The Rudyard Kipling Library

In which the quiet arts of milking and butter-making lead Una to a curious acquaintance in Philadelphia, the spirited and responsible daughter of the local squire, who recounts her adventures with a Witchmaster and a delicate French prisoner among the woods and halls of Marklake. Amidst tales of charms, quarrels, and unexpected dinners, the mingling of old village beliefs and genteel manners paint...

In which young Dan learns the craftsman’s trade under the watchful eye of Mr Springett and the master mason Hal, discovering that skillful work and honest pride often wrestle with grudges and jealousies among craftsmen. Meanwhile, a ballad recounts how King Henry VII boldly uncovers deceit among his shipwrights, appointing the steadfast Bob Brygandyne to oversee the faithful care of the royal flee...

In which two young sovereigns guard a secret kingdom beneath the leafy boughs of Willow Shaw, where a mysterious lady in a mask unfolds a curious masque of courts and counsels, dancing the shadowy intricacies of queenship and the perilous designs of empire. Amidst whispered warnings and piratical ventures, the children are drawn into the delicate balance between youthful daring and the somber weig...

In which two children, Dan and Una, set out at dawn to track the elusive otter along the brook and are soon joined by the mischievous Puck, who reveals the mysterious power and burden of Cold Iron that governs the lives of mortals and folk alike. Through lively tales and enchanting encounters, they learn how legend and fate intertwine beneath the ancient skies and whispering woods of Old England.

In which two young siblings, Dan and Una, are granted by a merry and ancient fairy the magical gift to glimpse and converse with figures from England’s distant past, bringing history vividly to life upon the English countryside. Their enchanted encounters unfold gently, revealing the lives and times of notable characters long vanished from memory but not from the land.

In which the Most Wise Sovereign Suleiman-bin-Daoud and his beloved Queen Balkis encounter a quarrelsome Butterfly couple whose disputes lead to a curious and magical jest beneath the camphor-tree. Through gentle wit and enchanted intervention, they discover a playful lesson in humility and harmony that softens the troubles of many quarrelsome Queens in the great golden palace.

In which the wild Man and Woman begin making a home in a cave, forging clever bargains with the animals of the wild—dog, horse, cow, and cat—each responding to the Woman’s magic and kindness in their own characteristic way. The Cat, proud and solitary, remains ever independent though it comes to share the warmth and milk of the cave by a rare agreement, thus keeping its mysterious demeanour whilst...

In which a sprightly little girl named Taffimai and her clever father, Tegumai, discover the magic of making sounds visible through simple pictures etched on birch-bark, setting the wheels in motion for a new way to share thoughts without speaking. Together they play and puzzle their way through shapes and signs by the riverbank, inventing marks that will one day grow into the very alphabet itself...

In which the Eldest Magician sets all the creatures of the earth, air, and sea to their proper roles as part of the grand play of the Very Beginning, while Pau Amma the Crab mischievously disrupts the Sea with his own stubborn antics. Through the wise observations of a little girl and the Magician’s stern but kindly magic, Pau Amma learns the gifts and limitations that define his place between lan...

In which a resourceful little girl named Taffy, faced with her father’s broken spear and no means to send a message, invents a novel way of drawing pictures upon birch-bark to communicate across languages and distances. This quaint adventure, witnessed by a wary tribe and a foreign stranger, softly unveils the dawn of writing in the days when men lived simply yet dreamed grandly.

In which a stickly-prickly Hedgehog and a slow-solid Tortoise dwell peacefully by the turbid Amazon until a puzzled Painted Jaguar, unsure how to distinguish one from the other, seeks to capture them by the instructions of his cautious mother. Through cleverness and unexpected transformations, the two friends discover new ways of swimming and curling, much to the astonishment of Jaguar and his mot...

In which a young Elephant, driven by an insatiable curiosity quite unlike the others in his family, embarks on a daring journey to the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River to discover what the Crocodile has for dinner. Along the way, he encounters various creatures and, through a most peculiar adventure, gains a remarkable new feature that changes his life and the life of all elephants forever.

