Page:Lyra heroica.djvu/360

 336 KIPLING

I took the sun from their presence, I cut them

down with my blast, And they died, but the Flag of England blew free

ere the spirit passed.

The lean white bear hath seen it in the long, long

Arctic night, The musk-ox knows the standard that flouts the

Northern Light: What is the Flag of England? Ye have but my

bergs to dare, Ye have but my drifts to conquer. Go forth, for

it is there ! '

The South Wind sighed: 'From the Virgins my

mid-sea course was ta'en Over a thousand islands lost in an idle main, Where the sea-egg flames on the coral and the

long-backed breakers croon Their endless ocean legends to the lazy, locked

lagoon.

Strayed amid lonely islets, mazed amid outer keys, I waked the palms to laughter I tossed the scud

in the breeze

Never was isle so little, never was sea so lone, But over the scud and the palm-trees an English

flag was flown.

I have wrenched it free from the halliard to hang

for a wisp on the Horn; I have chased it north to the Lizard ribboned

and rolled and torn;

�� �