Page:Departmental Ditties and Ballads and Barrack-Room Ballads, Kipling, 1899.djvu/283

Rh And howled among the beasts: "Thus Gods are made,

"And whoso makes them otherwise shall die."

Thereat the cattle bellowed.... Then he died.

Yet at the last he came to Paradise,

And found his own four Gods, and that he wrote;

And marvelled, being very near to God,

What oaf on earth had made his toil God's law,

Till God said mocking: "Mock not. These be thine."

Then cried Evarra: "I have sinned!"—"Not so.

"If thou hadst written otherwise, thy Gods

"Had rested in the mountain and the mine,

"And I were poorer by four wondrous Gods,

"And thy more wondrous law, Evarra. Thine,

"Servant of shouting crowds and lowing kine."

Thereat, with laughing mouth, but tear-wet eyes,

Evarra cast his Gods from Paradise.