"I shall be gone for ten days, oh,
delectable
one!
Kipling - Poems
I shall be
absent but ten little days. After that, upon my faith and honor and
soul, I return. As to the inconsiderable interval, have I the gracious
permission of the heaven-born to call up Moti Guj? "
Permission was granted, and in answer of Deesa's shrill yell, the mighty
tusker swung out of the shade of a clump of trees where he had been
squirting dust over himself till his master should return.
"Light of my heart, protector of the drunken, mountain of might, give
ear! " said Deesa, standing in front of him.
Moti Guj gave ear, and saluted with his trunk. "I am going away," said
Deesa.
Moti Guj's eyes twinkled. He liked jaunts as well as his master. One
could snatch all manner of nice things from the roadside then.
"But you, you fussy old pig, must stay behind and work. "
The twinkle died out as Moti Guj tried to look delighted. He hated
stump-hauling on the plantation. It hurt his teeth.
"I shall be gone for ten days, oh, delectable one! Hold up your near
forefoot and I'll impress the fact upon it, warty toad of a dried
mud-puddle. " Deesa took a tent-peg and banged Moti Guj ten times on the
nails. Moti Guj grunted and shuffled from foot to foot.
"Ten days," said Deesa, "you will work and haul and root the trees as
Chihun here shall order you. Take up Chihun and set him on your neck! "
Moti Guj curled the tip of his trunk, Chihun put his foot there, and
was swung on to the neck. Deesa handed Chihun the heavy ankus--the iron
elephant goad.
Chihun thumped Moti Guj's bald head as a paver thumps a curbstone.
Moti Guj trumpeted.
"Be still, hog of the backwoods! Chihun's your mahout for ten days. And
now bid me goodbye, beast after mine own heart. Oh, my lord, my king!
Jewel of all created elephants, lily of the herd, preserve your honored
health; be virtuous. Adieu!
absent but ten little days. After that, upon my faith and honor and
soul, I return. As to the inconsiderable interval, have I the gracious
permission of the heaven-born to call up Moti Guj? "
Permission was granted, and in answer of Deesa's shrill yell, the mighty
tusker swung out of the shade of a clump of trees where he had been
squirting dust over himself till his master should return.
"Light of my heart, protector of the drunken, mountain of might, give
ear! " said Deesa, standing in front of him.
Moti Guj gave ear, and saluted with his trunk. "I am going away," said
Deesa.
Moti Guj's eyes twinkled. He liked jaunts as well as his master. One
could snatch all manner of nice things from the roadside then.
"But you, you fussy old pig, must stay behind and work. "
The twinkle died out as Moti Guj tried to look delighted. He hated
stump-hauling on the plantation. It hurt his teeth.
"I shall be gone for ten days, oh, delectable one! Hold up your near
forefoot and I'll impress the fact upon it, warty toad of a dried
mud-puddle. " Deesa took a tent-peg and banged Moti Guj ten times on the
nails. Moti Guj grunted and shuffled from foot to foot.
"Ten days," said Deesa, "you will work and haul and root the trees as
Chihun here shall order you. Take up Chihun and set him on your neck! "
Moti Guj curled the tip of his trunk, Chihun put his foot there, and
was swung on to the neck. Deesa handed Chihun the heavy ankus--the iron
elephant goad.
Chihun thumped Moti Guj's bald head as a paver thumps a curbstone.
Moti Guj trumpeted.
"Be still, hog of the backwoods! Chihun's your mahout for ten days. And
now bid me goodbye, beast after mine own heart. Oh, my lord, my king!
Jewel of all created elephants, lily of the herd, preserve your honored
health; be virtuous. Adieu!
