midday
But Mowgli , as a man-cub , had to learn a great deal more than this . Sometimes Bagheera the Black Panther would come lounging through the jungle to see how his pet was getting on , and would purr with his head against a tree while Mowgli recited the day 's lesson to Baloo . The boy could climb almost as well as he could swim , and swim almost as well as he could run . So Baloo , the Teacher of the Law , taught him the Wood and Water Laws : how to tell a rotten branch from a sound one ; how to speak politely to the wild bees when he came upon a hive of them fifty feet above ground ; what to say to Mang the Bat when he disturbed him in the branches at midday ; and how to warn the water-snakes in the pools before he splashed down among them . None of the Jungle People like being disturbed , and all are very ready to fly at an intruder . Then , too , Mowgli was taught the Strangers ' Hunting Call , which must be repeated aloud till it is answered , whenever one of the Jungle-People hunts outside his own grounds . It means , translated , `` Give me leave to hunt here because I am hungry . ''