Rudyard Kipling

Books and Quotes Collection

Plain Tales from the Hills

1888
He recognised a horse when he saw one, and could do more than fill a cantle.

Under the Deodars

1889
One day when the Man's Wife and the Tertium Quid had just arrived in the Cemetery, they saw some coolies breaking ground.
Each well-regulated Indian Cemetery keeps half a dozen graves permanently open for contingencies and incidental wear and tear.
On the Umballa platform waited a detachment of officers discussing the latest news from the stricken cantonment, and it was here that Bobby learned the real condition of the Tail Twisters.

Oonts

1890
Wot makes the soldier's 'eart to penk, wot makes 'im to perspire? / It isn't standin' up to charge nor lyin' down to fire; / But it's everlastin' waitin' on an everlastin' road / For the commissariat camel an' 'is commissariat load. / O the oont, O the oont, O the commissariat oont! / With 'is silly neck a-bobbin' like a basket full o' snakes; / We packs 'im like an idol, an' you ought to 'ear 'im grunt, / An' when we gets 'im loaded up 'is blessed girth-rope breaks.

Life's Handicap

1897
'Sedan-chair! Put your 'ead in a bag. That was a palanquin. Don't yer know a palanquin when you see it?' said Ortheris with great scorn... What befell at that interview in the lonely pay-shed by the side of the half-built embankment, only a few hundred coolies know, and their tale is a confusing one, running thus... 'There was a palanquin, for the up-keep of which we were forced to pay nine-tenths of our monthly wage. On such mulctings Dearsley Sahib allowed us to make obeisance to him before the palanquin. What could we do? We were poor men. He took full half of our wages. Will the Government repay us those moneys?...'

Kim

1901
The Lahore Museum was larger, but here were more wonders—ghost-daggers and prayer-wheels from Tibet; […] gilt figures of Buddha, and little portable lacquer altars; Russian samovars with turquoises on the lid; […] arms of all sorts and kinds, and a thousand other oddments were cased, or piled, or merely thrown into the room, […]

Just So Stories for Little Children

1902
And the Camel said ‘Humph!’ again; but no sooner had he said it than he saw his back, that he was so proud of, puffing up and puffing up into a great big lolloping humph.
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Books Collection
Plain Tales from the Hills
Under the Deodars
Oonts
Life's Handicap
Kim
Just So Stories for Little Children