In which a proud and woolly creature, eager to be unlike any other, seeks the help of mighty gods and finds himself pursued across the vast, sunbaked continent by a tireless and hungry adversary. Through relentless running and hopping, the creature’s form and fortunes change in a way that marks him forever, as the landscape bears witness to their extraordinary race.

In which a Parsee man bakes a grand cake on a remote island by the Red Sea and encounters a rather ill-mannered rhinoceros whose skin fits quite snugly. Upon a heatwave, the creature removes his skin like a coat, leading to a most troublesome and ticklish predicament that shapes the rhinoceros’s appearance and temper thereafter.

In which the Leopard and the Ethiopian discover that blending with their surroundings is the new cunning way to survive the shifting habits of the animals and the forests of South Africa. They undergo remarkable transformations that teach them how colour and pattern serve as nature's clever disguise to outwit both prey and predator alike.

In which a certain obstinate Camel, living aloof in the desert and quite unwilling to lend his strength to Man’s labour, acquires a most peculiar and useful characteristic by the hand of a Djinn. This tale thus unfolds with a gentle lesson about idleness and the curious consequences it breeds in a world freshly made.

In which a very hungry Whale, having devoured all the fish in the sea, encounters a small, clever fish who introduces him to the curious taste of man, thus beginning an extraordinary adventure beneath the waves. Through a remarkable series of events involving a resourceful mariner and a trusty jack-knife, the Whale’s throat is forever changed, revealing why he must henceforth be content with the s...

In which a devoted lama recounts his spiritual trials and triumphs as he returns to his young charge, restored in health and spirit, while comrades exchange news of secret maps and close escapes. The boy, feeling both renewed and yet estranged from the world, contemplates his place amidst the vast and vibrant landscape, as the gentle twilight descends and ancient mysteries whisper of freedom and f...

In which a weary and devoted chela bears the heavy burden of his ailing lama through arduous mountain paths to the plains, encountering the kindness and observant care of local women who tend him back to strength with curious remedies and old-world wisdom. The tender exchanges between the tired boy and the wise holy man reveal a gentle contemplation on the frailties of the body and the enduring sp...

In which Kim and the lama find refuge in a lofty mountain village after a grievous encounter, where the lama wrestles with deep spiritual turmoil and the slow healing power of the hills, while Kim grapples with the burdens of responsibility and the curious attentions of the local folk. Among whispered tales and uneasy alliances, they prepare for the arduous journey ahead, gathering supplies and wi...

In which a curious assembly of travellers encounters a venerable lama expounding the Wheel of Life, and a rash act of violence disrupts their uneasy peace, stirring fears and fierce loyalties among the hill folk. The aftermath sees plans forged in whispers and whisky, as alliances and loyalties twist quietly beneath the shadowed pines, with Kim caught amid these tense and mysterious games of power...

In which the lama and Kim ascend through the vast, rugged heights of the Himalayas, where the elemental air sharpens body and spirit alike and the wild, ancient hills hold their mysterious reverence. Amidst the mountain villages and drifting snows, chance meetings and the inscrutable comings and goings of travellers cast curious shadows upon their solitary pilgrimage.

In which Kim encounters the ever-cunning Hurree Babu, who brings news of distant political intrigues and enlists his aid in the quiet machinations known as the Great Game, all beneath the watchful gaze of a hospitable yet sharp-tongued old lady. As the calm dawn breaks over the Hills, the lama and Kim prepare to journey into cooler climes, where wisdom and adventure beckon amid the pine-scented ai...

In which the crafty and intrepid Kim aids a disguised Holy One to elude capture amid the bustling Delhi station, sparking a ripple of unintended consequences that stretch far beyond their immediate flight. Thereafter, the lama and his disciple journey through fragrant villages and familiar customs, immersing themselves once more in the ancient rituals and vibrant life that bind their wandering sou...

In which Kim, the boy of many disguises and wits, travels by train with the gentle lama and a sturdy Jat man, encountering a shifty Mahratta whose tale of pursuit and peril unfolds amidst smoke and superstition. The journey reveals glimpses of the intricate dance of caste and the shadowy workings of the Great Game, as Kim weaves his quiet magic to shield a hunted stranger in the twilight of the ol...