Content Warning: This section references colonialism and ethnic stereotypes.

“At the hole where he went in

Red-Eye called to Wrinkle-Skin.

Hear what little Red-Eye saith:

‘Nag, come up and dance with death!’”

The invocational poem begins with two epithets, calling Rikki-tikki-tavi “Red-Eye” and Nag “Wrinkle-Skin” as they prepare to battle. This use of epithets recalls the tradition of epic poetry, framing Rikki-tikki-tavi as a great hero despite his small size and establishing the theme of Courage as Action. The poem also previews the story’s plot, raising anticipation of the battles to come.

“This is the story of the great war that Rikki-tikki-tavi fought singlehanded through the bath-rooms of the big bungalow in Segowlee cantonment.”

After quickly establishing the story’s setting, the narrator suggests that its primary conflict will be a battle between Rikki-tikki-tavi and the snakes. There is an ironic and lightly comical gap between the narrator’s characterization of the story’s events as a “great war” and the mundane, domestic nature of the setting, but the story does not frame this as detracting from Rikki-tikki-tavi’s heroism.

“I suppose he’s so tame because we’ve been kind to him.”

Teddy’s mother’s decision to take in Rikki-tikki-tavi as a “house-mongoose” is the story’s inciting incident. The family’s kindness to him leads to their protection, as Rikki-tikki-tavi seeks retribution against the snakes that plan to do the family harm. Nevertheless, Teddy’s mother’s assessment of Rikki-tikki-tavi’s motivations isn’t quite right; Rikki-tikki-tavi has his own reasons for allowing the family to adopt him.