Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/755



DARZEE'S CHAUNT
(Sung in honour of Rikki-tikki-tavi)

and tailor am I -- Doubled the joys that I know -- Proud of my lilt to the sky, Proud of the house that I sew -- Over and under, so I weave my music -- so I weave the house that I sew.

Sing to your fledglings again, Mother, O lift up your head! Evil that plagued us is slain, Death in the garden lies dead. Terror that hid in the roses is impotent -- flung on the dung- hill and dead!

Who hath delivered us, who? Tell me his nest and his name. Rikki, the valiant, the true, Tikki, with eyeballs of flame, Rik-tikki-tikki, the ivory-fanged, the Hunter with eyeballs of          flame.

Give him the Thanks of the Birds, Bowing with tail-feathers spread! Praise him in nightingale-words -- Nay, I will praise him instead. Hear! I will sing you the praise of the bottle-tailed Rikki, with eyeballs of red!

(Here Rikki-tikki interrupted, and the rest of the song is lost.)