The story takes place in a tropical jungle where people are conspicuously absent. But one day Bagheera the Panther discovers a baby in the wreck of a boat. Feeling pity on the child, Bagheera takes him to be raised with the wolves. Ten years later, the child has grown into Mowgli. Mowgli discovers that his life is in danger because of the return to the area of Shere Khan the Tiger, whose hatred of humans is such that Mowgli faces certain death if discovered.  .