Kaa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kaa
The Jungle Book character
Kaa (left), as illustrated in the 1895 edition of The Two Jungle Books
First appearance	"Kaa's Hunting"
Last appearance	"The Spring Running"
Created by	Rudyard Kipling
Information
Species	Indian python
Gender	Male

Kaa is a giant snake character from the famous The Jungle Book stories by Rudyard Kipling.

In Kipling's original books, Kaa is a helpful friend and wise teacher to Mowgli, the human boy raised in the jungle. He works alongside Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear. However, in many movies based on The Jungle Book, Kaa is often shown as a villain who tries to eat Mowgli.

Kaa's Role in Kipling's Stories

Kaa first appears in the story "Kaa's Hunting" from The Jungle Book. He is a very large and strong snake, over 100 years old but still powerful.

Saving Mowgli from the Monkeys

In "Kaa's Hunting", Bagheera and Baloo ask Kaa for help. Mowgli has been taken by the Bandar-log (monkeys) to an old, abandoned human city called the Cold Lairs. Kaa helps rescue Mowgli by breaking down a wall where Mowgli is trapped. Kaa then uses his special snake ability to hypnotize the monkeys, making them come closer to him. Bagheera and Baloo also get hypnotized, but Mowgli is human and not affected. He helps his friends break free from the spell.

Exploring with Mowgli

In The Second Jungle Book, Kaa and Mowgli spend time together. Kaa convinces Mowgli to visit a hidden treasure room. This room is guarded by an old cobra snake under the Cold Lairs. The cobra tries to bite Mowgli, but its venom (poison) is old and doesn't work. Mowgli takes a shiny, jeweled item as a souvenir, not knowing it will cause problems later. Kaa then leaves.

Helping Against the Red Dogs

In the story "Red Dog", Mowgli's wolf pack is in danger from a group of wild dogs called dholes. Mowgli asks Kaa for help. Kaa goes into a deep trance, thinking back over his long life to find a plan to defeat the dogs.

Kaa tells Mowgli about his long memories, saying, "I have seen all the dead seasons... and the great trees and the old elephants." With Kaa's smart plan, Mowgli tricks the dholes into attacking too early. Kaa doesn't join the fight himself, but Mowgli and the wolves manage to defeat all the dholes, though they suffer many losses.

Mowgli's Farewell

In "The Spring Running", Mowgli is a teenager and has to leave the jungle. Kaa tells Mowgli that it's hard to change your old life, like a snake shedding its skin. But Mowgli knows he must leave his old life to grow. Kaa, Baloo, and Bagheera sing a special song for Mowgli as he prepares to leave.

Kaa in Disney Movies

Kaa's character is often different in Disney movies compared to Kipling's books.

The 1967 Animated Film and Sequels

In Walt Disney's 1967 animated movie, Kaa is shown as a villain. He tries to eat Mowgli. Sterling Holloway provided Kaa's voice, giving him a unique hissing sound.

Kaa tries to hypnotize Mowgli with his eyes and nearly eats him. But Bagheera wakes up and stops him. Later, Kaa tries again, using his song "Trust in Me" to put Mowgli in a trance. He hides Mowgli when Shere Khan the tiger asks about him. Mowgli eventually wakes up and pushes Kaa away again.

Kaa appears again in The Jungle Book 2, voiced by Jim Cummings. He tries to eat Mowgli and Baloo, but fails. He then tries to hypnotize Mowgli's human friend Shanti, but Mowgli's adoptive brother Ranjan stops him. Shere Khan later asks Kaa about Mowgli, but Kaa lies to protect himself.

In the prequel series Jungle Cubs, Kaa is a young snake still learning his hypnotic powers. Here, he is a friendly character and a protagonist, unlike his villain role in the 1967 film.

The 1994 Live-Action Film

In the 1994 live-action movie, Kaa is a large Burmese Python. He is shown as a dangerous predator who guards treasure in Monkey City. Kaa attacks Mowgli, but Mowgli injures him. Later, Kaa helps King Louie by scaring a bad guy named Captain Boone into a moat, where he drowns.

The 2016 Live-Action Film

In the 2016 live-action remake, Kaa is a reticulated python and is a female character. She is voiced by Scarlett Johansson.

Other Appearances of Kaa

• In the 1967 Soviet cartoons Adventures of Mowgli, Kaa is like the original books. He is voiced by Vladimir Ushakov in Russian and Sam Elliott in English.
• In the 1989 Japanese anime series Jungle Book Shōnen Mowgli, Kaa's personality is also closer to the books.
• Kaa made a brief appearance in the 1988 movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit with other Disney characters.
• In the 1997 live-action film The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo, Kaa is a female python who is a pet.
• In the 2010 CGI animated TV series The Jungle Book, Kaa is more fierce but still friends with Mowgli, Bagheera, and Baloo.
• In Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, Kaa is a huge female Indian python. She is calm but intimidating. She is a "seer" (someone who can see the future or past) and acts as a mentor to Mowgli, similar to the books. She is voiced by Cate Blanchett.