Show 1 y worlds or s Greatest Short Stories No V. V u tip THE MAN WHO WOULD I BE y KING JING tf n By Rud Rudy Rudyard and rd Kipling Kiplin K k try y Twenty lour famous authors were asked recently to name the best r short story in the English language H The choice of Irvin S S. Cobb was The Man Who y Would Be King Kint T 1 by Rudyard Kipling Three other rs A noted authors think this is the best beat short short- story RUDYARD KIPLING IRVIN S. S COBB y j jOn One On of ot the men opens a black hair c bag and I slips the crown on It w was was too small and t too o be heavy vy but I wor wore It j l I for lor the glory Ir Hammered gold It was five Ott pound weight like Ilke a hoop of a ar ac r c barrel burrel It Peachey athey says we we dont don't 4 want wont to O tight fight ht no more The crafts craft's tF 1 t the trick so su o help me roc And he brings forward tint that same flame chief that 1 left eft at j Billy Fish we called hum him lc afterward h bw anse ause he be was so like BU Billy y fit Fish I h that droVe drive the big tank engine at Mai h on tau th the Bolan olan in th the old old days Shake kt h baud hauls with Wm l ls And I shook bunds and nearly ly dropped i for tor Bill hilly Fish Ish gave me the grip 1 I said b but t tried him with the fellow- fellow grip He lie answers all right and andI I tried the musters muster's masters master's grip but that was M a till slip A 1 fellow craft he be Is I 1 says to r Y- Y Dun nun Does he know the word He Dt Het t 1 do dues does says O Dan n. n and all the priest priests know Hut But they dont dout know the third 7 tI t degree and Iud they've come to find out a s 1 Its It's ts t's sods sod's Jod P truth A A. god and a n grand granda grandmaster a waster master of ur the craft raft am I and a n lodge tk In the third degree 1 I will open and I well we'll raise th the head priests and the ther r i of the tilt villages t i It Sits Its against all the law I sa says s 's I holding a n lod lodge e without warrant from t any o one lit and we never held beld office Int in inny t R t any ny lodge Its n I master stroke of ot policy says f Ura The women must make aprons I r kr as IS you show them Ill I'll hold bold a n levee of r s J chiefs bier tonight und and lod lodge e tomorrow m r J. J 1 1 I was waa run fair ruri 1 otT olT my legs Jeg but I 1 Inc nc X f 5 wasn't such a II fool tool as not to see ee what y f. f Y u a pull this thiR craft business s gave us We IVe J t took tonk k a 1 gr great ut square stone in the the temu tern tent y u J 11 P lg 1 It the e s i hair and Ind little little r r. r stones for th the officers officers' chal chain and paint paInt- painted ed td the black with white ff o- o pavement L j and did what we could to tomake tot t J r make things regular regulars s' s I ot nn-ot ot gives out oat that him and me 3 f f were were gods god and sons sons son of ot Alexander and i Y l past put grand must masters in the raft Draft und and 4 11 was wall come to make mute KnOrL n II conn try where every ver man mall should e eat t in 10 I pen peace and drink In quiet and specially tot V r obey us liS Then rhen th the chiefs tame came round f i r f to to shake hands hand and they was was so II o hairy rd if and white and fair it was Just shaking gr i- i f with old friends We IVe gave t them r j t names nii n nl as they were ere tike Uke t t wen wen wt we had nad known In India India Billy Billy i nJ Fish h Holly Dilworth Kergan r 1 that was bazaar master when 1 was at 4 so so on and so on OD x 7 The most amazing miracle was va at atI 10 lodge next night One of ot the old lId I priests ti w was trus l watching us liS continuous k f t and lInd ud I felt uneasy for t I knew w wed we'd have ha to fudge the ritual and I didn't know t what the men meir knew The Tbt- old priest tI l I was u a stranger tome come l' l In from lw beyond and i i thc the village tillage of He fetches a Ii ati i whop und and a howl and tries tl to over liver r turn the h s stone Cne that was wa R sitting t sJ yn yn on Its It Ill all tip all up now O I tn ays V I That I hat rt J of nr meddling with the craft without with o out never newer winked un an eye not not when when ten priests ts took and i r 0 tilted d r b grated grand masters master's chaira chair chair- A a hi which hl h tv Rt tosny say t stone of or y r The TIlt pit Il pries f begins rubbing th the bottom jr I t end of It to til tt clear ar away vay the black dirty dirt t ami presently atly be he shows n all II the other I k I. I y 1 k priests tin tin- m toasters masters mark same was as-was us was wason ti on orl n J no apron tit t Into the stu stone l. l Not even t the the priests of If the temple of clr Imbra tine knew knee It was wast there bete The he old uld chap rl-i rl 4 I 1 falls flat on his bis tate fate at feet out oct 1 1 w and anel kisses t Vm em JI Luck again says 11 Urn Dra It F y t vot wot a across 8 t the e lud lodge e to me they say ny 0 Its It's the missing mark murk that nl no one could o understand inid the why of If IVe r snort more than now After that It achey t I e i now i f and nd t a as w was worthy r sn high high antt tl t bf l' l tI arcs ages t PART III Ill r tt t CANT CAN'T r tell lI all nil we wa did i tr t the next I U Ix months t ault 00 1 I nt ot did a It lot I 1 couldn t oft M-e tb the hang ot of and be he It learn