: The central antagonist is the tiger Shere Khan , who believes Mowgli does not belong in the jungle and seeks to kill him.
The stories are often seen as educational fables with several moral takeaways:
: The story of a brave mongoose who protects a human family from cobras.
: A story about a young boy who witnesses the secret dance of the elephants.
: After being found by the black panther Bagheera , Mowgli is protected by the wolves and mentored by Baloo the bear, who teaches him the "Law of the Jungle".
: The "Law of the Jungle" emphasizes that every creature has a place and that one must respect the natural order to survive.
: A tale about a seal seeking a safe haven for his people to escape hunters.