1892 

                                   GUNGA DIN
                          (From Barrack-Room Ballads)

                               by Rudyard Kipling







şiElectronically Enhanced Text (c) Copyright 1996, World Library(R)
DAK Upgraded Edition, Copyright 2000, DAK Industries 2000, Inc(R)şI

{GUNGA_DIN
                     GUNGA DIN
-
       You may talk o' gin and beer
       When you're quartered safe out 'ere,
       An' you're sent to penny-fights an' Aldershot it;
       But when it comes to slaughter
       You will do your work on water,
       An' you'll lick the bloomin' boots of 'im that's got it.
       Now in Injia's sunny clime,
       Where I used to spend my time
       A-servin' of 'Er Majesty the Queen,
       Of all them black-faced crew
       The finest man I knew
       Was our regimental bhisti, Gunga Din.
           He was "Din! Din! Din!
           You limping lump o' brick-dust, Gunga Din!
           Hi! slippery hitherao!
           Water, get it! Panee lao! *
           You squigy-nosed old idol, Gunga Din!"
-
       The uniform 'e wore
       Was nothin' much before,
       An' rather less than 'arf o' that be'ind,
                                                                  {^line 20}
       For a piece o' twisty rag
       An' a goatskin water-bag
       Was all the field-equipment 'e could find.
       When the sweatin' troop-train lay
       In a sidin' through the day,
       Where the 'eat would make your bloomin' eyebrows crawl,
       We shouted "Harry By!" *(2)
       Till our throats were bricky-dry,
       Then we wopped 'im 'cause 'e couldn't serve us all.
           It was "Din! Din! Din!
           You 'eathen, where the mischief 'ave you been?
           You put some juldee *(3) in it
           Or I'll marrow *(4) you this minute
           If you don't fill up my helmet, Gunga Din!"
-
           'E would dot an' carry one
           Till the longest day was done
       An' 'e didn't seem to know the use o' fear.
           If we charged or broke or cut,
           You could bet your bloomin' nut,
                                                                  {^line 40}
       'E'd be waitin' fifty paces right flank rear.
           With 'is mussick *(5) on 'is back,
           'E would skip with our attack,
       An' watch us till the bugles made "Retire,"
           An' for all 'is dirty 'ide
           'E was white, clear white, inside
       When 'e went to tend the wounded under fire!
           It was "Din! Din! Din!"
       With the bullets kickin' dust-spots on the green.
           When the cartridges ran out,
           You could hear the front-files shout,
       "Hi! ammunition-mules an' Gunga Din!"
-
           I sha'n't forgit the night
           When I dropped be'ind the fight
       With a bullet where my belt plate should 'a' been.
           I was chokin' mad with thirst,
           An' the man that spied me first
       Was our good old grinnin', gruntin' Gunga Din.
           'E lifted up my 'ead,
                                                                  {^line 60}
           An' he plugged me where I bled,
       An' 'e guv me 'arf-a-pint o' water-green:
           It was crawlin' and it stunk,
           But of all the drinks I've drunk,
       I'm gratefullest to one from Gunga Din.
           It was "Din! Din! Din!"
       'Ere's a beggar with a bullet through 'is spleen;
           'E's chawin' up the ground,
           An' 'e's kickin' all around:
       For Gawd's sake git the water, Gunga Din!
-
           'E carried me away
           To where a dooli lay,
       An' a bullet come an' drilled the beggar clean.
           'E put me safe inside,
           An' just before 'e died:
       "I 'ope you liked your drink," sez Gunga Din.
           So I'll meet 'im later on
           At the place where 'e is gone-
       Where it's always double drill and no canteen;
                                                                  {^line 80}
           'E'll be squattin' on the coals,
           Givin' drinks to pore damned souls,
       An' I'll get a swig in hell from Gunga Din!
           Yes, Din! Din! Din!
         You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din!
           Though I've belted you and flayed you,
           By the living Gawd that made you,
         You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!
-
  * Bring water swiftly.
  *(2) Mr. Atkins' equivalent for "O brother."
  *(3) Be quick.
  *(4) Hit you.
  *(5) Water skins.
-
-
                               THE END