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Messua's husband is an otherwise unnamed fictional character in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book.
He is the richest man in an Indian village. His wife Messua decides to adopt the wild boy Mowgli, who has strayed out of the jungle, because she believes him to be their long-lost son Nathoo. Her husband is initially as enthusiastic as she is, but the boy's ignorance of village customs results in some embarrassing incidents for which he is penalised; early editions of The Jungle Book mention an incident in which he has to placate the village priest with silver, but this is cut from later editions.
When Buldeo, the village's chief hunter, learns that Mowgli can command wolves, he accuses the boy of being a sorcerer and has him driven from the village. Messua and her husband are sentenced to death for harbouring him. Learning of their incarceration just in time, Mowgli returns and rescues them, but his adopted father is not happy at having to leave most of his money behind.
Six or seven years later Mowgli learns that Messua and her husband settled in a new village where he fathered another son but died soon after. Mowgli shows no grief at his death and does not inquire as to the cause.
The Jungle Book 2
He was voiced by John Rhys Davies, and was credited as "Ranjan's Father" He plays a major role in The Jungle Book 2. When Mowgli tries to show other children of the village, jungle is not dangerous but a nice place, his father forbids him to leave the village and punishes him. After Baloo takes Mowgli back to the Jungle, and Shanti and Ranjan follow them, he, Messua, and all the villagers set out to find Mowgli. After Mowgli returns, he was very happy, and said that Mowgli could visit the jungle whenever he wanted.
This version of Messua's husband already has a younger son called Ranjan. When he adopts Mowgli, he has two sons.
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