| Title | : | Rikki-Tikki-Tavi |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 54 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1894 |
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Reviews
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Is it weird that I want an alternate retelling from the snakes POV?
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A Mongoose
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is one of the stories in Kipling's classic, The Jungle Book, now in the public domain and
free, via Project Gutenberg. It's also available in several audiobook renditions.
The plot may be too scary or sad for some children, but yet I am heartened to see kids reading a few stories that are not sugar-coated.
This story is so vivid. The mongoose almost pops from the pages. Excellent characterization of this fierce critter. Kipling develops traits of curiosity, courage, determination, intelligence, and protectiveness.
Written over a century ago, and set in India at an English encampment, it's comprehensible, heartwarming, and suspenseful. Oh — and rather frightful at times. Gory even. Bloody.
Go, Rikki! Red-eyed warrior!
I love all creatures, but I don't want to hear anything at this point about the poor little king cobras. If one slithered into your bathroom to kill your little boy, you'd go nuts, too. (And plus, in the story, Kipling himself speaks up for the cobra's right to protect its turf.)
Good thing little Teddy has a ferocious guardian — a mongoose, somewhat resistant to snake venom and oh so quick! He's ideally suited to tackle Karait, Nag, and Nagaina. (Did Rowling name Valdemort's cobra, Nagini, after them??)
We all need a mongoose in our lives, an unrelenting guard-dog to watch over the bungalow while we sleep. And then, when the danger has passed, to nose curiously into everything, for "Run and Find Out" is the mongoose motto (rather destructive little pets, so they say.)
I could use a tailorbird like Darzee, too. Someone to mend my socks, and then partner up with my "watchdog" when a killer comes calling.
Learn about the mongoose's resistance to snake venom:
http://blog.africaraw.com/the-key-to-... -
I read this one on a whim and really enjoyed it. Full of suspense, this is a short story about "the great war" fought by a young and brave mongoose. It has a great message about loyalty and overcoming fears.
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"This is the story of the great war that Rikki-tikki-tavi fought single-handed, through the bathrooms of the big bungalow in Segowlee cantonment.
Darzee, the Tailorbird, helped him
and Chuchundra, the musk-rat, who never comes out into the middle of the floor, but always creeps round by the wall, gave him advice
but Rikki-tikki did the real fighting."
This classic harks back to my recent India reading challenge--the one that started me on my now infamous Around the World challenge. But mongooses are different--everyone should love these feisty critters:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdg9g...
Be sure to watch this video while declaiming the poem that begins this story about brave little Rikki:
"Nag, come up and dance with death!
Eye to eye and head to head,
(Keep the measure, Nag.)
This shall end when one is dead;
(At thy pleasure, Nag.)
Turn for turn and twist for twist--
(Run and hide thee, Nag.)
Hah! The hooded Death has missed!
(Woe betide thee, Nag!)”
It's a delight--not quite up to the impossibly high bar set by
Just So Stories or
Kim, but a pleasure to read and Rikki is a total little hero! Three and a half stars.
Content rating PG: This is more violent and scary than the Just So Stories. Plenty of death, scary moments with snakes hiding in the bathroom. It's probably not for kids under six or so. -
So Kipling was an imperialist. Who cares? This is one of the greatest short stories ever written. I know, I know. Everyone raves about Mowgli. Forget him - Rikki-Tikki-Tavi all the way. Why Disney didn't make this one into a movie, I don't know. I can still remember the first time I read this.
Kipling's tale is about young mongoose who must protect his family. Think cute and cuddly, but with sharp teeth. A perfectly thrilling tale. -
This is my rant/experience with the book. If you're looking for a summary, it's in the description.
I found this story scrolling down my Scribd app. Two things caught my attention: the title and the name Kipling. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is the stupid nickname Anne, in George Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman, gives to her meek pursuer, Octavius. Anne doesn't want him. She wants challenge: Tanner, the superman, or, in our friend Nietzsche's words, the Übermensch!
