Songs from Books Part 13

A SCHOOL SONG

_'Let us now praise famous men'-- Men of little showing-- For their work continueth, And their work continueth, Broad and deep continueth, Greater than their knowing!_

Western wind and open surge Took us from our mothers.

Flung us on a naked sh.o.r.e (Twelve bleak houses by the sh.o.r.e!

Seven summers by the sh.o.r.e!) 'Mid two hundred brothers.

There we met with famous men Set in office o'er us; And they beat on us with rods-- Faithfully with many rods-- Daily beat on us with rods, For the love they bore us!

Out of Egypt unto Troy-- Over Himalaya-- Far and sure our bands have gone-- Hy-Brasil or Babylon, Islands of the Southern Run, And Cities of Cathaia!

And we all praise famous men-- Ancients of the College; For they taught us common sense-- Tried to teach us common sense-- Truth and G.o.d's Own Common Sense, Which is more than knowledge!

Each degree of Lat.i.tude Strung about Creation Seeth one or more of us (Of one muster each of us), Diligent in that he does, Keen in his vocation.

This we learned from famous men, Knowing not its uses, When they showed, in daily work, Man must finish off his work-- Right or wrong, his daily work-- And without excuses.

Servants of the Staff and chain, Mine and fuse and grapnel-- Some before the face of Kings, Stand before the face of Kings; Bearing gifts to divers Kings-- Gifts of case and shrapnel.

This we learned from famous men Teaching in our borders, Who declared it was best, Safest, easiest, and best-- Expeditious, wise, and best-- To obey your orders.

Some beneath the further stars Bear the greater burden: Set to serve the lands they rule, (Save he serve no man may rule), Serve and love the lands they rule; Seeking praise nor guerdon.

This we learned from famous men, Knowing not we learned it.

Only, as the years went by-- Lonely, as the years went by-- Far from help as years went by, Plainer we discerned it.

Wherefore praise we famous men From whose bays we borrow-- They that put aside To-day-- All the joys of their To-day-- And with toil of their To-day Bought for us To-morrow!

_Bless and praise we famous men-- Men of little showing-- For their work continueth, And their work continueth, Broad and deep continueth, Great beyond their knowing!_

THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE

_Now this is the Law of the Jungle--as old and as true as the sky; And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the Wolf that shall break it must die.

As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk the Law runneth forward and back-- For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack._

Wash daily from nose-tip to tail-tip; drink deeply, but never too deep; And remember the night is for hunting, and forget not the day is for sleep.

The Jackal may follow the Tiger, but, Cub, when thy whiskers are grown, Remember the Wolf is a hunter--go forth and get food of thine own.

Keep peace with the Lords of the Jungle--the Tiger, the Panther, the Bear; And trouble not Hathi the Silent, and mock not the Boar in his lair.

When Pack meets with Pack in the Jungle, and neither will go from the trail, Lie down till the leaders have spoken--it may be fair words shall prevail.

When ye fight with a Wolf of the Pack, ye must fight him alone and afar, Lest others take part in the quarrel, and the Pack be diminished by war.

The Lair of the Wolf is his refuge, and where he has made him his home, Not even the Head Wolf may enter, not even the Council may come.

The Lair of the Wolf is his refuge, but where he has digged it too plain, The Council shall send him a message, and so he shall change it again.

If ye kill before midnight, be silent, and wake not the woods with your bay, Lest ye frighten the deer from the crops, and the brothers go empty away.

Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates, and your cubs as they need, and ye can; But kill not for pleasure of killing, and _seven times never kill Man!_

If ye plunder his Kill from a weaker, devour not all in thy pride; Pack-Right is the right of the meanest; so leave him the head and the hide.

The Kill of the Pack is the meat of the Pack. Ye must eat where it lies; And no one may carry away of that meat to his lair, or he dies.

The Kill of the Wolf is the meat of the Wolf. He may do what he will, But, till he has given permission, the Pack may not eat of that Kill.

Cub-Right is the right of the Yearling. From all of his Pack he may claim Full-gorge when the killer has eaten; and none may refuse him the same.

Lair-Right is the right of the Mother. From all of her year she may claim One haunch of each kill for her litter; and none may deny her the same.

Cave-Right is the right of the Father--to hunt by himself for his own: He is freed of all calls to the Pack; he is judged by the Council alone.

Because of his age and his cunning, because of his gripe and his paw, In all that the Law leaveth open, the word of the Head Wolf is Law.

_Now these are the Laws of the Jungle, and many and mighty are they; But the head and the hoof of the Law and the haunch and the hump is--Obey!_

'A SERVANT WHEN HE REIGNETH'

(For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: for a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; for an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.--PROV. x.x.x. 21, 22, 23.)

Three things make earth unquiet, And four she cannot brook; The G.o.dly Agur counted them And put them in a book-- Those Four Tremendous Curses With which mankind is cursed: But a Servant when He Reigneth Old Agur counted first.

An Handmaid that is Mistress We need not call upon, A Fool when he is full of Meat Will fall asleep anon.

An Odious Woman Married May bear a babe and mend.

But a Servant when He Reigneth Is Confusion to the end.

His feet are swift to tumult, His hands are slow to toil, His ears are deaf to reason, His lips are loud in broil.

He knows no use for power Except to show his might, He gives no heed to judgment Unless it prove him right.

Because he served a master Before his Kingship came, And hid in all disaster Behind his master's name, So, when his Folly opens The unnecessary h.e.l.ls, A Servant when He Reigneth Throws the blame on some one else.

His vows are lightly spoken, His faith is hard to bind.

His trust is easy broken, He fears his fellow-kind.

The nearest mob will move him To break the pledge he gave-- Oh a Servant when He Reigneth Is more than ever slave!