I Keep Six Honest Serving Men ...


"I Keep Six Honest Serving Men ..."

I keep six honest serving-men
　　　(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
　　　And How and Where and Who.

I send them over land and sea,
　　　I send them east and west;
But after they have worked for me,
　　　I give them all a rest.

I let them rest from nine till five,
　　　For I am busy then,
As well as breakfast, lunch, and tea,
　　　For they are hungry men.
But different folk have different views;
　　　I know a person small-
She keeps ten million serving-men,
　　　Who get no rest at all!

She sends'em abroad on her own affairs,
　　　From the second she opens her eyes-
One million Hows, two million Wheres,
　　　And seven million Whys!
この詩は，キップリング（Rudyard Kipling 1865-1936）により書かれたものです。
「Just So Stories」の中の「The Elephant's Child」の末尾の一節です。
冒頭の４行がよく引き合いに出されますが，
それ以降は，あまり知られていません。
「The Elephant's Child」（海外サイト）

【５Ｗ１Ｈは実務の友実務の友】
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