The diamond-bright dawn woke men and crows and bullocks together . Kim sat up and yawned , shook himself , and thrilled with delight . This was seeing the world in real truth ; this was life as he would have it -- bustling and shouting , the buckling of belts , and beating of bullocks and creaking of wheels , lighting of fires and cooking of food , and new sights at every turn of the approving eye . The morning mist swept off in a whorl of silver , the parrots shot away to some distant river in shrieking green hosts : all the well-wheels within ear-shot went to work . India was awake , and Kim was in the middle of it , more awake and more excited than anyone , chewing on a twig that he would presently use as a toothbrush ; for he borrowed right - and left-handedly from all the customs of the country he knew and loved . There was no need to worry about food -- no need to spend a cowrie at the crowded stalls . He was the disciple of a holy man annexed by a strong-willed old lady . All things would be prepared for them , and when they were respectfully invited so to do they would sit and eat . For the rest -- Kim giggled here as he cleaned his teeth -- his hostess would rather heighten the enjoyment of the road . He inspected her bullocks critically , as they came up grunting and blowing under the yokes . If they went too fast -- it was not likely -- there would be a pleasant seat for himself along the pole ; the lama would sit beside the driver . The escort , of course , would walk . The old lady , equally of course , would talk a great deal , and by what he had heard that conversation would not lack salt . She was already ordering , haranguing , rebuking , and , it must be said , cursing her servants for delays . ` Get her her pipe . In the name of the Gods , get her her pipe and stop her ill-omened mouth , ' cried an Oorya , tying up his shapeless bundles of bedding . ` She and the parrots are alike . They screech in the dawn . ' ` The lead-bullocks ! Hai !
Look to the XXXXX ! '
India Kim Oorya bullocks cowrie lama lead-bullocks right well-wheels yokes