Danny Deever: (From Barrack-Room Ballads)

Author: Rudyard Kipling  | Date: 1892

DANNY DEEVER

"What are the bugles blowin’ for?" said Files-on-Parade.

"To turn you out, to turn you out," the Colour-Sergeant said.

"What makes you look so white, so white?" said Files-on-Parade.

"I’m dreadin’ what I’ve got to watch," the Colour-Sergeant said.

For they’re hangin’ Danny Deever, you can

hear the Dead March play,

The regiment’s in ’ollow square- they’re

hangin’ him to-day;

They’ve taken of his buttons off an’ cut his

stripes away,

An’ they’re hangin’ Danny Deever in the

mornin’.

"What makes the rear-rank breathe so ’ard?" said Files-on-Parade.

"It’s bitter cold, it’s bitter cold," the Colour-Sergeant said.

"What makes that front-rank man fall down?" says Files-on-Parade.

"A touch o’ sun, a touch o’ sun," the Colour-Sergeant said.

They are hangin’ Danny Deever, they are

marchin’ of ’im round,

They ’ave ’alted Danny Deever by ’is coffin

on the ground;

An’ ’e’ll swing in ’arf a minute for a sneakin’

shootin’ hound-

O they’re hangin’ Danny Deever in the

mornin’!

"’Is cot was right-’and cot to mine," said Files-on-Parade.

"’E’s sleepin’ out an’ far to-night," the Colour-Sergeant said.

"I’ve drunk ’is beer a score o’ times," said Files-on-Parade.

"’E’s drinkin’ bitter beer alone," the Colour-Sergeant said.

They are hangin’ Danny Deever, you must

mark ’im to ’is place,

For ’e shot a comrade sleepin’- you must

look ’im in the face;

Nine ’undred of ’is county an’ the regiment’s

disgrace,

While they’re hangin’ Danny Deever in the

mornin’.

"What’s that so black agin the sun?" said Files-on-Parade.

"It’s Danny fightin’ ’ard for life," the Colour-Sergeant said.

"What’s that that whimpers over’ead?" said Files-on-Parade.

"It’s Danny’s soul that’s passin’ now," the Colour-Sergeant said.

For they’re done with Danny Deever, you

can ’ear the quickstep play,

The regiment’s in column, an’ they’re

marchin’ us away;

Ho! the young recruits are shakin’, an’ they’ll

want their beer to-day,

After hangin’ Danny Deever in the mornin’.

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Chicago: Rudyard Kipling, Danny Deever: (From Barrack-Room Ballads) Original Sources, accessed May 17, 2024, http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=9NHISCWJS385DEL.

MLA: Kipling, Rudyard. Danny Deever: (From Barrack-Room Ballads), Original Sources. 17 May. 2024. http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=9NHISCWJS385DEL.

Harvard: Kipling, R, Danny Deever: (From Barrack-Room Ballads). Original Sources, retrieved 17 May 2024, from http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=9NHISCWJS385DEL.