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Gunga Din-By Rudyard Kipling

Ian.T here, this is a classic, and the first time I have read any of Kipling's works.
I wish I had the time to read many more, but it is just one of those things I have missed during my years on this plain..
It must have been great to be able to read all these things as part of an education, I have always been aware of the statement "You are a better man than me Gunga Din" but today was the first time I have read the poem that it is part of.
Have a good read all that haven't read this before, it is a great story,
Yours as always Ian.T

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 blackfaced crew
The finest man I knew
Was our regimental bhisti, Gunga Din,

He was ‘Din! Din! Din!

‘You limpin’ lump o’ brick-dust, Gunga Din!
‘Hi! Slippy hitherao
‘Water, get it! Panee lao,
‘You squidgy-nosed old idol, Gunga Din.’

The uniform ’e wore
Was nothin’ much before,
An’ rather less than ’arf o’ that be’ind,
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!’
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 in it
‘Or I’ll marrow 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,
’E’d be waitin’ fifty paces right flank rear.
With ’is mussick a 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-ranks shout,
‘Hi! ammunition-mules an' Gunga Din!’
I shan’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,
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.
’E’ll be squattin’ on the coals
Givin’ drink to poor 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 livin’ Gawd that made you,
You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

Comments

Thanks for introducing Kipling. I found this a bit difficult as he's using a dialect rather than formal writing. I will make sure to visit his other works.

❤❤❤❤❤❤

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Though very famous this was the first time I have read any of his works, yet have used the statement about "Gunga Din" many times, "You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!"
His work on this one is in an old dialect, sometimes we would call this pigeon English but it is from the old days of the Raj in India when there were fights going on.
Those English have been fighting a long time, it is time they rested, (Of course I am 100% English) yet the world seems to want them to carry on so they do
Take care little Sister my family is great, and filled with beautiful people.
Yours Ian.T

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

author comment

Kipling is my favorite author. As a child and adult, I spent many hours reading and re reading the jungle books and other Kipling works. Thank you for posting.

Keep Writing,
Carrie

"Quoth said the Raven, NEVERMORE"

If you ever get the chance have a listen to the Wurzles and a song about a combined harvester, tis an accent I had when a young child but over the years, it has become les pronounced.
But when talking to my own family it come back, my Godfather was very broad in speaking and I spent many hours talking to him when I was knee high to a Grasshopper.
Take care young lady and thanks for your visit,
Yours as always Ian xx

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

author comment
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