Kipling The Works

1. Auflage 2016
ISBN: 978-3-7364-1300-9
Verlag: anboco
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 500 Seiten

PLAIN TALES FROM THE HILLS LISPETH THREE AND-AN EXTRA. THROWN AWAY. MISS YOUGHAL'S SAIS. YOKED WITH AN UNBELIEVER. FALSE DAWN. THE RESCUE OF PLUFFLES. CUPID'S ARROWS. HIS CHANCE IN LIFE. WATCHES OF THE NIGHT. THE OTHER MAN. CONSEQUENCES. THE CONVERSION OF AURELIAN McGOGGIN. A GERM DESTROYER. KIDNAPPED. THE ARREST OF LIEUTENANT GOLIGHTLY. THE HOUSE OF SUDDHOO HIS WEDDED WIFE. THE BROKEN LINK HANDICAPPED. BEYOND THE PALE. IN ERROR. A BANK FRAUD. TODS' AMENDMENT. IN THE PRIDE OF HIS YOUTH. PIG. THE ROUT OF THE WHITE HUSSARS. THE BRONCKHORST DIVORCE-CASE. VENUS ANNODOMINI. THE BISARA OF POOREE. THE GATE OF A HUNDRED SORROWS. THE STORY OF MUHAMMAD DIN. ON THE STRENGTH OF A LIKENESS. WRESSLEY OF THE FOREIGN OFFICE. BY WORD OF MOUTH. TO BE HELD FOR REFERENCE. THE LIGHT THAT FAILED THE STORY OF THE GADSBYS POOR DEAR MAMMA THE TENTS OF KEDAR WITH ANY AMAZEMENT THE GARDEN OF EDEN FATIMA THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL. THE SWELLING OF JORDAN BIMI NAMGAY DOOLA THE RECRUDESCENCE OF IMRAY MOTI GUJ-MUTINEER ...

Autoren/Hrsg.

Kipling, Rudyard

Leseproben

THE MASQUE OF PLENTY

Argument.—The Indian Government being minded to discover the economic
   condition of their lands, sent a Committee to inquire into it; and saw that it
   was good.

   Scene.—The wooded heights of Simla. The Incarnation of
   the Government of India in the raiment of the Angel of Plenty
   sings, to pianoforte accompaniment:—

   "How sweet is the shepherd's sweet life!
     From the dawn to the even he strays—
   And his tongue shall be filled with praise.

     (adagio dim.) Filled with praise!"

   (largendo con sp.) Now this is the position,
                     Go make an inquisition
                     Into their real condition
                       As swiftly as ye may.

                 (p) Ay, paint our swarthy billions
                     The richest of vermillions
                     Ere two well-led cotillions
                       Have danced themselves away.

   Turkish Patrol, as able and intelligent Investigators wind
                   down the Himalayas:—

   What is the state of the Nation? What is its occupation?
   Hi! get along, get along, get along—lend us the information!
   (dim.) Census the byle and the yabu—capture a first-class Babu,
     Set him to file Gazetteers—Gazetteers...

                   (ff) What is the state of the Nation, etc., etc.

   Interlude, from Nowhere in Particular, to stringed and Oriental
   instruments.

   Our cattle reel beneath the yoke they bear—
     The earth is iron and the skies are brass—
   And faint with fervour of the flaming air
     The languid hours pass.

   The well is dry beneath the village tree—
     The young wheat withers ere it reach a span,
   And belts of blinding sand show cruelly
     Where once the river ran.

   Pray, brothers, pray, but to no earthly King—
     Lift up your hands above the blighted grain,
   Look westward—if they please, the Gods shall bring
     Their mercy with the rain.

   Look westward—bears the blue no brown cloud-bank?
     Nay, it is written—wherefore should we fly?
   On our own field and by our cattle's flank
     Lie down, lie down to die!

                           Semi-Chorus

           By the plumed heads of Kings
                           Waving high,
           Where the tall corn springs
                           O'er the dead.

           If they rust or rot we die,
           If they ripen we are fed.

           Very mighty is the power of our Kings!

   Triumphal return to Simla of the Investigators, attired after
     the manner of Dionysus, leading a pet tiger-cub in wreaths
     of rhubarb-leaves, symbolical of India under medical treatment.

     They sing:—

   We have seen, we have written—behold it, the proof of our manifold toil!
   In their hosts they assembled and told it—the tale of the Sons of the Soil.

   We have said of the Sickness—"Where is it?"—and of Death—"It is far from
   our ken,"—
   We have paid a particular visit to the affluent children of men.

   We have trodden the mart and the well-curb—we have stooped to the field and
   the byre;
   And the King may the forces of Hell curb for the People have all they desire!

           Castanets and step-dance:—

   Oh, the dom and the mag and the thakur and the thag,
     And the nat and the brinjaree,
   And the bunnia and the ryot are as happy and as quiet
   And as plump as they can be!

   Yes, the jain and the jat in his stucco-fronted hut,
     And the bounding bazugar,
   By the favour of the King, are as fat as anything,
     They are—they are—they are!

   Recitative, Government of India, with white satin wings  and electro-plated
      harp:—

   How beautiful upon the Mountains—in peace reclining,
   Thus to be assured that our people are unanimously dining.

   And though there are places not so blessed as others in natural advantages,
   which, after all, was only to be expected,
   Proud and glad are we to congratulate you upon the work you have thus ably
   effected.

   (Cres.) How be-ewtiful upon the Mountains!

   Hired Band,  brasses only, full chorus:—

           God bless the Squire
           And all his rich relations
           Who teach us poor people
           We eat our proper rations—
                   We eat our proper rations,
                   In spite of inundations,
                   Malarial exhalations,
                   And casual starvations,
           We have, we have, they say we have—
           We have our proper rations!

   Chorus of the Crystallised Facts

           Before the beginning of years
           There came to the rule of the State
           Men with a pair of shears,
           Men with an Estimate—
           Strachey with Muir for leaven,
           Lytton with locks that fell,
           Ripon fooling with Heaven,
           And Temple riding like H—ll!
           And the bigots took in hand
           Cess and the falling of rain,
           And the measure of sifted sand
           The dealer puts in the grain—
           Imports by land and sea,
           To uttermost decimal worth,
           And registration—free—
...