Also he could not stand to sleep under a roof so he slept outside. But another serious disadvantage was that he did not understand the culture of the humans, or the religion they worshipped. In fact he ate the priest's mangoes and, not understanding the culture or the priest's protestations, he then picked up the image that was sacred and offered to fight the god. Not knowing the values in any given community can be a disadvantage. Moreover, Mowgli had a big advantage in the village when he was skinning Shere Khan's body and Buldeo was denying the reward that Mowgli had earned. A wolf protected Mowgli from being harassed by Buldeo; and Mowgli went on skinning "as though he were alone in all India"...
Are the values and the morals reflected in this story -- with the protagonist as a human boy who was raised by a wolf pack -- worthy of an iconic fictional tale like this one? The answer is a resounding yes. A story doesn't have to be told in a comfortable societal setting with traditional characters to make a valid moral point. Kipling has created a timeless story with applications for any culture anywhere on earth.
In the novel, the reader is allowed to travel along with Kim and his master the Lama all over northern India, where they are constantly reminded of how life can take a very different path when one least expects it. The Grand Trunk Road along which Kim and his Lama travel could be seen as a symbol of the River of the Arrow, the object of their quest. When Kim
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