Chapter 9
_Room for his shadow on the grass--let it pass! To left and right--stand clear! This is the Buyer of the Blade--be afraid! This is the great god Tyr!_
Tyr thought hard till he hammered out a plan, For he knew it was not right (And it _is_ not right) that The Beast should master Man; So he went to the Children of the Night. He begged a Magic Knife of their make for our sake. When he begged for the Knife they said: 'The price of the Knife you would buy is an eye!' And that was the price he paid.
_Tell it to the Barrows of the Dead--run ahead! Shout it so the Women's Side can hear! This is the Buyer of the Blade--be afraid! This is the great god Tyr!_
Our women and our little ones may walk on the Chalk, As far as we can see them and beyond. We shall not be anxious for our sheep when we keep Tally at the shearing-pond. We can eat with both our elbows on our knees, if we please, We can sleep after meals in the sun; For Shepherd of the Twilight is dismayed at the Blade, Feet-in-the-Night have run! Dog-without-a-Master goes away (Hai, Tyr, aie!), Devil-in-the-Dusk has run!
Then: _Room for his shadow on the grass--let it pass! To left and right--stand clear! This is the Buyer of the Blade--be afraid! This is the great god Tyr!_
DARZEE'S CHAUNT
(Sung in honour of Rikki-tikki-tavi)
Singer and tailor am I-- Doubled the joys that I know-- Proud of my lilt to the sky, Proud of the house that I sew-- Over and under, so weave I my music--so weave I the house that I sew.
Sing to your fledglings again, Mother, O lift up your head! Evil that plagued us is slain, Death in the garden lies dead. Terror that hid in the roses is impotent--flung on the dung-hill and dead!
Who hath delivered us, who? Tell me his nest and his name. Rikki, the valiant, the true, Tikki, with eyeballs of flame, Rik-tikki-tikki, the ivory-fanged, the hunter with eyeballs of flame.
Give him the Thanks of the Birds, Bowing with tail-feathers spread! Praise him with nightingale-words-- Nay, I will praise him instead. Hear! I will sing you the praise of the bottle-tailed Rikki, with eyeballs of red!
_(Here Rikki-tikki interrupted, and the rest of the song is lost.)_
THE FOUR ANGELS
As Adam lay a-dreaming beneath the Apple Tree, The Angel of the Earth came down, and offered Earth in fee. But Adam did not need it, Nor the plough he would not speed it, Singing:--'Earth and Water, Air and Fire, What more can mortal man desire?' (The Apple Tree's in bud.)
As Adam lay a-dreaming beneath the Apple Tree, The Angel of the Waters offered all the Seas in fee. But Adam would not take 'em, Nor the ships he wouldn't make 'em, Singing:--'Water, Earth and Air and Fire, What more can mortal man desire?' (The Apple Tree's in leaf.)
As Adam lay a-dreaming beneath the Apple Tree, The Angel of the Air he offered all the Air in fee. But Adam did not crave it, Nor the flight he wouldn't brave it, Singing:--'Air and Water, Earth and Fire, What more can mortal man desire?' (The Apple Tree's in bloom.)
As Adam lay a-dreaming beneath the Apple Tree, The Angel of the Fire rose up and not a word said he, But he wished a flame and made it, And in Adam's heart he laid it, Singing:--'Fire, Fire, burning Fire! Stand up and reach your heart's desire!' (The Apple Blossom's set.)
As Adam was a-working outside of Eden-Wall, He used the Earth, he used the Seas, he used the Air and all; And out of black disaster He arose to be the master Of Earth and Water, Air and Fire, But never reached his heart's desire! (The Apple Tree's cut down!)
THE PRAYER
My Brother kneels, so saith Kabir, To stone and brass in heathen-wise, But in my brother's voice I hear My own unanswered agonies. His God is as his fates assign, His prayer is all the world's--and mine.
_Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, LIMITED, _Edinburgh_.