In which the man-cub Mowgli, cast out from the wolf pack, ventures into a human village where he must learn to navigate the strange ways, language, and customs of men while never losing the sharp instincts and allegiance of his jungle kin. Amid the slow, lazy days of herding cattle and listening to village tales, he keeps watch for the ever-persistent threat of the tiger Shere Khan, whose shadow looms dark over both jungle and village alike.