Part 27 (1/2)
_'Tiger-Tiger!'_
Veil them, cover them, wall them round-- Blossom, and creeper, and weed-- Let us forget the sight and the sound, The smell and the touch of the breed!
Fat black ash by the altar-stone.
Here is the white-foot rain, And the does bring forth in the fields unsown, And none shall affright them again; And the blind walls crumble, unknown, o'erthrown, And none shall inhabit again!
_Letting in the Jungle._
These are the Four that are never content, that have never been filled since the Dews began-- Jacala's mouth, and the glut of the Kite, and the hands of the Ape, and the Eyes of Man.
_The King's Ankus._
For our white and our excellent nights--for the nights of swift running, Fair ranging, far-seeing, good hunting, sure cunning!
For the smells of the dawning, untainted, ere dew has departed!
For the rush through the mist, and the quarry blind-started!
For the cry of our mates when the sambhur has wheeled and is standing at bay!
For the risk and the riot of night!
For the sleep at the lair-mouth by day!
It is met, and we go to the fight.
Bay! O bay!
_Red Dog._
Man goes to Man! Cry the challenge through the Jungle!
He that was our Brother goes away.
Hear, now, and judge, O ye People of the Jungle,-- Answer, who shall turn him--who shall stay?
Man goes to Man! He is weeping in the Jungle: He that was our Brother sorrows sore!
Man goes to Man! (Oh, we loved him in the Jungle!) To the Man-Trail where we may not follow more.
_The Spring Running._
At the hole where he went in Red-Eye called to Wrinkle-Skin.
Hear what little Red-Eye saith: 'Nag, come up and dance with death!'
Eye to eye and head to head, _(Keep the measure, Nag.)_ This shall end when one is dead; _(At thy pleasure, Nag.)_
Turn for turn and twist for twist-- _(Run and hide thee, Nag.)_ Hah! The hooded Death has missed!
_(Woe betide thee, Nag!)_