BeforetheoldPeshawurGate，whereKurdandKaffirmeet，TheGovernorofKabuldealttheJusticeoftheStreet，Andthatwasstraitasrunningnooseandswiftasplungingknife，Tho’hewhoheldthelongerpursemightholdthelongerlife。
TherewasahoundofHindustanhadstruckaEuzufzai，Whereforetheyspatuponhisfaceandledhimouttodie。
ItchancedtheKingwentforththathourwhenthroatwasbaredtoknife；
TheKaffirgrovelledunder-hoofandclamouredforhislife。
ThensaidtheKing：“Havehope，Ofriend！Yea，Deathdisgracedishard；
Muchhonourshallbethine“；andcalledtheCaptainoftheGuard，YarKhan，abastardoftheBlood，socity-babblesaith，AndhewashonouredoftheKing——thewhichissalttoDeath；
AndhewassonofDaoudShah，theReiverofthePlains，AndbloodofoldDuraniLordsranfireinhisveins；
And’twastotameanAfghanpridenorHellnorHeavencouldbind，TheKingwouldmakehimbutchertoayelpingcurofHind。
“Strike！”saidtheKing“King’sbloodartthou——
hisdeathshallbehispride！”
Thenlouder，thatthecrowdmightcatch：“Fearnot——hisarmsaretied！”
YarKhandrewcleartheKhyberknife，andstruck，andsheathedagain。
“Oman，thywillisdone。”quothhe；“aKingthisdoghathslain。”
AbdhurRahman，theDuraniChief，totheNorthandtheSouthissold。
TheNorthandtheSouthshallopentheirmouthtoaGhilzaiflagunrolled，WhenthebiggunsspeaktotheKhyberpeak，andhisdog-Heratisfly：
Yehaveheardthesong——Howlong？Howlong？
WolvesoftheAbazai！
Thatnightbeforethewatchwasset，whenallthestreetswereclear，TheGovernorofKabulspoke：“MyKing，hastthounofear？
Thouknowest——thouhastheard。”——hisspeechdiedathismaster’sface。
AndgrimlysaidtheAfghanKing：“IruletheAfghanrace。
Mypathismine——seethoutothine——to-nightuponthybedThinkwhotherebeinKabulnowthatclamourforthyhead。”
ThatnightwhenallthegateswereshuttoCityandtothrone，Withinalittlegarden-housetheKinglaydownalone。
Beforethesinkingofthemoon，whichistheNightofNight，YarKhancamesoftlytotheKingtomakehishonourwhite。
Thechildrenofthetownhadmockedbeneathhishorse’shoofs，Theharlotsofthetownhadhailedhim“butcher！”fromtheirroofs。
Butashegropedagainstthewall，twohandsuponhimfell，TheKingbehindhisshoulderspake：“Deadman，thoudostnotwell！
’TisilltojestwithKingsbydayandseekaboonbynight；
Andthatthoubearestinthyhandisalltoosharptowrite。
Butthreedayshence，ifGodbegood，andifthystrengthremain，Thoushaltdemandoneboonofmeandblessmeinthypain。
ForIammercifultoall，andmostofalltothee。
Mybutcheroftheshambles，rest——noknifehastthouforme！”
AbdhurRahman，theDuraniChief，holdshardbytheSouthandtheNorth；
ButtheGhilzaiknows，erethemeltingsnows，whentheswollenbanksbreakforth，Whenthered-coatscrawltothesungarwall，andhisUsbeglancesfail：
Yehaveheardthesong——Howlong？Howlong？
WolvesoftheZukaKheyl！
Theystonedhimintherubbish-fieldwhendawnwasinthesky，Accordingtothewrittenword，“Seethathedonotdie。”
Theystonedhimtillthestoneswerepiledabovehimontheplain，Andthosethelabouringlimbsdisplacedtheytumbledbackagain。
Onewatchedbesidethedrearymoundthatveiledthebatteredthing，AndhimtheKingwithlaughtercalledtheHeraldoftheKing。
Itwasuponthesecondnight，thenightofRamazan，ThewatcherleaningearthwardheardthemessageofYarKhan。
Fromshatteredbreastthroughshrivelledlipsbrokeforththerattlingbreath，“CreatureofGod，delivermefromagonyofDeath。”
