The Jungle Book brings the primeval forest to life. Animals have human powers of speech and action, but nature is ever present as Mowgli the man-cub is brought up by the wolves of the Seeonee Pack, Baloo the bear, Bagheera the panther and Kaa the python, despite the attentions of Shere Khan the tiger. Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was born in India and spent his early childhood there before being educated in England. Returning to India as a young man, he became a newspaper editor, and began writing short stories and verse. The Jungle Book established Kipling as a leading writer of the day.