What motivates the character Nagaina in the story Rikki-Tikki-Tavi?
After Rikki kills Nag, Nagaina must protect herself and her yet unhatched babies by herself. She is chasing Darzee the tailorbird’s wife (who is distracting Nagaina by pretending that she has a broken wing) while Rikki is destroying her eggs in the melon patch. Darzee’s wife warn Rikki that she has gone to the house and “means killing.” Rikki destroys two of the last three eggs, but takes the last one with him to the veranda where the humans are frozen in fear, with Nagaina poised to strike. Rikki taunts Nagaina to “come and fight” for her last cobra egg. She does just that, and manages to grab the egg and flee to her “rat hole” with Rikki in pursuit. He finally emerges from the cobra’s hole, announcing that the “widow” (Nagaina) is dead.