TheysoughttheKingamonghisgirls，andriskedtheirlivesthereby：
“ProtectorofthePitiful，giveordersthathedie！”
“Bidhimendureuntiltheday。”alagginganswercame；
“Thenightisshort，andhecanprayandlearntoblessmyname。”
Beforethedawnthreetimeshespoke，andonthedayoncemore：
“CreatureofGod，deliverme，andblesstheKingtherefor！”
Theyshothimatthemorningprayer，toeasehimofhispain，Andwhenheheardthematchlocksclink，heblessedtheKingagain。
Whichthingthesingersmadeasongforalltheworldtosing，SothattheOuterSeasmayknowthemercyoftheKing。
AbdhurRahman，theDuraniChief，ofhimisthestorytold，HehasopenedhismouthtotheNorthandtheSouth，theyhavestuffedhismouthwithgold。
Yeknowthetruthofhistenderruth——andsweethisfavoursare：
Yehaveheardthesong——Howlong？Howlong？
fromBalkhtoKandahar。
THEBALLADOFTHEKING’SJEST
Whenspring-timeflushesthedesertgrass，OurkafilaswindthroughtheKhyberPass。
Leanarethecamelsbutfatthefrails，Lightarethepursesbutheavythebales，AsthesnowboundtradeoftheNorthcomesdownTothemarket-squareofPeshawurtown。
Inaturquoisetwilight，crispandchill，Akafilacampedatthefootofthehill。
Thenbluesmoke-hazeofthecookingrose，Andtent-pegansweredtohammer-nose；
Andthepicketedponies，shagandwild，Strainedattheirropesasthefeedwaspiled；
AndthebubblingcamelsbesidetheloadSprawledforafurlongadowntheroad；
AndthePersianpussy-cats，broughtforsale，Spatatthedogsfromthecamel-bale；
Andthetribesmenbellowedtohastenthefood；
Andthecamp-firestwinkledbyFortJumrood；
AndtherefledonthewingsofthegatheringduskAsavourofcamelsandcarpetsandmusk，Amurmurofvoices，areekofsmoke，TotellusthetradeoftheKhyberwoke。
Thelidoftheflesh-potchatteredhigh，Thekniveswerewhettedand——thencameI
ToMahbubAlithemuleteer，Patchinghisbridlesandcountinghisgear，Crammedwiththegossipofhalfayear。
ButMahbubAlithekindlysaid，“Betterisspeechwhenthebellyisfed。”
Soweplungedthehandtothemid-wristdeepInacinnamonstewofthefat-tailedsheep，Andhewhoneverhathtastedthefood，ByAllah！heknowethnotbadfromgood。
Wecleansedourbeardsofthemutton-grease，Welayonthematsandwerefilledwithpeace，Andthetalkslidnorth，andthetalkslidsouth，Withtheslidingpuffsfromthehookah-mouth。
Fourthingsgreaterthanallthingsare，——
WomenandHorsesandPowerandWar。
Wespakeofthemall，butthelastthemost，ForIsoughtawordofaRussianpost，Ofashiftypromise，anunsheathedswordAndagray-coatguardontheHelmundford。
ThenMahbubAliloweredhiseyesInthefashionofonewhoisweavinglies。
Quothhe：“OftheRussianswhocansay？
Whenthenightisgatheringallisgray。
ButwelookthatthegloomofthenightshalldieInthemorningflushofablood-redsky。
Friendofmyheart，isitmeetorwiseTowarnaKingofhisenemies？
WeknowwhatHeavenorHellmaybring，ButnomanknoweththemindoftheKing。
ThatunsoughtcounseliscursedofGodAttesteththestoryofWaliDad。
“Hissirewasleakyoftongueandpen，HisdamwasacluckingKhuttuckhen；
Andthecoltbredclosetotheviceofeach，Forhecarriedthecurseofanunstanchedspeech。
Therewithmadness——sothathesoughtThefavourofkingsattheKabulcourt；
Andtravelled，inhopeofhonour，farTothelinewherethegray-coatsquadronsare。
TherehaveIjourneyedtoo——butI
Sawnaught，saidnaught，and——didnotdie！
