli asks how Kaa can do that and Kaa says he has his own subtle ways, but first he must be trusted by Mowgli. Then Mowgli gets hypnotized. While Mowgli is under hypnosis Shere Khan is right under them looking for him. He pulls on Kaa’s tail and asks if he’s seen Mowgli to which Kaa responds he hasn’t. Shere Khan leaves after Kaa proves he doesn’t have anything to hide. Mowgli wakes up and escapes Kaa’s grasp.

Four vultures named Buzzie, Dizzie, Flaps, and Ziggie are sitting on a tree wondering what to do with their day. They soon see Mowgli walking by himself and proceed to make fun of him for having legs like a stork but not having any feathers. Mowgli starts to cry, The vultures feel bad and try to cheer him up by making him an honorary vulture who is part of their group.

While Mowgli and the Vultures are hanging out, Shere Khan sees them and decides to make his entrance. The vultures make a run for it telling Mowgli to do the same, but Mowgli stands his ground. Shere Khan says he’ll turn around and count to ten to make the chase more exciting. Mowgli uses that time to search for a weapon and finds a stick. Shere Khan counts to ten and lunges at Mowgli scaring him enough to drop the stick. However Baloo comes just in time to grab Shere Khan’s tail holding him back.

Mowgli is being chased while Baloo is holding onto Shere Khans tail for dear life. Shere Khan throws Baloo off of him and attacks Baloo. Baloo then falls to the ground. Lightning strikes a tree and becomes engulfed in flames. Mowgli grabs one of the lit branches and ties it to Shere Khans tail. Shere Khan freaks out and runs away with the branch still tied to his tail, hitting him.

Baloo is lying still and Mowgli starts mourning for his friend. Bagheera arrives and says a few nice words about Baloo. Then Baloo slowly starts waking up and listens to what is being said about him. After Bagheera stops he says to keep going. Everyone is happy he’s alive. They then make their way back to the other side of the jungle.

Mowgli hears someone singing. He finds a girl going towards a creek to get some water. Baloo say they should leave, but Mowgli never seeing a girl before wants to get a closer look. He climbs up a tree to get a better view and slips on a branch and falls into the water. He backs away from her and hides while she continues to sing and gets the water. She starts walking away and Mowgli follows her. She sees that Mowgli is following her and drops her jug of water on purpose. Mowgli grabs the jug, fills it with water, and follows her into the village saying goodbye to Baloo and Bagheera.

The end!

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