Page:Departmental Ditties and Ballads and Barrack-Room Ballads, Kipling, 1899.djvu/136

122 9

If He play, being young and unskilful, for shekels of silver and gold,

Take His money, my son, praising Allah. The kid was ordained to be sold.

10

With a "weed" among men or horses verily this is the best,

That you work him in office or dog-cart lightly—but give him no rest.

11

Pleasant the snaffle of Courtship, improving the manners and carriage,

But the colt who is wise will abstain from the terrible thorn-bit of Marriage;

12

As the thriftless gold of the babul so is the gold that we spend

On a Derby Sweep, or our neighbour's wife, or the horse that we buy from a friend.