learned I ed tJ I their 1 lie t II i lingo in na u II WilY I never tr could They were I of If m rue Inc n and net the army nut bill lIt they coved oved Dan nn He lie wa was w 4 the h best t ot or at friends with the priests ts and wel the hl f- f hilt hut any tny one ne come Otoe aenos aeno's the dill hlll with u II complaint and on would hear bear him out oft fair mind r mail four font priests ts together and NIl say what waist w w was s tar to i i he e done They tnt sent me mei with and twenty rifles ands and l et s i is nasty iuen ruu carrying turquoise P. P into l the country to buy those s handmade Martini rifle that come out l of oC the till workshops shops at at from frum one U one t. t of the ameer's regiments regi ments manta ments that would have bave sold the very r teeth out of ot their mouths for tor turi turi turquoise tur- tur i i q le n k t. t mo mot h l bad S 1 r rM t i t tt s rt 1 fj M I i t. t I maae Martinis 1110 good Kobat that'll throw to GOO yards and 40 man man- loads of ot very bad ammunition for tor the rifles was was was' too busy to attend to those things but the old army that we first ma made helped me an and we turned turned turned turn turn- ed out COO Loo OO men that lint could drill and that knew how bow tot to bold arms pretty straight Even those corkscrewed handmade hand band made guns was a n miracle to them Dra Dra- vot talked big about powder shops and factories walking up and down in the pine J wood when the winter was comIng coming com coin ing lag on I wont won't ont make a nation says benl he be TM nl Ill make an empire These men arent aren't they're English Look at their eyes Joo look at their Look at the way they stand up They sit on chairs In their own houses bouses There must be ben bea n JI fair 2 of em In these hills The villages are full 0 o little children Two million people people fighting men men and and all nl English When everything I is shipshape Ill Til hand over the crown crown- I this crown Im I'm wearing now now to to Queen Victoria on my knees and shell she'll say Rise up Sir Daniel Oh Ob Its It's big Its It's big I tell you But theres there's so much to be be- bedone done in every place place Bash Bash Bash- kal Shu and everywhere else Its It's a big country and somehow you cant can't help me Peachey In the way I want to b be helped Go to your blasted priests then 1 said and I was sorry when I ma made e that remark but it t did hurt me sore to find Ond Daniel talking so 80 superior when Id I'd drilled all the men and done dono all he heV V told me Dont lets let's quarrel Peachey says Daniel without cursing Youre a king too and the halt half of this kingdom is yours but cant can't you see Peachey we wew w want rit cl ver rm i th than us now three now three e eor or four of ot em that we can scatter about for our deputies Theres There's another er thing too The winters winter's coming and these people wont won't be giving much trouble and If they do we cant can't move about 1 I want a wife For Gords Gord's sake leave the women alone I says Weve both got all the work we can do though I Ium Iam um am a fool Remember the and keep clear clearo o women The con track only lasted till such time as we was kings and kings we have bate been these mouths months past says Dra Dra- vot vat weighing his crown in his band hand You go get a wife too Peachey Dont tempt me i 1 says I will not have bAVe any uny dealings with a woman woman not till we are are a dam site more settled than we are now Lets Let's lie He off oft abit a It abit bit and acid see if It we can get some better tobacco from Afghan country and run in some good liquor but no women For the last time of ot answering ans I will said and he went away through the pine trees looking like a II red devil But getting a n wife was not so easy as Dan thought He lie put It before the c council and nud there was no answer till Billy Fish said that hed he'd better ask the girls d d-d d d thi them m all round round What's wrong with me mei he hp shouts standing by the idol umbra Imbra Am I a dog o or am I not enough of or a n man for far your wenches He walked out of ot the council room and the others sat still looking at the ground Billy Fish says Bays I 1 to the chief of the difficulty here bere A straight answer to a 3 true true friend friend You know says Billy Fish How should u a man tell you who know w everything everything ev ev- How can cnn daughters of ot men marry gods or devils Its It's tR not not proper A god can do anything says MYS I. I It If the king Is fond a girl Airl hell he'll not fet let fether fether lether her die Sh Shell 11 have bate to said Billy Fish FIb There are arc all sorts of ot gods and d devils in these mountains and now non and again a n girl marries one of them and Isn't seen any more Besides you two know the mark cut lu iu the stone Only the gods god know that We Ye tho thought I j you jou ou were men till you jon on showed the sign of at the master l I 1 wished then that we bad explained explain explain- ed about the loss of ot the genuine secrets se se- se- se crets of crets-of of a II master Mason at nt the first I Igo ort off bu bit- 1 I All I go said nothing that night there was u at blowing of ot horns borns In Ina Ina ina a little dark durk temple halfway down the bill hill und and I heard beard a ml