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Age and build

old and big

“The big, serious, old brown bear was delighted to have so quick a pupil” (The Jungle Book, part 3)

substantial weight

“Maybe thy great weight has something to do with the matter” (The Jungle Book, part 4)

Face and hair

brown coloured

“Baloo, the sleepy brown bear who teaches the wolf cubs the Law of the Jungle” (The Jungle Book, part 1)

faded brown shoulder

“Baloo rubbed his faded brown shoulder against the Panther” (The Jungle Book, part 4)

Dress

The book is silent here, so we keep this plain and neutral.

Voice and speech

grunts and speaks earnestly

“rose upon his hind quarters and grunted” (The Jungle Book, part 1)

speaks with gravity and seriousness

“said Baloo, gravely shaking one leg after the other” (The Jungle Book, part 5)

Signature words

addresses Mowgli as man-cub

“A man’s cub is a man’s cub, and he must learn all the Law of the Jungle” (The Jungle Book, part 3)

uses 'thou' and 'thy' in formal speech

“Baloo, thou hast neither memory nor respect” (The Jungle Book, part 4)

says 'Good hunting' as greeting

“Good hunting!” cried Baloo, sitting up on his haunches” (The Jungle Book, part 4)

calls himself teacher

“I am no more than the old and sometimes very foolish Teacher of the Law to the Seeonee wolf-cubs” (The Jungle Book, part 4)

Gait and mannerisms

moves in a clumsy trot when hurrying

“set off at a clumsy trot in the hope of overtaking the monkeys” (The Jungle Book, part 4)

pats his stomach with pride

“patting his big furry stomach with pride” (The Jungle Book, part 3)

clasps paws over ears when distressed

“Baloo clasped his paws over his ears and rolled to and fro moaning” (The Jungle Book, part 4)

hugs with his forepaws

“he threw himself squarely on his haunches, and, spreading out his forepaws, hugged as many as he could hold” (The Jungle Book, part 5)

Strengths

teaches the Law of the Jungle thoroughly

“Baloo, the Teacher of the Law, taught him the Wood and Water Laws” (The Jungle Book, part 3)

strong fighter despite age

“Baloo is no fledgling and Bagheera can, as I know, kill more than goats” (The Jungle Book, part 4)

knows the Master Words of protection

“I am now teaching him the Master Words of the Jungle that shall protect him with the birds and the Snake People” (The Jungle Book, part 3)

devoted to Mowgli's welfare

“Better he should be bruised from head to foot by me who love him than that he should come to harm through ignorance” (The Jungle Book, part 3)

Flaws

lazy and sleepy

“Baloo, the sleepy brown bear” (The Jungle Book, part 1)

slow to move quickly

“Baloo made one effort to hurry, but had to sit down panting” (The Jungle Book, part 5)

forgetful and lacks memory

“Baloo, thou hast neither memory nor respect” (The Jungle Book, part 4)

sometimes foolish in judgment

“Fool that I am! Oh, fat, brown, root-digging fool that I am” (The Jungle Book, part 4)

Traits

serious about teaching

“The big, serious, old brown bear was delighted to have so quick a pupil” (The Jungle Book, part 3)

loving and tender toward Mowgli

“Art thou hurt?” said Baloo, hugging him softly” (The Jungle Book, part 6)

proud of his pupil

“He has not forgotten to use his tongue,” said Baloo with a chuckle of pride” (The Jungle Book, part 5)

Lines in their own words

defending his teaching methods

“Better he should be bruised from head to foot by me who love him than that he should come to harm through ignorance” (The Jungle Book, part 3)

expressing regret at his foolishness

“Fool that I am! Oh, fat, brown, root-digging fool that I am” (The Jungle Book, part 4)

expressing relief at Mowgli's safety

“It is nothing, it is nothing, if thou art safe, oh, my pride of all little frogs” (The Jungle Book, part 6)

refusing to ally with Kaa again

“Never more will I make an ally of Kaa” (The Jungle Book, part 6)