"Who is Nag? I am Nag. My family has ruled this garden for thousands of years. Look at me and be afraid." Rikki-tikki was scared for only a minute. He knew that as a mongoose, he was supposed to fight snakes. Nag knew it too. "Look out!" yelled Darzee's wife. At just that moment, another snake struck at Rikki-tikki from behind. The snake, Nag's wife Nagaina, had tried to bite Rikki-tikki. She just missed him. Then, the two snakes quickly slithered off into the grass. Later that night, Rikki-tikki heard a peculiar sound. Rikki-tikki could make out what seemed like the sound of snake skin rubbing on bricks. Nag or Nagaina was in the house! As quick as he could, Rikki-tikki ran off to Teddy's parent's bathroom. There he heard two voices whispering in the dark. It was Nag and Nagaina. "When the house is empty of people," Nag said to Nagaina, "we'll force Rikki-tikki to go away. Then the garden will be ours again. We are the king and queen of the garden. Remember, our eggs in the melon patch will be hatching soon." "Go in quickly," Nagaina said, "and scare off the people. Then you and I will take care of Rikki-tikki together." "Go in quickly," Nagaina said, "and scare off the people. Then you and I will take care of Rikki-tikki together." Rikki-tikki's eyes glowed the deep red of a polished ruby. He heard Nagaina slide away into the grass outside. Rikki-tikki thought of all the nice things that Teddy's family had done for him. He inched closer to the deadly snake. He would fight the snake and send him away for good. Then, as quickly as lightning, Rikki-tikki jumped. He grabbed the snake by the back of the neck. Nag whipped his head around. Then snake swung Rikki-tikki like a limp rag doll. Then Rikki-tikki heard a large crack. Teddy's father had taken a stick and hit Nag in the head. The cobra lay still on the cold tile floor. Teddy's father picked up the snake and got rid of him. "Oh my," Teddy's mother cried from the bathroom doorway. "That mongoose has saved all our lives." Rikki-tikki walked back into Teddy's room and slept. When morning came, he knew he would have to find Nagaina and fight her too. Once she found out that Nag was gone, she would be very dangerous...to everyone. Rikki-tikki went to the garden with a plan. "Darzee," he called, "you have to help to distract Nagaina while I go and find her eggs." Darzee agreed to fly over to where the snake was lying in the grass and lure her away. Nagaina was sitting by the house and crying over her lost Nag. Tweet //

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