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October 2008 
What was your favorite childhood story?
Posted on Nov 9th, 2007
by 
ponysong
ponysong
This is in Response to the Questions and Reflections for November 09, 2007:
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" from "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling.
I think it must have been the assonance with my own name that made me identify with the title character, a brave, snake-eating mongoose. Plus the fact that the cute, furry mongoose saves the people from the evil reptile, is bound to appeal to children of all ages. Later on I felt sorry for the snakes. After all, they were just trying to raise their own family; they were just in the wrong place.
I think it must have been the assonance with my own name that made me identify with the title character, a brave, snake-eating mongoose. Plus the fact that the cute, furry mongoose saves the people from the evil reptile, is bound to appeal to children of all ages. Later on I felt sorry for the snakes. After all, they were just trying to raise their own family; they were just in the wrong place.
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I had compassion for the snakes, too! This is a favorite story from my mothering days. My son loved the Rudyard Kipling books we read aloud together …