The Three Musketeers (Kipling)
Encyclopedia
This page is about the short story by Rudyard Kipling
. For other uses, see The Three Musketeers (disambiguation)
.
"The Three Musketeers" is a short story
by Rudyard Kipling
which introduces three fictional British soldiers serving in India in the later nineteenth century: the privates Mulvaney, Ortheris and Learoyd
. These characters appear in many early Kipling stories. "The Three Musketeers" was first published in the Civil and Military Gazette
on March 11, 1887. It appeared in book form in Plain Tales from the Hills
(1888).
Narrated by the three privates - mostly Mulvaney, the loquacious Irishman, and Ortheris) - "The Three Musketeers" tells the story of how the three contrive not only to 'protest' (like the junior officers) against a proposed special parade requested by a visiting grandee, Lord Benira Trigg, but to have it cancelled and humiliate the Lord and receive a five pound note apiece from him, for being "a honour to the British Harmy".
Trigg is a distinguished tourist, a peer on a 'fact-finding mission' (as we might now say) to write a book. "His particular vice - because he was a Radical, men said - was having garrisons turned out for his inspection ... He turned out troops once too often" - he asked for an inspection "On - a - Thursday" (the horror is that Thursday is understood to be the troops 'make and mend' day, or half day holiday). Learoyd raises a subscription from the troops to have it cancelled, which is spent on suborning a ekka driver to take Trigg to Padsahi jhil, a large swampy tract of flooded land, about two miles off. They improve the operation by paying Buldoo, a "knowin' little divil" attached to the Artillery, to take the place of the ekka driver, and to mount a simulated abduction. Once the ekka is capsized into the jhil and Buldoo's three accomplices are banging sticks all over it, Learoyd, Mulvaney and Ortheris 'rescue' the Lord from "about forty" dacoits". He has to recover the next day in hospital, so the parade is cancelled. Trigg is grateful to 'The Three Musketeers' (to the tune of three fivers), and the Colonel of the regiment is suspicious: but Mulvaney believes he would not have charged them with it had he known, as the cancellation of the Parade is welcome to all members of the regiment.
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
. For other uses, see The Three Musketeers (disambiguation)
The Three Musketeers (disambiguation)
The Three Musketeers is a 19th century novel by Alexandre Dumas, père.The Three Musketeers may also refer to:-Film, stage, and television:* The Three Musketeers in film, the many film adaptations of the novel...
.
"The Three Musketeers" is a short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
which introduces three fictional British soldiers serving in India in the later nineteenth century: the privates Mulvaney, Ortheris and Learoyd
Learoyd, Mulvaney and Ortheris
"Mulvaney, Ortheris, and Learoyd are Privates in B Company of a Line regiment, and personal friends of mine." - Thus Rudyard Kipling introduces, in the story The Three Musketeers three characters who were to reappear in many stories, and to give their name to his next collection Soldiers Three...
. These characters appear in many early Kipling stories. "The Three Musketeers" was first published in the Civil and Military Gazette
Civil and Military Gazette
The Civil and Military Gazette was a daily English language newspaper founded in 1872 in British India. It was published from Lahore, Simla and Karachi, some times simultaneously, until its closure in 1963.-History:...
on March 11, 1887. It appeared in book form in Plain Tales from the Hills
Plain Tales from the Hills
Plain Tales from the Hills is the first collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling. Out of its 40 stories, "eight-and-twenty", according to Kipling's Preface, were initially published in the Civil and Military Gazette in Lahore, Punjab, British India, between November 1886 and June 1887...
(1888).
Narrated by the three privates - mostly Mulvaney, the loquacious Irishman, and Ortheris) - "The Three Musketeers" tells the story of how the three contrive not only to 'protest' (like the junior officers) against a proposed special parade requested by a visiting grandee, Lord Benira Trigg, but to have it cancelled and humiliate the Lord and receive a five pound note apiece from him, for being "a honour to the British Harmy".
Trigg is a distinguished tourist, a peer on a 'fact-finding mission' (as we might now say) to write a book. "His particular vice - because he was a Radical, men said - was having garrisons turned out for his inspection ... He turned out troops once too often" - he asked for an inspection "On - a - Thursday" (the horror is that Thursday is understood to be the troops 'make and mend' day, or half day holiday). Learoyd raises a subscription from the troops to have it cancelled, which is spent on suborning a ekka driver to take Trigg to Padsahi jhil, a large swampy tract of flooded land, about two miles off. They improve the operation by paying Buldoo, a "knowin' little divil" attached to the Artillery, to take the place of the ekka driver, and to mount a simulated abduction. Once the ekka is capsized into the jhil and Buldoo's three accomplices are banging sticks all over it, Learoyd, Mulvaney and Ortheris 'rescue' the Lord from "about forty" dacoits". He has to recover the next day in hospital, so the parade is cancelled. Trigg is grateful to 'The Three Musketeers' (to the tune of three fivers), and the Colonel of the regiment is suspicious: but Mulvaney believes he would not have charged them with it had he known, as the cancellation of the Parade is welcome to all members of the regiment.