AUSTRALIAN CUB SCOUT
SILVER BOOMERANG REQUIREMENTS

Part 5 – Our Cub Scout Traditions

(Scouting aims and principles)

The Jungle Book
Tell one of the stories in the jungle book that does not have Mowgli in it.

The following stories in The Jungle Book do not have Mowgli in them.

  1. The White Seal
  2. Lukannon
  3. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.
  4. Toomai of the Elephants.
  5. Her Majesty's Servants.
  6. Parade-Song of the Camp Animals.
The complete Jungle Book was published in 1894, and has passed into the public domain, is on-line at Project Gutenberg's official website and elsewhere.

However I have included some parts of the two Jungle Books on this page for the convenience of leaders and Cubs, including the stories listed above.

 

Explain the significance of Baloo and Bagheera in Mowgli’s life Baloo - teaches the cubs of the Seeonee wolf pack the Law of the Jungle. His most challenging pupil is the "man-cub" Mowgli; despite Bagheera's objections he sometimes finds it necessary to use corporal punishment against Mowgli, although when called upon to defend the man-cub against the Bandar-log he does not hesitate.
 
Bagheera - Originally born in captivity in the menagerie of the Rajah of Oodeypore, India, Bagheera begins to pine for his freedom after his mother dies. Once he is mature and strong enough he breaks the lock on his cage and escapes into the jungle, where his ferocity and cunning win him the respect of all its other inhabitants, except Shere Khan the tiger. Bagheera reveals all this to Mowgli later. None but Mowgli ever learn that Bagheera once wore a collar and chain, explaining the cat's special insight concerning Men.
When and Raksha of the Seeonee (Seoni) wolf pack adopt the human "cub" Mowgli and the pack demands that the new cub should be spoken for, Bagheera buys Mowgli's life with a freshly-killed bull and helps to raise him as one of the pack. Because his life has been bought by a bull, Mowgli is forbidden to eat cattle (coincidentally, just as the Hindu villagers of the region are also forbidden).
Bagheera and Baloo are Mowgli's mentors. They are two of the three who sing for Mowgli "The Outsong" of the jungle.

 

Scouting History
Find out when Scouting started in your local Group. My own group is 1st Picnic Point - it started on Sept 20th 1957.
(of course this will vary for each Scout Group, and hopefully there is a certificate comemorating it on your den wall.)

 

Find out and explain the meaning of your scarf and District/Region badge. 1st Picnic Point is Green with a yellow edge.
The Green signifies the abundance of local bushland in the area and the yellow band signifies the shores of the Georges River as it passes in front of the Scout hall through the adjoining National park area.
Of course, green & gold are the colours of Australia as well
 
Unfortunately many groups have lost this information over the years, but with luck you can trace this information for your group (or consult with your group council and make up something that “works” for your colours and use that for tradition in the future).
 
We are in the South Metroploitan Region, and the Region badge shows Austalian flora of the area.
 
(I was told (about July 2007) this question is apparently being removed from the test, and replaced with a requirement for more general knowledge about the History of Scouting in Australia and in general - as yet I do not know what it is.)

 

© 2008 Ian Moggs - rights are given for copying and printing for personal use or use in cub-scout or similar groups.