La historia comienza cuando un joven matrimonio pierde a su bebé en los bosques de la India mientras trataban de huir del ataque de Shere Khan (un enorme y feroz tigre de Bengala y el villano principal del libro). El bebé aparece en la cueva de una manada de lobos quienes lo salvan de las garras de Shere Khan. Raksha (la madre loba adoptiva) lo llama «Mowgl.i»

The story begins when a young married couple loses their baby in the forests of India while trying to flee from the attack of Shere Khan, a huge and ferocious Bengal tiger and the main villain of the book. The baby finds his way to the cave of a pack of wolves who save him from the clutches of Shere Khan. Raksha (the foster wolf mother) calls him "Mowgli."