Rikki-Tikki-Tavi from The Jungle Book Good vs. Evil Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)

Quote #7

"I was not a day too soon," he said; for he could see the baby cobras curled up inside the skin, and he knew that the minute they were hatched they could each kill a man or a mongoose. (85)

Nag is first introduced as evil because he ate a baby bird, and now Rikki-tikki is about to go straight up heroic baby killer on those eggs. What's the difference? The baby cobras can kill a man or mongoose. Baby bird, eh, not so much.

Quote #8

"If you move I strike, and if you do not move I strike. Oh, foolish people, who killed my Nag!" (88)

Nagaina's evil is shown through her vengeance. It doesn't matter what happens. The only thing that will cure her hatred is death. That's pretty evil. (We guess.)

Quote #9

Rikki-tikki knew that he must catch her, or all the trouble would begin again. (101)

Here's the thing about these classic Good-versus-Evil stories: it's winner take all. There's no Mediocre, or "Good on Some Days, Evil on Other Days." Rikki-tikki knows this, it seems, almost instinctually.