Page:Departmental Ditties and Ballads and Barrack-Room Ballads, Kipling, 1899.djvu/281

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Because the city had no wealth to give,

Because the caravans were spoiled afar,

Because his life was threatened by the King,

So that all men despised him in the streets,

He hewed the living rock, with sweat and tears,

And reared a God against the morning-gold,

A terror in the sunshine, seen afar,

And worshipped by the King; but, drunk with pride,

Because the city fawned to bring him back,

He carved upon the plinth: "Thus Gods are made,

"And whoso makes them otherwise shall die."

And all the people praised him.... Then he died.

Because he lived among a simple folk,

Because his village was between the hills,

Because he smeared his cheeks with blood of ewes,

He cut an idol from a fallen pine,

Smeared blood upon its cheeks, and wedged a shell