`` It is all over , '' he said . `` The widow will never come out again . '' And the red ants that live between the grass stems heard him , and began to troop down one after another to see if he had spoken the truth . Rikki-tikki curled himself up in the grass and slept where he was -- slept and slept till it was late in the afternoon , for he had done a hard day 's work . `` Now , '' he said , when he awoke , `` I will go back to the house . Tell the Coppersmith , Darzee , and he will tell the garden that Nagaina is dead . '' The Coppersmith is a bird who makes a noise exactly like the beating of a little hammer on a copper pot ; and the reason he is always making it is because he is the town crier to every Indian garden , and tells all the news to everybody who cares to listen . As Rikki-tikki went up the path , he heard his `` attention '' notes like a tiny dinner gong , and then the steady `` Ding-dong-tock ! Nag is dead -- dong ! Nagaina is dead ! Ding-dong-tock ! '' That set all the birds in the garden singing , and the frogs croaking , for Nag and Nagaina used to eat frogs as well as little birds . When Rikki got to the house , Teddy and Teddy 's mother -LRB- she looked very white still , for she had been fainting -RRB- and Teddy 's father came out and almost cried over him ; and that night he ate all that was given him till he could eat no more , and went to bed on Teddy 's shoulder , where Teddy 's mother saw him when she came to look late at night . `` He saved our lives and Teddy 's life , '' she said to her husband . `` Just think , he saved all our lives . '' Rikki-tikki woke up with a jump , for the mongooses are light sleepers . `` Oh , it 's you , '' said he . `` What are you bothering for ? All the cobras are dead . And if they were n't , I 'm here . ''
XXXXX had a right to be proud of himself .
Darzee Ding-dong-tock Indian Nagaina Rikki Rikki-tikki Teddy day mongooses night