Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/524

 So6 RUDYARD KIPLING'S VERSE

There was Babu Chuckerbutty, An' Amir Singh the Sikh,

An' Castro from the fittin'-sheds, The Roman Catholick!

We 'adn't good regalia,

An' our Lodge was old an' bare, But we knew the Ancient Landmarks,

An' we kep' 'em to a hair; An' lookin' on it backwards

It often strikes me thus, There ain't such things as infidels,

Excep', per'aps, it's us.

For monthly, after Labour,

We'd all sit down and smoke (We dursn't give no banquets,

Lest a Brother's caste were broke), An' man on man got talkin*

Religion an' the rest, An' every man comparin*

Of the God 'e knew the best.

So man on man got talkin',

An' not a Brother stirred Till mornin' waked the parrots

An' that dam' brain-fever-bird; We'd say 'twas 'ighly curious,

An' we'd all ride 'ome to bed, With Mo'ammed, God, an* Shiva

Changin' pickets in our 'ead.

Full oft on Guv'ment service This rovin' foot 'ath pressed,

An' bore fraternal greetin's To the Lodges east an' west,