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The Rudyard Kipling Library

Rudyard Kipling

Step into a quiet corner of the Empire of Stories, where the lamp is lit and the pages turn at their own unhurried pace. This podcast offers full-length readings of Rudyard Kipling’s tales - of jungle law and soldier’s duty, of wandering men, sharp-eyed children, and the strange roads between East and West. Each episode is spoken clear and steady, as though by a fireside companion, carrying you through adventure, mischief, and moral alike. Come listen, traveller, and let the old words march again beneath the steady drum of a human voice.

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  • 42 episodes
  • Avg 10 min
  • English
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • S19 · E30
    Yesterday · 20 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 30 - The Mary Gloster

    In which a dying merchant prince pours out his life’s tale and legacy to his dissolute son, recounting the trials and triumphs of building a shipping empire from scratch, with loves lost and fortunes made on the high seas. The old man’s final wishes...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E29
    Yesterday · 4 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 29 - An American

    In which the American spirit is portrayed as a paradoxical and restless force, embodying both jest and earnestness, marked by a complex heritage and an ironic humour that shapes his fierce independence. Observed through Kipling's discerning eye, he...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E28
    Saturday · 5 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 28 - The Three-Decker

    In which a grand three-decker ship, steered by a motley crew of hopeful and restless souls, embarks on a timeless voyage to a fabled refuge known as the Islands of the Blest. The poem conveys a wistful contrast between the old world of sail, rich with...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E27
    Saturday · 6 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 27 - The Story of Ung

    In which a gifted artist named Ung carves images of his world into bone, capturing the creatures and men of his tribe with tender fidelity, yet finds his visions met with scepticism by those who cannot see beyond their own experience. Guided by the...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E26
    Friday · 11 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 26 - The Last Rhyme of True Thomas

    In which the elusive bard True Thomas is summoned to receive knighthood from the King, yet he reveals his allegiance lies with a realm unseen and a vow made deep beneath the earth; through his haunting harp, he conjures visions that stir the proud...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E25
    Friday · 5 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 25 - The Flowers

    In which the delicate charm of native flowers serves as a tender emblem of home and remembrance for those scattered across distant shores, weaving a quiet tapestry of longing and belonging amidst the varied landscapes of the British world. The verses...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E24
    Thursday · 5 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 24 - To the True Romance

    In which a solemn and lyrical contemplation unfolds upon the elusive and august presence of a transcendent ideal—one that inspires courage, patience, and faith amid the tumult and strife of mortal endeavours. The speaker reflects on this radiant...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E23
    Thursday · 2 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 23 - Hymn Before Action

    In which the air grows heavy with foreboding as nations marshal their forces upon tempestuous seas, invoking divine aid before the clash of legions and blades. A solemn hymn entwines plea and penitence, calling upon saint and God alike to temper...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E22
    Wednesday · 2 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 22 - The Sea-Wife

    In which the steadfast Sea-Wife by the Northern Gate sends forth her roving sons upon the uncertain seas, receiving in turn their tales of distant lands and perilous voyages. Through the shifting tides of fortune and fate, her hearth remains a haven...

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  • S19 · E21
    Wednesday · 3 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 21 - Anchor Song

    In which the restless sea summons a weary vessel to cast off from familiar shores, bidding farewell to comforts left behind as she wrestles with the rising wind and the fading light. The rhythm of nautical duty and the promise of the deep stretch...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E20
    Tuesday · 4 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 20 - Mulholland's Contract

    In which a hardy seaman makes a solemn pact with the Almighty amidst a tempest and the chaos of a cattle ship, finding himself transformed into a preacher of sobriety and discipline among the equally tempestuous crew. With steadfast faith and a...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E19
    Tuesday · 3 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 19 - 'The Liner She's a Lady'

    In which the bustling life of the seas is cast in the lively verse of a dockyard ballad, contrasting the stately liner and her naval protector with the humble, tireless cargo-boats that keep the nation's trade afloat. The song captures the quiet...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E17
    September 14 · 3 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 17 - The Derelict

    In which a once-proud vessel, rendered helpless and abandoned upon the vast and merciless ocean, speaks with a voice shaped by the tempest and solitude, lamenting its lost strength and the relentless cruelty of the sea. It drifts aimlessly amid waves...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E18
    September 14 · 8 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 18 - The Song of the Banjo

    In which a wandering minstrel, armed with his banjo, weaves a stirring and ever-changing melody that carries the spirit of adventure, hardship, and memory across deserts, seas, and crashing battlefields. His song is the heartbeat of youthful...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E15
    September 13 · 2 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 15 - The King

    In which various voices bid farewell to the fading spirit of Romance as it yields to the relentless advance of industry and modernity, each lamenting the loss in their own way. Yet, unseen and unheralded, Romance continues its quiet labour beneath the...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E16
    September 13 · 14 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 16 - The Rhyme of the Three Sealers

    In which the rough law of the sealers’ northern haunts is laid bare amidst cold seas and secret coves, where ships masked as war-sloops engage in a shadowed battle for fur and pride under the wary eyes of an unforgiving fog. The tale unfolds with men...

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  • S19 · E14
    September 12 · 4 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 14 - The Native-Born

    In which a stirring toast is raised to the native-born men of far-flung lands, celebrating their steadfast hearts, proud heritage, and the unique life they cherish beneath foreign skies. The verses evoke the rugged beauty of distant homesteads and the...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E13
    September 12 · 1 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 13 - The Miracles

    In which a determined voyager braves the tempestuous seas and harnesses the might of human invention and endurance to send a message across vast and restless waters. Amidst natural fury and tireless toil, his steadfast labour draws near to a cherished...

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  • S19 · E11
    September 11 · 4 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 11 - The Merchantmen

    In which a band of rugged sailormen recount their voyages across the six oceans, capturing the harshness and wonder of the sea from frozen poles to tropical flames, with all manner of strange sights and eerie companions. They reflect on the wear of...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E12
    September 11 · 15 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 12 - Mcandrews' Hymn

    In which the faithful engine-room man, McAndrews, reflects upon the relentless power and intricate harmony of steam, the silent force behind the vast vessels that traverse the oceans, and the burdens of duty and soul carried by those who tend her...

    • Transcript
Showing 1–20 of 42 episodes