`` He may bite the child . '' `` He 'll do no such thing , '' said the father . `` Teddy 's safer with that little beast than if he had a bloodhound to watch him . If a snake came into the nursery now -- '' But Teddy 's mother would n't think of anything so awful . Early in the morning Rikki-tikki came to early breakfast in the veranda riding on Teddy 's shoulder , and they gave him banana and some boiled egg . He sat on all their laps one after the other , because every well-brought-up mongoose always hopes to be a house mongoose some day and have rooms to run about in ; and Rikki-tikki 's mother -LRB- she used to live in the general 's house at Segowlee -RRB- had carefully told Rikki what to do if ever he came across white men . Then Rikki-tikki went out into the garden to see what was to be seen . It was a large garden , only half cultivated , with bushes , as big as summer-houses , of Marshal Niel roses , lime and orange trees , clumps of bamboos , and thickets of high grass . Rikki-tikki licked his lips . `` This is a splendid hunting-ground , '' he said , and his tail grew bottle-brushy at the thought of it , and he scuttled up and down the garden , snuffing here and there till he heard very sorrowful voices in a thorn-bush . It was Darzee , the Tailorbird , and his wife . They had made a beautiful nest by pulling two big leaves together and stitching them up the edges with fibers , and had filled the hollow with cotton and downy fluff . The nest swayed to and fro , as they sat on the rim and cried . `` What is the matter ? '' asked Rikki-tikki . `` We are very miserable , '' said Darzee . `` One of our babies fell out of the nest yesterday and Nag ate him . '' `` H 'm ! '' said Rikki-tikki , `` that is very sad -- but I am a stranger here . Who is Nag ? ''
XXXXX and his wife only cowered down in the nest without answering , for from the thick grass at the foot of the bush there came a low hiss -- a horrid cold sound that made Rikki-tikki jump back two clear feet .
Darzee Nag Niel Rikki-tikki Segowlee Teddy bloodhound bottle-brushy downy mongoose