girl crying fit to die One Ont of ot the priests told us that she was being prepared to marry the tbt king kin The girls girl's a little e bit afraid says say the priest She thinks she's ehe's going to die and they are a heartening of at her up Gown down down in the temple II Hearten arten her ber very tender then ben says or Ill I'll hearten you with the butt of a gun so 80 that you'll never want to be heartened again I got up vel very early In the morning I while J. J I r Di vot was s asleep and jand an I t saw sate i the priest t r In whis whispers per pers and the chiefs talking to together et e too and they looked at me out of ot the corners of their eyes What is up Fish I t says to the man who was wrapped up in his bin furs fur and looking splendid to behold I 1 cant can't rightly rightly- say says he be but If IC Jou Sou ou can an Induce th the king to drop all this nonsense about marriage you'll be doing do lug ing him and me and yourself a great service That I do believe says I I. I But sure lIure you oti know Billy Billy as well as me having having- fought against and for tor us that the king and me are nothing more than two of the finest men that God Almighty ver er made Nothing more I do insure assure you That may be says Billy BUly FIsh and yet I shoud be sorry if It It t was He De sinks his hla hl head bead upon his bis great Arent fur cloak for a 0 minute and thinks think King KinA says he l-e. be you man or god or r devil Ill I'll Mick hv hy yon you today I have twenty of ot my men with me and they will follow tollow me Well We'll go to until the storm blows over A little snow had fallen In the n night and everything was white except the greasy fat tat clouds that blew down and down from the north came out with his crown on his head bead swinging his arms and stamping his feet and looking more pleased than Punch For the last I time drop it Dan say saps I in a whisper Billy Fish here says ays there will be a row A A row among my people I says Not much Peachey y youre you're a fool not to get a wife too Wheres Where's the girl says he be with a voice as loud loudas as ns the tho braying of a Jackass Call up all the chiefs and priests and let the emperor see If his wife suits him There was no need to call any anyone one They were all aU there leaning on their guns guns' and spears round the clearing Inthe in to inthe the center of the pine wood A d deputation deputation pu tation of ot priests went down to the Ii littie lit lit- tie empire to bring up the girl and the the- borns horns blew up fit to wake the dead Billy Fish saunters round and gets as close to Daniel as he could and behind him stood his twenty men with ma matchlocks matchlocks match match- cb- cb locks not a man of ot them under six feet I was next to and behind be b hind bind me was twenty men of ot t the e regular regular regular regu regu- lar army Up comes the girl and a strapping wench she was covered with j I I silver sliver and turquoises but white as death and looking back every min minute te at It the priests Shell do said Dan looking her ber over to be afraid of lass Come and kiss me me He puts his bis arm round her She shuts her ber eyes gives a bit of ot a squeak and down goes her ber face in the side pf pt Dans Dan's flaming red beard The girls girl's s bitten me says he be clapping his hand band to his neck and sure enough bis his hand band was was red with blood Billy Fish and two of his matchlock men catches hold bold of ot Dan Dnn by bythe bythe bythe the shoulders and drags him bim into the lot loot while the priests howls bowls in their lingo Neither God nor devil but buta a man 1 I was all taken aback for a priest cut at me in front and the army behind began firing into the menI menI menI men I tried to give some sort of ot orders to my men the men the men o 0 the regular bit army army but It was no use so I fired Into the brown of ot em with an English MartinI Martini Mar Mar- tini and drilled three beggars in a line The valley was full tull of shouting howlIng howling howl- howl Ing InA cre creatures and every soul was shrieking Not a God nor a devil but only a man The troops stuck to Billy Fish all they were worth but their matchlocks wasn't half balf as asgood asgood asgood good as s the Kabul breechloaders and four tour of ot them dropped We cant can't stand says Billy Fish Make a run for it down the valley The whole place Is against us There wasn't more tb than n six men not countIng counting counting count count- ing Dan Billy Fish and me that came down to the bottom of ot the valley alive My own notion is that Dan began to go mad In his head from that hour He De stared up and down like a stuck pig Theta Then be was all nil for tor walking back alone and killing the priests with hI his bare bure hands which be he could have doneAn doneAn doneAn done An emperor am 1 says SUS Daniel and ne next t year I 1 shall be a knight of ot the queen All Ail right Dan says I 1 but come along now while theres there's time Its your fault says he be for not looking after your army better 1 I was too heartsick to care though It was all his foolishness that brought th the smash Im sorry Dan says I I. I but theres there's no accounting for natives This busi business ness is our Fifty seven Maybe Maybe vell well we'll make out of ot it yet when weve |