güiraldes and kipling—a possible influence.pdfVIP

G t J I R A L D E S A N D K I P L I N G - A P O S S I B L E I N F L U E N C E There is considerable evidence that GiJiraldes was attracted to and read works by Kipling and several references to the Anglo-Indian writer are to be found in Giiiraldes own works. 1 Jorge Luis Borges remembers that in one of the first meetings he had with Giiiraldes, he remarked on Borges knowledge of English, a language not widely known in Argentina at the time, with the comment, ,,Qu6 suertudo sos, ch6 - habr~is leido Kim en el idioma original. 2 Borges was surprised at Giiiraldes choice as The Jungle Books and Plain Talesfrom the Hills, circulating in Buenos Aires in French translation, were the Kipling works most generally known. Further evidence of Giiiraldes interest in Kipling novels less known to the Argentinian public is an incomplete card index of his books in store at Maples, Buenos Aires, written in Adelina del Carrils handwriting, 3 in which one finds the following entries: Kipling: Capitaines Courageux. (Ed. Mercure de France, Paris 1920) Kipling: Les sept Mers (Ed. Stock, paris 1924). In the present article we shall examine the nature of the impact of Kip- lings novels on Giiiraldes with particular reference to Captains Coura- geous, Kim (which is mentioned by Giiiraldes on one occasion 4) and The Light that Failed, starting with the overt references to the latter in Xaimaca. (1917-1923). THE LIGHT THAT FAILED AND XAIMACA The first mention of The Light that Failed in Xaimaca is found in the entry for January l l t h when Pefialba c