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This is the first edition, first printing, in a contemporary fine binding. This volume, a continuation of the Puck stories first told in 1906's Puck of Pook's Hill, contains eleven stories and twenty-three poems. It is notable for containing the first volume appearance of the poem "If --". This copy is bound in contemporary three-quarter red polished calf by Bickers & Son of Leicester. The spine features raised and gilt-decorated spine bands, gilt-hatched ends, and gilt rule framed compartments, the title and author printed in the 2nd and 3rd compartments, the publication date at the spine heel, the 1st, and 4th-6th compartments featuring a central gilt flower device. The cloth sides are red buckram framed by gilt rule transitions. The contents are bound with red and gold silk head and tail bands, gilt top edges, red satin ribbon marker, and pale reddish-pink endpapers. Condition of the binding is very good minus the binding square, sound and attractive, despite light, uniform spine toning and some wear to the joints, which remain secure, and very light shelf wear to extremities. The first printing contents are well-suited to the binding, bright, clean, and retaining a crisp feel, with no appreciable spotting. Modest age-toning is manifest only to the fore and bottom edges of the text block. The top edge gilt is bright. The sole previous ownership mark is the armorial bookplate of Sir Ernest Edward Bird (1877-1945) affixed to the front pastedown.According to Kipling bibliographer David Alan Richards, the title of the book comes from "the first line of a poem entitled 'The Fairies' Farewell' by Richard Corbet (1582-1635), Bishop of Norwich, which begins "Farewell, Rewards and Faeries ." (Richards, A242, pp.201-202). Publication of this British first edition preceded its American counterpart by a week. Published herein for the first time, Kipling s poem "If --" proved to be so popular that a separate edition of the poem was swiftly published in the US the following month, and a few years later in England. As do many of Kipling s books, this book features a swastika in this case on the half title verso. The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit svastika, which means "good fortune", and this ancient hooked cross symbol was used at least 5,000 years before being polluted by association with Hitler s Reich.It remains a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Odinism. The swastika is a symbol common to many editions of Kipling s works and came to Kipling s attention through his father's encyclopaedic knowledge of Indian art. Iconic English poet, short-story writer, and novelist Joseph Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) is chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children.Despite this reputation, Kipling s extraordinary body of work "eludes all labels in its range and variety… Kipling's work is not only of the highest artistic excellence, it is deeply humane and fully expresses the sense of one of his favourite texts: Praised be Allah for the diversity of his creatures. " (ODNB) Kipling was in his twenties when his stories of Anglo-Indian life made him a literary celebrity, and he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907. Born in India and educated in England, Kipling could not afford to attend either Oxford or Cambridge University and instead returned to India to work as a newspaper editor and writer, which proved formative.He returned to England in 1889, later living in the United States and South Africa before finally settling in England. Owing mostly to ill health, Kipling's production of original work diminished in the years between the end of the First World War and his death. Kipling remains the youngest person to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature and was also the first English language author awarded. Reference: Richards A242.
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