"If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten." - Rudyard Kipling "He crossed his hands on his lap and smiled, as a man may who has won Salvation for himself and his beloved." (289) The reader is then left to decide whether Kim will continue with a spiritual life as chela to the Lama or to continue his spying in "The Great Game." The Lama finds his river, but continues to be part of this world in order to keep Kim from going astray. The Lama and Kim are nursed back to health by the Sahiba, the widow from Kulu. While on a journey in the Himalayas, Kim discovers documents regarding Russian plans to thwart British control of the northwest region of India, and delivers these to Babu. After three years of schooling, Kim continues on the journey with the Lama, while still spying on the Russians for Hurree Babu. He is sent to Lurgan Sahib for more training. When back studying, both Mahbub Ali and Colonel Creighton begin to make plans to train this boy in espionage. During his time away at school, Kim meets Colonel Creighton who begins the boy's journey in "The Great Game." During Kim's summer breaks, he still continues to search for the "River of the Arrow" with the Lama, which for the holy man will wash away all sin and desire. While Kim is reluctant to go to school, the Lama encourages this education. Kim finds out that this was his father's own regiment, and he is then instructed to leave the Lama and enter into school. Soon, the Lama and Kim discover an Irish regiment of soldiers and on the flag they have a red bull sitting on top of a green field. This unlikely friendship begins to travel along the Grand Trunk Road in search of both of their fates. Kim joins the Lama in his journey, hoping that he too would be able to fulfill his own destiny of finding the "Red Bull on a green field" which he has been told will be his saving grace. The Lama's journey is to escape the "Wheel of Things," or the endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth, which to him causes all human suffering. Kim meets the Teshoo Lama from Tibet and seeing that he is both old and naive, he joins him as his Chela (disciple).
He makes a living by begging and running small errands, especially for his friend, the horse trader Mahbub Ali, who is also a spy for British Imperialists. He is an orphaned boy of Irish descent living on the streets of Lahore, India. This novel centers around a young boy named Kimball (Kim) O'Hara. Ruyard Kipling's adventure novel Kim was published in 1901.
"True, he knew the wonderful walled city of Lahore from the Delhi Gat to the outer Fort Ditch was hand in glove with men who led lives stranger than anything Haroun al Raschid dreamed of and he lived in a life wild as that of the Arabian Nights, but missionaries and secretaries of charitable societies could not see the beauty of it." (3)
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