Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: smoothsailing
a little something I hope the British remember, from their greatest recent poet - long reviled as an imperial apologist by the milti-cultis, so one can not be sure the English can BEAR to remember anything he said...

The Dane Geld

It is always a temptation
to an armed and agile nation
To call upon a neighbour and to say: --
"We invaded you last night--
we are quite prepared to fight,
Unless you pay us cash to go away."

And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
And the people who ask it explain
That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
And then you'll get rid of the Dane!

It is always a temptation
for a rich and lazy nation,
To puff and look important and to say: --
"Though we know we should defeat you,
we have not the time to meet you.
We will therefore pay you cash to go away."

And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we've proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.

It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested
to pay up, or be molested,
You will find it better policy to say: --

"We never pay anyone Dane-geld,
No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game
is oppression and shame,
and the nation that pays it is lost!"

- Rudyard Kipling -

22 posted on 07/07/2005 2:58:36 PM PDT by King Prout (I'd say I missed ya, but that'd be untrue... I NEVER MISS)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: King Prout
A warning and a lesson. I need to read some Kipling, it's been a long time.

Thanks for the post,KP!

25 posted on 07/07/2005 3:05:47 PM PDT by smoothsailing (Qui Nhon Turtle Co.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies ]

To: King Prout
Excellent and very apropos poem.
73 posted on 07/07/2005 5:08:05 PM PDT by madison10
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson