Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know Part 9

He had to!

Still ran Dingo--Yellow-Dog Dingo--hungrier and hungrier, grinning like a horse-collar, never getting nearer, never getting farther; and they came to the Wollgong River.

Now, there was n't any bridge, and there was n't any ferry-boat, and Kangaroo did n't know how to get over; so he stood on his legs and hopped.

He had to!

He hopped through the Flinders; he hopped through the Cinders; he hopped through the deserts in the middle of Australia. He hopped like a Kangaroo.

First he hopped one yard; then he hopped three yards; then he hopped five yards; his legs growing stronger; his legs growing longer. He had n't any time for rest or refreshment, and he wanted them very much.

Still ran Dingo--Yellow-Dog Dingo--very much bewildered, very much hungry, and wondering what in the world or out of it made Old Man Kangaroo hop.

[Ill.u.s.tration: This is the picture of Old Man Kangaroo at five in the afternoon, when he had got his beautiful hind legs just as Big G.o.d Nqong had promised. You can see that it is five o'clock, because Big G.o.d Nqong's pet tame clock says so. That is Nqong in his bath, sticking his feet out. Old Man Kangaroo is being rude to Yellow-Dog Dingo. Yellow-Dog Dingo has been trying to catch Kangaroo all across Australia. You can see the marks of Kangaroo's big new feet running ever so far back over the bare hills. Yellow-Dog Dingo is drawn black, because I am not allowed to paint these pictures with real colours out of the paint-box; and besides, Yellow-Dog Dingo got dreadfully black and dusty after running through the Flinders and the Cinders.

I don't know the names of the flowers growing round Nqong's bath. The two little squatty things out in the desert are the other two G.o.ds that Old Man Kangaroo spoke to early in the morning. That thing with the letters on it is Old Man Kangaroo's pouch. He had to have a pouch just as he had to have legs.]

For he hopped like a cricket; like a pea in a saucepan; or a new rubber ball on a nursery floor.

He had to!

He tucked up his front legs; he hopped on his hind legs; he stuck out his tail for a balance-weight behind him; and he hopped through the Darling Downs.

He had to!

Still ran Dingo--Tired Dog Dingo--hungrier and hungrier, very much bewildered, and wondering when in the world or out of it would Old Man Kangaroo stop.

Then came Nqong from his bath in the salt-pan, and said, "It's five o'clock."

Down sat Dingo--Poor Dog Dingo--always hungry, dusky in the sunshine; hung out his tongue and howled.

Down sat Kangaroo--Old Man Kangaroo--stuck out his tail like a milking-stool behind him, and said, "Thank goodness _that's_ finished!"

Then said Nqong, who is always a gentleman, "Why are n't you grateful to Yellow-Dog Dingo? Why don't you thank him for all he has done for you?"

Then said Kangaroo--Tired Old Kangaroo--"He's chased me out of the homes of my childhood; he's chased me out of my regular meal-times; he's altered my shape so I'll never get it back; and he's played Old Scratch with my legs."

Then said Nqong, "Perhaps I'm mistaken, but didn't you ask me to make you different from all other animals, as well as to make you very truly sought after? And now it is five o'clock."

"Yes," said Kangaroo. "I wish that I had n't. I thought you would do it by charms and incantations, but this is a practical joke."

"Joke!" said Nqong from his bath in the blue gums. "Say that again and I'll whistle up Dingo and run your hind legs off."

"No," said the Kangaroo. "I must apologize. Legs are legs, and you need n't alter 'em so far as I am concerned. I only meant to explain to Your Lordliness that I've had nothing to eat since morning, and I'm very empty indeed."

"Yes," said Dingo--Yellow-Dog Dingo--"I am just in the same situation.

I've made him different from all other animals; but what may I have for my tea?"

Then said Nqong from his bath in the salt-pan, "Come and ask me about it to-morrow, because I'm going to wash."

So they were left in the middle of Australia, Old Man Kangaroo and Yellow-Dog Dingo, and each said, "That's _your_ fault."

This is the mouth-filling song Of the race that was run by a Boomer, Run in a single burst--only event of its kind-- Started by Big G.o.d Nqong from Warrigaborrigarooma, Old Man Kangaroo first: Yellow-Dog Dingo behind.

Kangaroo bounded away, His back-legs working like pistons-- Bounded from morning till dark, Twenty-five feet to a bound.

Yellow-Dog Dingo lay Like a yellow cloud in the distance-- Much too busy to bark.

My! but they covered the ground!

n.o.body knows where they went, Or followed the track that they flew in, For that Continent Had n't been given a name.

They ran thirty degrees, From Torres Straits to the Leeuwin (Look at the Atlas, please), And they ran back as they came.

S'posing you could trot From Adelaide to the Pacific, For an afternoon's run-- Half what these gentlemen did-- You would feel rather hot But your legs would develop terrific-- Yes, my importunate son, You'd be a Marvellous Kid!

II

FUZZY-WUZZY

At the School Council Fuzzy-Wuzzy was elected Vice-President of Mr. Kipling's Poems, "because he was so brave."

(_Soudan Expeditionary Force._)

We've fought with many men acrost the seas, An' some of 'em was brave an' some was not: The Paythan an' the Zulu an' Burmese; But the Fuzzy was the finest o' the lot.

We never got a ha'porth's change of 'im: 'E squatted in the scrub an' 'ocked our 'orses, 'E cut our sentries up at Suakim, An' 'e played the cat an' banjo with our forces.

So 'ere's _to_ you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your 'ome in the Sowdan; You 're a poor benighted 'eathen, but a first-cla.s.s fightin' man; We gives you your certifikit, an' if you want it signed, We'll come an' 'ave a romp with you whenever you're inclined.

We took our chanst among the Khyber hills, The Boers knocked us silly at a mile, The Burman guv us Irriwaddy chills, An' a Zulu _impi_ dished us up in style; But all we ever got from such as they Was pop to what the Fuzzy made us swaller; We 'eld our bloomin' own, the papers say, But man for man the Fuzzy knocked us 'oller.

Then 'ere's _to_ you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, an' the missis an' the kid, Our orders was to break you, an' of course we went an' did.

We sloshed you with Martinis, an' it was n't 'ardly fair; But for all the odds agin you, Fuzzy Wuz, you bruk the square.

'E 'as n't got no papers of 'is own, 'E 'as n't got no medals nor rewards, So we must certify the skill 'e 's shown In usin' of 'is long two-'anded swords; When 'e 's 'oppin' in an' out among the bush With 'is coffin-headed shield an' shovel-spear, A 'appy day with Fuzzy on the rush Will last a 'ealthy Tommy for a year.

So 'ere 's _to_ you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, an' your friends which is no more, If we 'ad n't lost some messmates we would 'elp you to deplore; But give an' take 's the gospel, an' we'll call the bargain fair, For if you 'ave lost more than us, you crumpled up the square!

'E rushes at the smoke, when we let drive, An', before we know, 'e 's 'ackin' at our 'ead; 'E 's all 'ot sand an ginger when alive, An' 'e 's generally shammin' when 'e 's dead.

'E 's a daisy, 'e 's a duck, 'e 's a lamb!

'E 's a Injun-rubber idiot on the spree, 'E 's the on'y thing that does n't care a clam For the Regiment o' British Infantree.

So 'ere's _to_ you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your 'ome in the Sowdan; You 're a pore benighted 'eathen but a first-cla.s.s fightin' man; An' 'ere's _to_ you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, with your 'ayrick 'ead of 'air-- You big black boundin' beggar--for you bruk a British square.