The Gentleman of the Jungle

Overview

• Adaptation of a Panchatantra story.
• Theme: Good prevails over evil.
• Reflects the attitude of the Kikuyu people of Kenya towards European colonization and laws.

Key Characters

• Elephant: High minister in the jungle, represents European colonizers.
• Man: Represents native Africans.
• Lion: King of the Jungle, authority figure.
• Other Jungle Elders: Buffalo, Alligator, Fox, Leopard, Hyena; represent biased commission members.

Key Events

Elephant's Betrayal

• Elephant befriends the man and asks to put his trunk in the man's hut during a storm.
• Despite man's small hut, he allows the elephant's trunk inside.
• Elephant eventually forces the man out and occupies the whole hut.
• Elephant justifies action by prioritizing its own comfort over the man's.

Man's Plea to the Lion

• Man and elephant argue, drawing attention of other jungle animals.
• Lion, as king, intervenes and orders a commission of inquiry to resolve the dispute.
• Lion assures the man that justice will be served.

The Commission of Inquiry

• Commission composed of biased jungle Elders: Buffalo, Alligator, Fox (chairman), Leopard (secretary), Hyena.
• Man protests the commission's composition but is ignored.

Biased Commission Findings

• Elephant presents his case with authority, claiming to protect the man's interest.
• Other jungle animals support the elephant's version of events.
• Commission concludes the elephant's actions were justified for economic use and man's backwardness.
• Man is allowed to build another hut but must vacate the current one.

Repeated Injustices

• Man builds a new hut only for other animals (Rhinoceros, Buffalo, Leopard, Hyena) to continuously oust him.
• Each time, a commission of inquiry finds in favor of the animals.

Man's Final Strategy

• Man realizes commissions are useless and builds a new, bigger hut away from the others.
• Jungle animals argue over new hut and start fighting inside it.
• Man sets the hut on fire, burning it with the animals inside.
• Declares that peace is costly but worthwhile.

Themes and Commentary

• Reflects Kenyan experience of European colonization and exploitation.
• Criticizes biased justice systems favoring colonizers over natives.
• Highlights the inevitability of conflict when justice is continually denied.