It is always a temptation to an armed and agile nationTo call upon a neighbour and to say: --"We invaded you last night--we are quite prepared to fight,Unless you pay us cash to go away."And that is called asking for Dane-geld,And the people who ask it explainThat you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geldAnd then you'll get rid of the Dane!It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,To puff and look important and to say: --"Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.We will therefore pay you cash to go away."And that is called paying the Dane-geld;But we've proved it again and again,That if once you have paid him the Dane-geldYou never get rid of the Dane.It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,For fear they should succumb and go astray;So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,You will find it better policy to say: --"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,No matter how trifling the cost;For the end of that game is oppression and shame,And the nation that plays it is lost!"
Rudyard Kipling, 1911