Heharkedtorumour，andsnatchedatabreathOf`thisoneknoweth’and`thatonesaith’，——
LegendsthatranfrommouthtomouthOfagray-coatcoming，andsackoftheSouth。
ThesehaveIalsoheard——theypassWitheachnewspringandthewintergrass。
“Hot-footsouthward，forgottenofGod，BacktothecityranWaliDad，EventoKabul——infulldurbarTheKingheldtalkwithhisChiefinWar。
Intothepressofthecrowdhebroke，Andwhathehadheardofthecomingspoke。
“ThenGholamHyder，theRedChief，smiled，Asamothermightonababblingchild；
Butthosewhowouldlaughrestrainedtheirbreath，WhenthefaceoftheKingshoweddarkasdeath。
EvilitisinfulldurbarTocrytoarulerofgatheringwar！
Slowlyheledtoapeach-treesmall，Thatgrewbyacleftofthecitywall。
Andhesaidtotheboy：`TheyshallpraisethyzealSolongastheredspurtfollowsthesteel。
AndtheRussisuponusevennow？
Greatisthyprudence——awaitthem，thou。
WatchfromthetreeThouartyoungandstrong，Surelythyvigilisnotforlong。
TheRussisuponus，thyclamourran？
Surelyanhourshallbringtheirvan。
WaitandwatchWhenthehostisnear，Shoutaloudthatmymenmayhear。’
“Friendofmyheart，isitmeetorwiseTowarnaKingofhisenemies？
Aguardwassetthathemightnotflee——
Ascoreofbayonetsringedthetree。
Thepeach-bloomfellinshowersofsnow，Whenheshookathisdeathashelookedbelow。
BythepowerofGod，whoaloneisgreat，Tilltheseventhdayhefoughtwithhisfate。
Thenmadnesstookhim，andmendeclareHemowedinthebranchesasapeandbear，Andlastasasloth，erehisbodyfailed，Andhehungasabatintheforks，andwailed，Andsleepthecordofhishandsuntied，Andhefell，andwascaughtonthepointsanddied。
“Heartofmyheart，isitmeetorwiseTowarnaKingofhisenemies？
WeknowwhatHeavenorHellmaybring，ButnomanknoweththemindoftheKing。
Ofthegray-coatcomingwhocansay？
Whenthenightisgatheringallisgray。
Twothingsgreaterthanallthingsare，ThefirstisLove，andthesecondWar。
AndsinceweknownothowWarmayprove，Heartofmyheart，letustalkofLove！”
THEBALLADOFBOHDATHONE
ThisistheballadofBohDaThone，ErstaPretendertoTheebaw’sthrone，WhoharriedthedistrictofAlalone：
HowhemetwithhisfateandtheV。P。P。
AtthehandofHarendraMukerji，SeniorGomashta，G。B。T。
BohDaThonewasawarriorbold：
HisswordandhisSniderwerebossedwithgold，AndthePeacockBannerhishenchmenboreWasstiffwithbullion，butstifferwithgore。
HeshotatthestrongandheslashedattheweakFromtheSalweenscrubtotheChindwinteak：
Hecrucifiednoble，hesacrificedmean，Hefilledoldladieswithkerosene：
Whileoverthewaterthepaperscried，“Thepatriotfightsforhiscountryside！”
ButlittletheycaredfortheNativePress，ThewornwhitesoldiersinKhakidress，Whotrampedthroughthejungleandcampedinthebyre，Whodiedintheswampandweretombedinthemire，Whogaveuptheirlives，attheQueen’sCommand，ForthePrideoftheirRaceandthePeaceoftheLand。
Now，firstofthefoemenofBohDaThoneWasCaptainO’Neilofthe“BlackTyrone“，AndhiswasaCompany，seventystrong，WhohustledthatdissoluteChiefalong。
TherewereladsfromGalwayandLouthandMeathWhowenttotheirdeathwithajokeintheirteeth，Andworshippedwithfluency，fervour，andzealThemudontheboot-heelsof“Crook“O’Neil。
Buteverablightontheirlabourslay，Andevertheirquarrywouldvanishaway，Tillthesun-driedboysoftheBlackTyroneTookabrotherlyinterestinBohDaThone：
And，sooth，ifpursuitinpossessionends，TheBohandhistrackerswerebestoffriends。