The Jungle Book

In the jungles of 1890s India, an orphaned boy named Mowgli lives among a pack of wolves led by Akela. One day, during the dry season, the jungle animals gather to drink the remaining water as part of an ancient truce. The gathering is disrupted by Shere Khan, a murderous Bengal tiger who threatens to kill Mowgli at the end of the drought. After the drought ends, the wolves debate whether or not they should keep Mowgli. Mowgli decides to leave the jungle for the safety of his family, and Bagheera, a black panther, volunteers to guide him to the nearby "man-village". Shere Khan ambushes the pair on their way to the man-village, but Mowgli manages to escape by hiding amid a buffalo stampede caused by the tiger, and later encounters a seductive Indian python named Kaa, who hypnotizes him. While under her influence, Mowgli sees a vision of his biological father being killed by Shere Khan while trying to protect him. She also explains that there is a mysterious light called the Red Flower (fire) which brings destruction to anything it touches. Kaa attempts to devour Mowgli, but he is rescued by a bear named Baloo. Mowgli retrieves honey for Baloo as repayment and agrees to stay with him until the winter season arrives. Upon learning that Mowgli has left the jungle, Shere Khan kills Akela and threatens the pack to lure Mowgli out. Bagheera eventually finds Mowgli and Baloo and is incensed that Mowgli has not joined the humans, but Baloo calms him down and persuades both of them to sleep on it. During the night, Mowgli finds the herd of Asian elephants gathered around a ditch and uses vines to save their baby. Baloo realizes that he cannot guarantee Mowgli's safety after learning that he is being targeted by Shere Khan and reluctantly agrees to push Mowgli away to get him to continue onward to the man village. Mowgli is kidnapped by a gang of monkeys and Hoolock gibbons known as the Bandar-log, who take him to their leader, a deranged Gigantopithecus named King Louie. Assuming that all humans can make fire, Louie offers Mowgli protection from Shere Khan in exchange for it. Baloo distracts King Louie while Bagheera tries to sneak Mowgli out, but their ruse is uncovered. Louie chases Mowgli through his temple and informs Mowgli of Akela's death by Shere Khan. Louie's rampage eventually causes his temple to collapse on top of him. Furious that his friends neglected to tell him about Akela's death, Mowgli goes to confront Shere Khan himself. He steals a torch from the man-village and heads back to the jungle, inadvertently starting a wildfire in the process. Shere Khan claims that Mowgli has made himself the enemy by causing the fire. Seeing the wolves' fear of him, Mowgli throws the torch into a river and proclaims his name to Shere Khan. Baloo, Bagheera, and the wolf pack hold off Shere Khan when he attacks, giving Mowgli enough time to flee into the burning jungle. Shere Khan overpowers all of them single-handedly and goes after Mowgli, who lures Shere Khan up a dead tree and onto a branch, before repeatedly antagonsing and insulting him. Enraged, Khan lunges at Mowgli, who swings to safety. Too heavy for his weight, the branch snaps, and Khan falls to his death into the fire. Mowgli then directs the elephants to divert the river and put out the fire. In the aftermath, Mowgli decides to stay in the jungle as his real home and utilize his equipment and tricks for his own use, under the guardianship of Baloo and Bagheera.