The widow told him that her boy
when taken off had lately recovered from a scald on the left knee,
and was seized by the loins when the wolf took him off, and that the
boy he had seen must be her lost child.
She went off forthwith to the Koelee bazaar, and, in addition to the
two marks above described, discovered a third mark on his thigh, with
which her child was born. She took him home to her village, where he
was recognised by all her neighbours. She kept him for two months,
and all the sporting landholders in the neighbourhood sent her game
for him to feed upon. He continued to dip his face in the water to
drink, but he sucked in the water, and did not lap it up like a dog
or wolf. His body continued to smell offensively. When the mother
went to her work, the boy always ran into the jungle, and she could
never get him to speak. He followed his mother for what he could get
to eat, but showed no particular affection for her; and she could
never bring herself to feel much for him; and after two months,
finding him of no use to her, and despairing of even making anything
of him, she left him to the common charity of the village. He soon
after learnt to eat bread when it was given him, and ate whatever
else he could get during the day, but always went off to the jungle
at night. He used to mutter something, but could never be got to
articulate any word distinctly. The front of his knees and elbows had
become hardened from going on all fours with the wolves.
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