Anyway, at first, I've found zero relevance between the short story and Shaw's play. Completely different! Then I asked myself this question, Why did Shaw choose Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the mongoose's name in Kipling's story, as a nickname for his character?
There is no similarity between Octavius and the mongoose. Anne does not seem to hint at anything about Octavius by calling him Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, except that maybe she's familiar with the story. So why call him that?
Here's what I think. If there's a hint at all, it's from Shaw. By inserting the title of another work inside his play (an intertext), he's alluding to the fact that Anne, like any other "quality" woman on planet earth, chases after the best man around. In other words, her choice between Octavius (man) and Tanner (superman) is based on animal instinct and Natural Selection.
To be honest, I loved this story more after analyzing it in light of Shaw's play. I don't think I'd have read it if I haven't read Man and Superman last year.
Whether familiar with the play or not, the reader will definitely enjoy this short animal thriller. It's fast-paced, full of vigor and movement and fight, and can be finished in less than 30 minutes.
For me, this was a great refreshment of the MA analysis skills I took last year. -
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (adapted from
The Jungle Book) is a mongoose that protects a family in India from two King Cobras.
Rikki-Tikki came to live with the family after a flood. He would hang out in the family garden as his new hunting ground making friends with others.
It all started one day when Nag (the male King Cobra) ate a baby bird that fell out of the nest. From then on it was payback between Rikki-Tikki, the family and Nag and his wife Nagaina.
Rikki-Tikki ended up being a family treasure by saving the life of Teddy the young master of the house from the plot and planning's of Nag and Nagaina.
Morals in the story, Yes: Killing of others, name calling, and roles in life between male and female.
A well written Classic of Children's literature. A nice lead into reading the
The Jungle Book and/or
Just So Stories. -
My favorite tale from childhood, I loved the cartoon, but never had a chance to read the actual story. The audiobook was excellent, I enjoyed the narrator's singing.
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This was a favorite of my mom when she was young. It was fun to get to read something that she loved. Kipling showed his skill at weaving a compelling story in a short amont of time. He also does a great job with animals.
Also, B. J. Harrison is a skillful narrator. -
Este é um livro de contos infantis, que foram retirados de outras obras de Kipling. O primeiro conto, que dá o título ao livro, faz parte do "Livro da Selva". A história deste mangusto chamado Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, teve contudo tanto sucesso, que tem merecido diversas publicações independentes da sua publicação original, e Rikki-Tikki é ainda hoje protagonista de várias histórias, desenhos animados, canções, etc.
Ao ter escolhido este livro para conhecer o conto de Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, estava, sem me aperceber na altura, a adquirir um "menu de degustação" dos contos infantis de Kipling, uma vez que as histórias contidas neste livro provêm de 10 outros livros... É assim uma fantástica oportunidade para conhecer melhor este autor, genial na construção deste tipo de histórias. De toda a literatura para os mais novos que consta deste blogue, este livro é, de facto, o mais infantil de todos, ou seja, o que melhor se adequa a crianças pequenas. A utilização dos animais para contar as suas histórias, a moral nelas implícita, as fortes características das suas personagens, a forma como estão escritas, enfim...transformam estas histórias em "pequenas delícias" deste menu.
Apesar do público alvo, não deixa de existir aqui também material de reflexão q.b. para os mais velhos. Para quem já conhece o autor, ler este livro é uma forma de o conhecer melhor, e para quem não o conhece, estas são excelentes histórias para contar aos "filhotes" e aprender também com eles, ou então para os deixar descobrir sozinhos. É pena não existir uma versão portuguesa deste livro (pelo menos eu não encontrei), mas algumas das histórias estão nos livros "O Livro da Selva", "O Segundo Livro da Selva" e "Histórias Assim Mesmo", todos estes com edições em português.
