The house-beams shall fall , And the Karela , the bitter Karela , Shall cover you all ! THE UNDERTAKERS When ye say to Tabaqui , `` My Brother ! '' when ye call the Hyena to meat , Ye may cry the Full Truce with Jacala -- the Belly that runs on four feet . Jungle Law `` Respect the aged ! '' `` It was a thick voice -- a muddy voice that would have made you shudder -- a voice like something soft breaking in two . There was a quaver in it , a croak and a whine . `` Respect the aged ! O Companions of the River -- respect the aged ! '' Nothing could be seen on the broad reach of the river except a little fleet of square-sailed , wooden-pinned barges , loaded with building-stone , that had just come under the railway bridge , and were driving down-stream . They put their clumsy helms over to avoid the sand-bar made by the scour of the bridge-piers , and as they passed , three abreast , the horrible voice began again : `` O Brahmins of the River -- respect the aged and infirm ! '' A boatman turned where he sat on the gunwale , lifted up his hand , said something that was not a blessing , and the boats creaked on through the twilight . The broad Indian river , that looked more like a chain of little lakes than a stream , was as smooth as glass , reflecting the sandy-red sky in mid-channel , but splashed with patches of yellow and dusky purple near and under the low banks . Little creeks ran into the river in the wet season , but now their dry mouths hung clear above water-line . On the left shore , and almost under the railway bridge , stood a mud-and-brick and thatch-and-stick village , whose main street , full of cattle going back to their byres , ran straight to the river , and ended in a sort of rude brick pier-head , where people who wanted to wash could wade in step by step . That was the Ghaut of the village of Mugger-Ghaut . Night was falling fast over the fields of lentils and rice and cotton in the low-lying ground yearly flooded by the river ; over the reeds that fringed the elbow of the bend , and the tangled jungle of the grazing-grounds behind the still reeds . The parrots and crows , who had been chattering and shouting over their evening drink , had flown inland to roost , crossing the out-going battalions of the flying-foxes ; and cloud upon cloud of water-birds came whistling and `` honking '' to the cover of the reed-beds . There were geese , barrel-headed and black-backed , teal , widgeon , mallard , and sheldrake , with curlews , and here and there a flamingo . A lumbering Adjutant-crane brought up the rear , flying as though each slow stroke would be his last . `` Respect the aged !
XXXXX of the River -- respect the aged ! ''
Brahmins Ghaut Jacala Tabaqui building-stone curlews left mallard reed-beds water-birds