“ Rikki-tikki Tavi” is a story about a fiery young mongoose written by Rudyard Kipling. In this story Rikki faces death multiple times by fighting off two terrifying cobras(Nag and Nagaina) while protecting those he cares about. Rikki may be small and young but he demonstrates the abilities of an old,wise mongoose by showing how selfless, smart and sly he is. In this story, Rikki shows his selflessness by putting his family before himself. Rikki first demonstrates this as he confronts Nag in the bathroom. Rikki is thrown about as he tries to keep a tight grip on Nag but “... for the honor of his family, he preferred to be found with his teeth locked.”(22)Later in the story as Nagaina slithers off into the garden after threatening Rikki’s family, Rikki followed the cobra into her hole even though “ very few of mongooses however wise or old they may be, care to follow a cobra into its hole.”(27) …show more content…
When Nag was coiled up in the bathroom Rikki had to know exactly where to bite Nag to do the most damage. Rikki knew that “ It must be the head...the head above the hood” and when he was there he ” must not let go.” He was able to kill Nag by using that information. When Nagaina threatened his family he tempted her with something that he knew was precious to her. “ Rikki-tikki put his paws on either side of the egg, and his eyes were blood red. ‘ What price for a snake’s egg? For a young cobra? For a young king cobra? For the last--the very last of the brood?’ “ He took her attention away from the family so they would be