14 Classic 'Jungle Book' Quotes That Prove Mowgli Will Always Be The Best

June 22, 2024

The Jungle Book is one of the most beloved classic Disney cartoons, and has been ever since its release in 1967. Loosely based off of the stories by Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book was one of the first screen adaptations of the adventures of Mowgli. Its memorable characters and delightful songs are simply timeless, and there are also a lot of good moral lessons within the narrative. In addition, there are some classic quotes from The Jungle Book that are just as funny and relevant to your life as an adult as they were when you were watching The Jungle Book on VHS as a six-year-old.

Think about it: Bagheera was the caring but overprotective parent figure, Baloo was the carefree but less-than-brilliant sidekick, Shere Khan was the embodiment of sheer malevolence. There were adult themes embedded into the narrative, but in a way that felt heartwarming and playful. It's therefore no surprise that story has since been the inspiration for several other films, including a new live-action version from Disney. The new Jungle Book is a reboot, so it will be interesting to see how it differs from the children's cartoon (apart from the obvious differences between 1960s animation and contemporary CGI). But even if the new movie is amazing, Disney's original Jungle Book will always have a piece of my heart. Here are some memorable Jungle Book quotes that show why.

1. Baloo: "Don't spend your time looking around for something you want that can't be found."

2. Bagheera: "I'm taking him back to the man village."Baloo: "Man village? They'll ruin him. They'll make a man out of him."

3. Bagheera: "Had I known how deeply I was to be involved, I would've obeyed my first impulse and walked away."

4. Bagheera: "Birds of a feather should flock together. You wouldn't marry a panther now, would you?"Baloo: "I don't know .... Come to think of it, no panther has ever asked me."

5. Kaa: "I have... trouble with my sinuses .... It's simply terrible. I can't eat, I can't sleep, so I sing myself to sleep. You know, self-hypnosis."

6. Mowgli: "I like being a bear."Baloo: "That's my boy. And you're gonna make one swell bear. Why, you even sing like one."

7. Mowgli: "Bagheera, he's got a knot in his tail!Kaa: "...Oh, this will slow down my slithering."

8. Baloo: "Look for the bare necessities / The simple bare necessities / Forget about your worries and your strife / I mean the bare necessities / Are Mother Nature's recipies / That bring the bare necessities of life."

9. Bagheera: "Greater love hath no one than he who lays down his life for his friend."

10. Kaa: "Just you wait till I get you in my coils!"

11. Buzzie: "You can let go, Baloo."Baloo: "Are you kidding? There's teeth in the other end!"

12. Baloo: "He's had a big day. It was a sockeroo. You know, it ain't easy learning to be like me."

13. Bagheera: "Frankly, you're a disreputable sight."

Baloo: "Well, you don't look exactly like a basket of fruit yourself."

15. Mowgli : "You don't scare me! I don't run from anyone!"Shere Khan: "Ah, you have spirit for one so small. And such spirit is deserving of a sporting chance."

There's something special about a movie that has the power to take you back to childhood, and The Jungle Book does just that. You can relive the many adventures of Mowgli, Bagheera, and Baloo in the new live-action movie, and you can always rewatch the original Disney animation for a highly-quotable blast from the past.

Images: Disney (2), Giphy (5)

Get Even More From Bustle — Sign Up For The Newsletter

From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person who’s on TikTok, even if you aren’t.