The Smugglers Song' -Rudyard Kipling

Murray Lachlan Young reads 'The Smugglers Song'
by Rudyard Kipling
rnaudioproductions for http://www.ipodity.com/
http://www.allcast.co.uk/

If you wake at midnight, and hear a horse's feet,
Don't go drawing back the blind, or looking in the street.
Them that ask no questions isn't told a lie.
Watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by!
Five and twenty ponies,
Trotting through the dark -
Brandy for the Parson,
'Baccy for the Clerk;
Laces for a lady, letters for a spy,
And watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by!
Running round the woodlump if you chance to find
Little barrels, roped and tarred, all full of brandy-wine,
Don't you shout to come and look, nor use 'em for your play.
Put the brishwood back again - and they'll be gone next day!
If you see the stable-door setting open wide;
If you see a tired horse lying down inside;
If your mother mends a coat cut about and tore;
If the lining's wet and warm - don't you ask no more!
If you meet King George's men, dressed in blue and red,
You be careful what you say, and mindful what is said.
If they call you "pretty maid," and chuck you 'neath the chin,
Don't you tell where no one is, nor yet where no one's been!
Knocks and footsteps round the house - whistles after dark -
You've no call for running out till the house-dogs bark.
Trusty's here, and Pincher's here, and see how dumb they lie -
They don't fret to follow when the Gentlemen go by!
If you do as you've been told, 'likely there's a chance,
You'll be given a dainty doll, all the way from France,
With a cap of Valenciennes, and a velvet hood -
A present from the Gentlemen, along o' being good!
Five and twenty ponies,
Trotting through the dark -
Brandy for the Parson,
'Baccy for the Clerk;
Them that asks no questions isn't told a lie -
Watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by.


for info on Murray's gigs and Cd's goto:
www.murraylachlanyoung.com

Audio created by Robert Nichol
Recorded AudioProduction 2002
Tring Studios Engineer/Producer Robert Nichol
all rights reserved

Category:

Education

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[onetwoeight2]

@hurtbert I would disagree. I think this does sound conspiratorial. I like it. Makes my skin crawl every time. But yes, a great poem :)

[suzie106]

Oh goodness! Does anyone remember Elton Hayes singing this? I'm going back 50 years! I can't be the only person who has heard it, surely.

[rafhenlow]

I remember this from my childhood. Disliked poetry as 'girly', but an english teacher introduced me to some really good 'boy' poetry. Thankyou Mr. Lawrence.

[theroachksu]

I've always loved Kipling but hadn't ever heard this one, and I absolutely love it. Great job.

[gmtdiato]

That's life on the Fifth Continent!!

[conistonavenue79]

peter bellamy  put it to music

[WetGrassandNan]

Yes, it was mad into a song, I was taught to sing it when I was about 8 but I can't remember who by which is sad..

Theres another version on youtube of it as a song but different to how I was taught to sing it

[JustAudio2008]

Good luck with exam-its quite a hard one. I would be interested in hearing it.

[eamonnoneill]

im singing it for my singing exam and its much better as a song it really suits it

[marzyd21]

it would be better in a song than a poem