He fumbled in his waist cloth for flint and steel , and stooped down to singe Shere Khan 's whiskers . Most native hunters always singe a tiger 's whiskers to prevent his ghost from haunting them . `` Hum ! '' said Mowgli , half to himself as he ripped back the skin of a forepaw . `` So thou wilt take the hide to Khanhiwara for the reward , and perhaps give me one rupee ? Now it is in my mind that I need the skin for my own use . Heh ! Old man , take away that fire ! '' `` What talk is this to the chief hunter of the village ? Thy luck and the stupidity of thy buffaloes have helped thee to this kill . The tiger has just fed , or he would have gone twenty miles by this time . Thou canst not even skin him properly , little beggar brat , and forsooth I , Buldeo , must be told not to singe his whiskers . Mowgli , I will not give thee one anna of the reward , but only a very big beating . Leave the carcass ! '' `` By the Bull that bought me , '' said Mowgli , who was trying to get at the shoulder , `` must I stay babbling to an old ape all noon ? Here , Akela , this man plagues me . '' Buldeo , who was still stooping over Shere Khan 's head , found himself sprawling on the grass , with a gray wolf standing over him , while Mowgli went on skinning as though he were alone in all India . `` Ye-es , '' he said , between his teeth . `` Thou art altogether right , Buldeo . Thou wilt never give me one anna of the reward .
There is an old war between this lame XXXXX and myself -- a very old war , and -- I have won . ''
beating carcass head miles shoulder skin talk tiger time use