It was the jackal – Tabaqui, the Dish-licker – and the wolves of India despise Tabaqui because he runs about making mischief, and telling tales, and eating rags and pieces of leather from the village rubbish-heaps. They are afraid of him too, because Tabaqui, more than any one else in the jungle, is apt to go mad, and then he forgets that he was ever afraid of any one, and runs through the forest biting everything in his way.

Question

—“Mowgli’s Brothers,” The Jungle Book,
Rudyard Kipling

What is the most important purpose of the narrator in this passage?

to tell readers how the wolves feel about Tabaqui and why they feel that way
to tell readers how Tabaqui survives in the jungle
to tell readers about an encounter with Tabaqui
to tell readers why Tabaqui is called the Dish-licker

Answer 1

The most important purpose of the narrator in this passage is to tell readers how the wolves feel about Tabaqui and why they feel that way. The passage provides insight into the wolves' perception of Tabaqui, highlighting both their disdain for his mischievous behavior and their fear of him, especially regarding his potential madness.