Rikki-tikki-tavi Character Analysis in The Jungle Book

Rikki-tikki-tavi is a mongoose whom Teddy and Teddy’s parents adopt after Rikki-tikki-tavi nearly drowns in a flood. Because Teddy and his family saved Rikki-tikki-tavi’s life, he is fiercely loyal to them. He bravely fights off Nag and Nagaina, two snakes who occupy Teddy’s family’s garden. All the garden’s animals come to respect Rikki-tikki-tavi for his strength and bravery.

Rikki-tikki-tavi Quotes in The Jungle Book

The The Jungle Book quotes below are all either spoken by Rikki-tikki-tavi or refer to Rikki-tikki-tavi. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Of course it was not all done at once, for the seals need a long time to turn things over in their minds, but year by year more seals went away from Novastoshnah, and Lukannon, and the other nurseries, to the quiet, sheltered beaches where Kotick sits all the summer through, getting bigger and fatter and stronger each year, while the hollus-chikie play round him, in that sea where no man comes.

Related Characters: Mowgli, Kotick, Rikki-tikki-tavi, Sea Catch

Page Number and Citation: 129

Explanation and Analysis:

‘Who is Nag?’ said he. ‘I am Nag. The great God Brahm put his mark upon all our people, when the first cobra spread his hood to keep the sun off Brahm as he slept. Look, and be afraid!’

Related Characters: Nag (speaker), Rikki-tikki-tavi, Teddy

Related Symbols: Nag’s Hood

Page Number and Citation: 139

Explanation and Analysis:

He was afraid for the minute, but it is impossible for a mongoose to stay frightened for any length of time, and though Rikki-tikki had never met a live cobra before, his mother had fed him on dead ones, and he knew that all a grown mongoose’s business in life was to fight and eat snakes. Nag knew that too and, at the bottom of his cold heart, he was afraid.

Related Characters: Rikki-tikki-tavi, Nag, Teddy

Page Number and Citation: 139

Explanation and Analysis:

But his wife was a sensible bird, and she knew that cobra’s eggs meant young cobras later on. So she flew off from the nest, and left Darzee to keep the babies warm, and continue his song about the death of Nag.

Related Characters: Rikki-tikki-tavi, Nag, Nagaina, Darzee, Darzee’s Wife

Page Number and Citation: 149-150

Explanation and Analysis:

Rikki-tikki had a right to be proud of himself; but he did not grow too proud, and he kept that garden as a mongoose should kept it, with tooth and jump and spring and bite, till never a cobra dared show its head inside the walls.

Related Characters: Rikki-tikki-tavi, Nag, Nagaina

Page Number and Citation: 139

Explanation and Analysis:

Rikki-tikki-tavi Character Timeline in The Jungle Book

The timeline below shows where the character Rikki-tikki-tavi appears in The Jungle Book. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

It is summer in India when a flood arrives, disturbing a young mongoose named Rikki-tikki-tavi. The flood ruins Rikki-tikki-tavi’s burrow, so he has nowhere to live. It almost kills Rikki-tikki-tavi,... (full context)

Teddy and his parents take care of Rikki-tikki-tavi and revive him to full health. When Rikki-tikki-tavi feels better, he climbs up on Teddy’s... (full context)

At night, Teddy and Rikki-tikki-tavi sleep next to each other in the same bed. Teddy’s mother is not sure about... (full context)

The following day, Rikki-tikki-tavi goes outside and explores his new family’s garden. The family lives in Segowlee, a part... (full context)

Nag appears and tells Rikki-tikki-tavi that he is a special snake blessed by the god Brahm. Indeed, Nag’s hood has... (full context)

Nag continues talking to Rikki-tikki-tavi as a way to distract him. Meanwhile, Nag’s wife, Nagaina, slithers up behind Rikki-tikki-tavi and... (full context)

Not long after Rikki-tikki-tavi’s encounter with Nag and Nagaina, he is outside with Teddy and sees a venomous snake... (full context)

That evening, Rikki-tikki-tavi wanders outside, where he finds Chuchundra, a muskrat. Chuchundra informs Rikki-tikki-tavi that he thinks Nag... (full context)

That night Nag goes and hides in the bathroom and waits for the morning. However, Rikki-tikki-tavi does not give Nag time to let his plan unfold. Rikki-tikki-tavi watches until Nag falls... (full context)

Although the fight with Nag was a close call, Rikki-tikki-tavi does not get hurt. Exhausted, he returns to Teddy’s room and goes to sleep. The... (full context)

When Rikki-tikki-tavi finds Darzee, he is overjoyed because Nag is dead. Darzee’s happiness annoys Rikki-tikki-tavi because he... (full context)

Darzee’s wife lures Nagaina away from her eggs. Meanwhile, Rikki-tikki-tavi sneaks into Nagaina’s nest and destroys the eggs one by one. Before he can finish... (full context)

Rikki-tikki-tavi tries to get Nagaina to fight him, but she remains focused on the humans. Then,... (full context)

Rikki-tikki-tavi and Nagaina fight over the egg. Eventually, Nagaina manages to steal it from Rikki-tikki-tavi. Then,... (full context)

When Rikki-tikki-tavi wakes up, he celebrates his victory with the rest of the animals in the garden.... (full context)

Darzee sings a song in Rikki-tikki-tavi’s honor. The song describes Rikki-tikki-tavi as a ferocious hunter who rules the garden. As Darzee... (full context)