The Finances of the Gods by Rudyard Kipling

Name: The Finances of the Gods
Author: Rudyard Kipling

The narrative unfolds in a small community where an old priest, Gobind, interacts with a child who brings him marigold flowers and tobacco from his ailing father. The child, curious and playful, engages in a light-hearted conversation with Gobind, who is depicted as a nurturing figure. The child shares his experiences, including playing cricket, and expresses a desire for stories about the gods. Gobind recounts a tale from long ago, involving Shiv, the supreme god, and his wife Parbati. They observe a mendicant who has devoted forty years to worship but remains impoverished. Parbati questions the gods' treatment of their devotees, prompting Shiv to consider the mendicant's plight. He instructs his son Ganesh to bestow wealth upon the mendicant, promising him a lakh of rupees in three days. However, a greedy money-lender overhears this divine conversation and schemes to exploit the situation. He approaches the mendicant, offering him a sum for his future earnings, which the mendicant initially refuses. Eventually, swayed by his wife’s counsel and the allure of wealth, he signs a bond with the money-lender, who pays him in advance. As the third day approaches, the money-lender grows anxious and sneaks into the temple to eavesdrop on the gods. He learns that Ganesh has already secured half of the promised wealth and is holding the money-lender himself by the heel. The story concludes with the mendicant receiving his due, illustrating themes of greed, divine justice, and the consequences of one's actions. The child, captivated by the tale, is called away by his mother, and Gobind, embodying wisdom and kindness, provides him with a quilt for warmth before he departs. The narrative encapsulates the interplay between the divine and human realms, emphasizing moral lessons through folklore and the innocence of childhood.

By Rudyard Kipling · First published 1926 · Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Fable · 1,922 words

First lines

[Footnote: Copyright, 1891, by MACMILLAN & Co.]

The evening meal was ended in Dhunni Bhagat's Chubara and the old priests were smoking or counting their beads. A little naked child pattered in, with its mouth wide open, a handful of marigold flowers in one hand, and a lump of conserved tobacco in the other. It tried to kneel and make obeisance to Gobind, but it was so fat that it fell forward on its shaven head, and rolled on its side, kicking and gasping, while the marigolds tumbled one way and the tobacco the other. Gobind laughed, set it up again, and blessed the marigold flowers as he received the tobacco.

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The Finances of the Gods is listed on Textopian as a short story by Rudyard Kipling, dated 1926 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Rudyard Kipling
Date: 1926 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Fable, Literary Fiction, Religious Fiction
Length: 1,922 words
Structure: 1 section, 38 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Genres

Fantasy — The story involves gods interacting with humans, a hallmark of fantasy literature.
Mythology — The narrative draws heavily on mythological themes and characters from Hindu mythology.
Fable — The story conveys moral lessons through the actions of its characters, typical of fables.
Literary Fiction — The writing style is rich and descriptive, focusing on character development and thematic depth.