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Parade Song of the Camp Animals

From The Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling

This poem appears in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, first published in 1894, though it is not part of Mowgli's story. Instead, it closes a tale about a military review in India, where the camp animals—elephants, bullocks, horses, mules, and camels—each sing of their labour. Kipling spent his early career as a journalist in India and knew the workings of the British Indian Army intimately. The poem is written in the voices of the animals themselves, and it does not celebrate war; it observes the condition of those, human and animal alike, who march and suffer without understanding why. The reader who listens carefully will hear both pride and resignation, both courage and futility. It is worth reading because it asks a question that belongs to every generation: what does it mean to serve a cause you cannot see? This text reflects its era.

Band

Red · Complex language and analysisTypical starting range: ages 15–17

Length

long · about 1214 words in 4 sections · 2 pictures

Source

The Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling

First published

1894

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

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