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#1
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| A Smugglers' Song Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) If you wake at midnight, and hear a horse's feet, Don't do drawing back the blind, or looking in the street, Them that asks 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-wined; Don't you shout to come and look, nor take 'em for your play; Put the brushwood back again, - and they'll be gone next day! If you see the stableyard 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 give 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! Here are the questions. 1. Where do you imagine the story of this poem is set? 2. Who is the speaker talking to? How can you tell whether they are male or female? 3. What is the person being told? 4. Who are ‘the Gentlemen’, and who are the ‘King George’s men’? 5. Why do you think that the brandy-wine will be gone by the next day? 6. Why is mother mending a coat with a wet lining? 7. Whose dogs are Trusty and Pinchers? Why don’t they bark? 8. What is meant by ‘watch the wall’ in this poem? |
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#2
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| The poem is set on coast of England. The speaker is talking to his daughter The child is being told not to look out the window when she hears the horses going by The gentlemen are the smugglers and King George's men are those out to catch them Because it will be hidden temporarily in the speakers woodheap and removed before morning. Mother is mending father's coat to hide evidence of his involvement The dogs belong to the speaker and they are familiar with those riding by. Take no notice of what is going on outside. |
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