Hi! alexander,   
      
   In a message to Ardith Hinton you wrote:   
      
    AH>> Anybody who could describe Bagheera as well as Kipling does here,   
    AH>> however, would almost certainly be aware of this animal's gender....   
    AH>> ;-)   
      
    ak> Your point is unclear. :) How could I be aware of it? If "he" is a   
    ak> standard default in Kipling's time, we can expect that we will use   
    ak> "his" to that animal. We cannot use "he" and "her" simultaneously?   
      
   I think Kipling is almost doing that.  He has already labelled Bagheera as   
   male in his narrative, so the gender is established.  His description however   
   alludes to a feline form almost akin to the softer female 'lines'.   
      
   I hated having to study the book in my early school years, heaping scorn on   
   the idea that we students should be forced to read such childish material.    
   However in the intervening decades since, I have enjoyed the tale many many   
   times.   
      
   Have you seen the definitive 1942 movie adaptation of the book?  Here are some   
   links to it on EwwToob:   
      
   Jungle Book - [ALT]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixKOn3SbIsY   
   Jungle Book - [ALT]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ3QpnW_YlU   
   Jungle Book - [ALT]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO1gLAoEZRA   
   Jungle Book - [ALT]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxBdvUlZ_5M   
      
   I know the first one works as I've only just played it, and its introduction   
   brought a tear while listening to the story teller's monologue.  (It's a   
   beautiful way of talking that people just don't use any more.)  The other   
   links may or may not work, and one or another may offer a slightly better   
   quality.  Caveat emptor!  Enjoy!   
      
   Cheers,   
   Paul.   
      
   ... "The path to the stars is paved with sorrow."  Charles Logan, 1975.   
   --- Paul's Win98SE VirtualBox   
    * Origin: Quinn's Post - Maryborough, Queensland, OZ (3:640/384)