Post completo em
http://linkedbooks.blogspot.com/2012/... -
I must have read, or listened to, Rikki Tikki Tavi at some point in my life; I wonder if I had an abridged record (yes, I mean vinyl) when I was small. I wonder if I still have it. I knew the basics, but there was a lot more to it than I recalled (if I had a record when I was small, it was probably bowldlerized). I have to give Kipling credit – Rikki Tikki was cocky and self-important – but I liked him.
And the narration by Emma Lysy was a delight. I received this via Audiobookblast.com in exchange for a review. With thanks! -
I must have read this as a child, but couldn't remember much about it - apart from it being about a mongoose. I had also forgotten how much I loved the writing of Rudyard Kipling.
This is a short, delightful tale, where various animals (with wonderfully developed characters) take centre stage, and humans are relegated to the side-lines. The hero is the young washed-up Rikki-Tikki-Tavi:
"It is the hardest thing in the world to frighten a mongoose, because he is eaten up from nose to
tail with curiosity"
Highly recommended (and free on Amazon Kindle) -
Hilarious
Amazingly written this story as a part of the Epic and classic novel 'The Jungle Book', is too much enjoying and full of fun. Rikki-tikki is developed as a very funny character.
Though this is all seems to me inspired from the Mother of all the stories' collection, "PANCHTANTRA" by 'Pt. Vishnu Sharma'; in which he with very versatility cast the moral and funny stories based on animals as central characters.
Still, Rudyard Kipling had developed a very fine sense of storytelling and 'The Jungle Book' is undeniably a worldwide fame work of his.
I really enjoyed it and for me it deserves even better than 💯.
5.0/5.0 -
I typically have no use for Kipling, but Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is my favorite little dude. Anyone else remember the short animated movie?
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This classic tale, featured originally in The Jungle Book, tells of the brave battle of Rikki-Tikki the mongoose against the deadly cobras, Nag and Nagaina. Rikki-Tikki is swept away from his family by a flood and finds himself a most welcome guest of a human family.
I remember reading this once in school, though I can't remember exactly when, and I was happy to come across it for free on Amazon. It's actually quite an exciting tale, though perhaps a little scary. The snakes, Nag and Nagaina, are sinister and plot the death of the entire family in the big house, hoping that Rikki-Tikki would then move on. But luckily their plot is discovered, and the mongoose defends his adoptive family with every fiber of his being.
The characters are varied and are each entertaining in their own right. I love the idiotic Tailorbird, Danzee. He weeps, sings, and celebrates in turn, without any regard to consequence, mostly because of his short attention span. The little fearful musk-rat, who runs along the walls, but never to the center of the room, is also amusing. His role as informant is important to winning the battle, but mostly because he's afraid he'll be mistaken for the mongoose.
But mostly, I love Rikki-Tikki himself. Too curious to be afraid and fiercely protective of the young family and the creatures of the yard, he is an admirable hero. Brave and funny, and believable, too. When he's not busy saving the day, he scampers around on the breakfast table, perches on the little boy's shoulder, and otherwise endears himself to both the family and the reader.
I also like the poem at the beginning and Danzee's song at the end, cut short because Danzee himself was interupted in the singing by Rikki-Tikki.
Overall, a short, but powerful story of triumph, bravery, and danger. I recommend this one to anyone who likes rooting for the underdog and those who enjoy animal characters. -
This was a short and quick read. I enjoyed it very much. Almost makes me want a mongoose for a pet.
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A wonderful classic tale of the little mongoose. Nicely illustrated also.
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There are two schools of thought regarding illustrated adaptations of literary classics. One school holds that stories that are simplified for early listeners can be ruined in the process, because the listener's first experience doesn't contain the beauty and depth of the original. The second school holds that well-written adaptations can serve as stepping-stones to original works, making them more accessible. I am still between the two camps, but in making decisions about specific classic titles I ask two questions:
1. Is the story content appropriate for a reading level that can't yet master the language in the original? If not, it's probably better to wait until a child is linguistically and emotionally ready for the original.
2. Is the quality of the adaptation high enough that it entices, rather than discourages, readers to explore further? If it can't stand on its own merit but only piggybacks on the original's popularity, it may cause the reader to associate the original with mediocrity.
