So Rinkitink sang his grandfather's song:


"A mighty King once ruled the land --
But now he's baking pies.
A pauper, on the other hand,
Is ruling, strong and wise.

A tiger once in jungles raged --
But now he's in a zoo;
A lion, captive-born and caged,
Now roams the forest through.

A man once slapped a poor boy's pate
And made him weep and wail.
The boy became a magistrate
And put the man in jail.

A sunny day succeeds the night;
It's summer -- then it snows!
Right oft goes wrong and wrong comes right,
As ev'ry wise man knows."




Chapter Twenty-Four

The Captive King