Songs from Books
The verses Kipling scattered through his prose, gathered: "If--", "The Way through the Woods", "Cities and Thrones and Powers".
Measured across the book
Across its 4,198 lines, 92% of stressed syllables fall on the beat (95% interval 92% to 93%). Alliteration runs at 1.15 times what shuffling the words would give (0.32 observed against 0.27 expected). 21% of the lines have a feminine ending.
Baselines and intervals are described in the methods.
Contents
Cities and Thrones and Powersiambic trimeter · 24 linesThe Recallshort measure · 20 linesPuck's Songcommon measure · ABAB · 48 linesThe Way Through the Woodsiambic tetrameter · 25 linesA Three-Part Songiambic pentameter · AABB · 16 linesThe Run of the Downsiambic tetrameter · AABB · 18 linesBrookland Roadcommon measure · ABAB · 36 linesThe Sack of the GodsAABB · 22 linesThe Kingdomiambic pentameter · 22 linesTarrant Mosscommon measure · 28 linesSir Richard's Song (A.D. 1066)trochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 36 linesA Tree Song (A.D. 1200)iambic tetrameter · 44 linesCuckoo Songtrochaic tetrameter · ABABCDEECD · 34 linesA Charmtrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 34 linesThe Prairieiambic heptameter · AABB · 20 linesChapter Headings: Plain Tales from the Hillsiambic pentameter · AABB · 6 linesLispethcommon measure · ABAB · 8 linesThe Other Maniambic pentameter · 6 linesHis Wedded Wifeanapaestic trimeter · 6 linesPigAABB · 15 linesThrown Awayiambic tetrameter · AABCCB · 6 linesTod's Amendmentiambic pentameter · ABABCC · 6 linesBy Word of Mouth6 linesIn ErrorAABB · 4 linesThe Conversion of Aurelian McGogginiambic tetrameter · 7 linesThe Rout of the White Hussars5 linesThe Bronckhorst Divorce Caseiambic tetrameter · 7 linesIn the House of Suddhoo5 linesFalse DawnAABB · 10 linesCupid's Arrowsiambic pentameter · ABABCC · 6 linesCold Irontrochaic hexameter · AABB · 37 linesA Song of Kabiranapaestic tetrameter · AABB · 16 linesA Caroliambic tetrameter · 32 lines'My New-Cut Ashlar'iambic tetrameter · ABAB · 28 linesEddi's Service (A.D. 687)common measure · 44 linesShiv and the Grasshoppertrochaic hexameter · AABB · 32 linesThe Fairies' Siegeanapaestic trimeter · 24 linesA Song to MithrasAABB · 16 linesThe New Knighthoodanapaestic dimeter · ABBA · 38 linesBalootrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 20 linesKaatrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 20 linesBagheeratrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 20 linesThe Threetrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 12 linesHarp Song of the Dane Womeniambic pentameter · AABB · 24 linesThe Thousandth Maniambic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 32 linesThe WinnersABABCC · 24 linesA St. Helena Lullabyiambic heptameter · ABAB · 32 linesChil's SongABABCCC · 21 linesThe CaptiveAABB · 18 linesThe Puzzleriambic heptameter · AABB · 20 linesHadramautiAABB · 26 linesChapter Headings: The Naulahkaiambic tetrameter · 95 linesThe Light That Failedcommon measure · 47 linesGallio's SongABABCDCD · 40 linesThe Bees and the Fliesiambic tetrameter · AABB · 39 linesRoad-Song of the Bandar-Logtrochaic tetrameter · AABBCCDD · 29 lines'Our Fathers Also'common measure · ABAB · 32 linesA British-Roman Song (A.D. 406)iambic tetrameter · ABAB · 20 linesA Pict SongABABBCBC · 33 linesThe Strangeriambic trimeter · 30 lines'Rimini'anapaestic trimeter · 39 lines'Poor Honest Men' (A.D. 1800)anapaestic dimeter · 66 lines'When the Great Ark'iambic tetrameter · ABABCC · 24 linesProphets at HomeABAB · 14 linesJubal and Tubal Cainiambic tetrameter · 32 linesThe Voortrekkeriambic heptameter · AABB · 14 linesA School Songtrochaic tetrameter · 78 linesThe Law of the Jungleanapaestic hexameter · AABB · 36 lines'A Servant When He Reigneth'iambic tetrameter · 40 lines'Our Fathers of Old'51 linesThe Heritageiambic tetrameter · 40 linesChapter Headings: 'Beast and Man in India'common measure · 12 linesThe Goatiambic pentameter · 8 linesThe Oxeniambic pentameter · ABAB · 8 linesThe Elephantcommon measure · 12 linesPigs and Buffaloesiambic trimeter · AABB · 16 linesLife's Handicapiambic pentameter · AABB · 8 linesThe Return of Imrayiambic pentameter · AABB · 7 linesKimiambic pentameter · 8 linesMany Inventionsiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 linesA Matter of Fact12 linesThe Lost Legioniambic tetrameter · 9 linesMy Lord the ElephantAABB · 12 linesSong of the Fifth Riveriambic tetrameter · 58 linesThe Children's Songiambic tetrameter · AABB · 32 linesElephants of the Gun-Teams5 linesGun-Bullocks5 linesCavalry Horsesanapaestic tetrameter · AABB · 8 linesScrew-Gun MulesAABB · 8 linesCommissariat Camels13 linesAll the Beasts Togethertrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 16 linesIf—iambic pentameter · ABABCDCD · 32 linesThe Prodigal Soniambic tetrameter · AAABCCCB · 48 linesThe Necessitariancommon measure · ABAB · 24 linesThe Jesteriambic tetrameter · 18 linesA Song of Traveltrochaic tetrameter · ABABCC · 30 linesThe Two-Sided Mandactylic trimeter · ABAB · 20 lines'Lukannon'alexandrines · AABB · 24 linesAn Astrologer's Songanapaestic dimeter · ABABCDCD · 64 lines'The Power of the Dog'AABBCC · 34 linesThe Rabbi's Songiambic tetrameter · 32 linesThe Bee Boy's Songtrochaic trimeter · 28 linesThe Return of the ChildrenABAB · 8 linesMerrow Down Iiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 24 linesMerrow Down IIiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 20 linesOld Mother Laidinwooliambic heptameter · AABB · 34 linesChapter Headings: Just-So Stories75 linesThe Elephant's Childdactylic pentameter · 16 linesThe Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroocommon measure · 20 linesThe Beginning of the Armadilloesiambic tetrameter · 66 linesThe Looking-Glass33 linesThe Queen's Meniambic trimeter · AABCCB · 18 linesThe City of Sleeptrochaic tetrameter · 30 linesThe Widoweriambic tetrameter · ABBAB · 22 linesThe Prayer of Miriam Cohencommon measure · ABAB · 20 linesThe Song of the Little Hunteriambic heptameter · 24 linesAct II. Scene 2trochaic pentameter · 141 linesThe Wishing Caps36 lines'By the Hoof of the Wild Goat'anapaestic trimeter · 20 linesSong of the Red War-Boat (A.D. 683)iambic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 68 linesMorning Song in the Jungleiambic tetrameter · 32 linesBlue Rosestrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 16 linesA Ripple Songtrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 24 linesButterfliesiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 20 linesMy Lady's Lawcommon measure · 28 linesThe Nursing Sisteriambic tetrameter · ABAB · 24 linesThe Love Song of Har Dyaliambic pentameter · ABAB · 12 linesA Dedicationiambic tetrameter · ABBCAC · 24 linesMother o' Mineiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 11 linesThe Only Soniambic heptameter · AABB · 26 linesMowgli's Song Against People30 linesRomulus and Remuscommon measure · ABAB · 24 linesChapter Headings: The Jungle Booksiambic tetrameter · 8 linesMowgli's Brothersanapaestic hexameter · AABB · 8 linesKaa's Huntingiambic tetrameter · AABB · 14 linesHow Fear Cametrochaic tetrameter · 18 linesThe King's AnkusAABBCDCDC · 9 linesRed Dogtrochaic hexameter · ABAB · 8 linesThe Spring Runningcommon measure · 21 linesThe White SealABAB · 17 linesToomai of the Elephantsiambic heptameter · AABB · 8 linesThe Undertakersiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 12 linesThe Egg-Shellanapaestic trimeter · 24 linesThe King's TaskAABB · 76 linesPoseidon's Lawiambic heptameter · AABB · 28 linesThe Bricklayeriambic pentameter · AABB · 24 linesThe Sailoriambic tetrameter · AABB · 24 linesBothAABB · 4 linesA Smuggler's Songtrochaic hexameter · AABB · 36 linesKing Henry VII. And the Shipwrights (A.D. 1487)iambic octameter · AABB · 44 linesThe Wet Litanytrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 34 linesThe Ballad of Minepit Shawcommon measure · ABAB · 64 linesHeriot's Fordiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 32 linesFrankie's Trade47 linesThe Juggler's Songtrochaic tetrameter · 30 linesThorkild's Songiambic tetrameter · AABB · 28 lines'Angutivaun Taina'trochaic tetrameter · 24 linesHunting-Song of the Seeonee Packiambic pentameter · 18 linesSong of the Men's Side39 linesDarzee's ChauntABABB · 20 linesThe Four AngelsAABB · 35 linesThe Prayeriambic tetrameter · 6 lines
About this text
Public domain. Text from Songs from Books, Project Gutenberg ebook #15529. Free to read, print, copy and reuse.