The answer to question 1 will be different for different families and readers. I would say that Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, a young Indian mongoose who is adopted by a British family and drives the venomous snakes out of their home and garden, may appeal more to boys than girls, and parents of sensitive children should certainly screen this book since it contains dramatic animal violence, multiple attempted murders by talking snakes (in one of these a child is threatened), and Rikki-Tikki's merciless execution of many cobras in their eggs. But this story is a classic for good reason: Rikki-Tikki exemplifies courage, loyalty, defending the helpless, and a relentless commitment to oppose the evil snakes regardless of the cost. Every child will want a pet mongoose after experiencing this story.
As for question 2, Pinkney's adaptation uses modern language, retaining almost none of Kipling's masterful language, but telling the story very well. What really makes this book are his lavish, exuberant watercolor paintings which draw the reader in and dramatize the story in a very vivid way.
I recommend this story for children who are able to tolerate suspense and conflict, who have no reptile phobias, and who are transitioning out of the picture-book stage but are not yet ready for Kipling's sometimes challenging language. Although this book could stand on its own as a part of a home library, I recommend that it ought to be followed very closely by a version with the original language. Once the story is understood, this method will provide a great opportunity for vocabulary expansion and an appreciation of more elevated prose. -
Absolutely, wonderful! This book is the embodiment of a timeless classic in children’s literature, a book that you can enjoy, and then enjoy again when reading it to your child. This is the story of a brave young mongoose adopting and then saving a family from the threat of the cobras living in the garden. My son and I read the book and watched the film adaptation together—the only negative is that my son is now convinced we need a mongoose just like Rikki-Tikki-Tavi!
-Alexis S. -
My favorite childrens story told anew by a great narrator.Emma Lysy brings all the characters to life!"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast or MalarHouse dot com"
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This is a quick read, free on Amazon for Kindle. A child's book that I never read as a child, or to my children...and actually I don't know if I'd read it to my grandkids. Take that back, if they can eat cicadas, then they can handle a cobra being killed.
Ooooh, was that a spoiler alert? For a book written in 1894?
Chuck Jones brought it to video-life.
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A Classic Tale
Prior to reading this tale, the only version i knew of was a song by Donovan. If I'd read it as a child, I don't remember. That being said, this is a delightful read. -
What a sweet and fun story! I honestly must admit that I had never read this story before but I came across it on Amazon and wanted to check it out to see if it would be something my nephews/nieces enjoyed. Such a great story of bravery and loyalty that I think all kids could enjoy. I'll definitely be sharing it not only with my own nephews and nieces, but with those friends who have kids of their own.
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What a beautiful, joyful book!
Mister Kipling was a genius.
Qué libro tan alegre. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi muestra a esas marcadas dicotomías del bien y del mal donde el bien triunfa. Rikki-Tikki es un protector, un guardián leal, un guerrero del bien.
Excelente cuento. Le saca una sonrisa a cualquiera. -
A sweet Little Story of a Young Mongoose growing up and fighting a Cobra couple.
Its a sweet the way characters have been written from Rikki to Nag to Darzee .
Every character is unique and shows something about the animal they represent
A delectable book for kids
3/5
DeVil D -
I love this story. Rudyard Kipling is a master and all kids should read this story. I think I've read it several dozen times. The illustrations in this edition are very good. I love the Indian feel to them.
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Delightful, fun, and a fast read! I got this on Kindle free with the option for audible as well for .99! Read this on a lunch break, loved it, listened to it later on and loved it even more!
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I love this story. I love Michael York. We listened to this as a family during an extended drive. It's only 30 minutes long, semi-dramatized (some of the sound effects are a little hokey at times), but this is Rudyard Kipling at his best.
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Good Mongoose
A delightful and nonstop energetic little story of a mongoose who loses one family only to gain and soon thereafter protect another. He is successful, playful, young yet smart, and humble. A wonderful little read before bedtime.
