by Rudyard Kipling (1865 - 1936)
Fate's discourtesy Matches original text
Language: English
Be well assured that on our side
Our challenged oceans fight,
Though headlong wind and leaping tide
Make us their sport to-night
Through force of weather, not of war,
In jeopardy we steer.
Then welcome Fate's discourtesy
Whereby it shall appear
How in all time of our distress
As in our triumph too,
The game is more than the player of the game,
And the ship is more than the crew!
Be well assured, though wave and wind
Have mightier blows in store,
That we who keep the watch assigned
Must stand to it the more;
And as our streaming bows dismiss
Each billow's baulked career,
Sing welcome Fate's discourtesy
Whereby it is made clear
How in all time of our distress
As in our triumph too,
The game is more than the player of the game,
And the ship is more than the crew!
Be well assured that on our side
Our challenged oceans fight,
Though headlong wind and leaping tide
Make us their sport to-night
Through force of weather, not of war,
In jeopardy we steer.
Then welcome Fate's discourtesy
Whereby it shall appear
How in all time of our distress
As in our triumph too,
The game is more than the player of the game,
And the ship is more than the crew !
First published in Daily Telegraph, November 1915, revised 1919.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Composition:
- Set to music by Edward Elgar, Sir (1857 - 1934), "Fate's discourtesy", 1917, published 1917 [ vocal quartet of baritones and orchestra ], from The Fringes of the Fleet, no. 2
Text Authorship:
- by Rudyard Kipling (1865 - 1936), "A Song in Storm", appears in Sea Warfare, in The Fringes of the Fleet, first published 1915
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-02-05
Line count: 36
Word count: 216