The Jungle Books can be regarded as classic stories told by an adult to childre n. But they also constitute a complex literary work of art in which the whole of Kipling's philosophy of life is expressed in miniature. They are best known for the `Mowgli' stories; the tale of a baby abandoned and brought up by wolves, ed ucated in the ways and secrets of the jungle by Kaa the python, Baloo the bear, and Bagheera the black panther. The stories, a mixture of fantasy, myth, and ma gic, are underpinned by Kipling's abiding preoccupation with the theme of self-d iscovery, and the nature of the `Law'. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxf ord World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from arou nd the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship , providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, inc luding expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.