--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You may talk o' gin and beer When you're…" description: "\"You may talk o' gin and beer When you're quartered safe out 'ere, An' you're sent to penny-fights an' Aldershot it; But when it comes to slaughter You ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/rudyard-kipling-527_beer_you-may-talk-o-gin-and-beer-when-you-re_1219023.png" --- # You may talk o' gin and beer When you're quartered safe… ![“You may talk o' gin and beer When you're quartered safe out 'ere, An' you're sent to penny-fights an' Aldershot it; But when it comes to slaughter You will do your work on water, An' you'll lick the bloomin' boots of 'im that's got it.” quote by Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/rudyard-kipling-527_beer_you-may-talk-o-gin-and-beer-when-you-re_1219023.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/rudyard-kipling-527_beer_you-may-talk-o-gin-and-beer-when-you-re_1219023.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/rudyard-kipling-527_beer_you-may-talk-o-gin-and-beer-when-you-re_1219023.png) > “You may talk o' gin and beer When you're quartered safe out 'ere, An' you're sent to penny-fights an' Aldershot it; But when it comes to slaughter You will do your work on water, An' you'll lick the bloomin' boots of 'im that's got it.” [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts carefree talk in safety with harsh reality of combat, where soldiers must endure hardship and serve their enemies. **In simple terms:** Talk is easy in safety; war forces hard work and servitude. Key Takeaway Recognize the gap between comfort and duty. Themes war duty hardship service contrast Mood grim serious reflective Type historical military poetic When to use this quote - military training - combat zones - colonial campaigns - soldier morale Key Concepts imperialism military culture psychology of soldiers Questions to Reflect On - How does comfort affect our view of conflict? - What responsibilities arise when safety is lost? A Different Perspective The quote romanticizes conflict and may ignore the moral cost of war. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beer/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaughter/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [Those who do not know what love is likens it to beauty Those who claim to know what love is likens it to ugliness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite-kubo/those-who-do-not-know-what-love-is-likens-it-to-beauty-those-who/) [Tite Kubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite-kubo/) > [I work for three or four hours a day, in the late morning and early afternoon. Then I go out for a walk and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/i-work-for-three-or-four-hours-a-day-in-the-late-morning-and-early/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [I had an Aston Martin phone worth ?15,000 given to me as a present. I dropped it in a gin and tonic about 15…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-jordan/i-had-an-aston-martin-phone-worth-15-000-given-to-me-as-a-present-i/) [Simon Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-jordan/) > [It's frightening to admit but if I lay off the lin it'a amazing how my love handles deplete. But is life without gin worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-llewelyn-bowen/it-s-frightening-to-admit-but-if-i-lay-off-the-lin-it-a-amazing-how/) Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen > [Some colored people so scared of whitefolks they claim to love the cotton gin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/some-colored-people-so-scared-of-whitefolks-they-claim-to-love-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Hello, sexy. I knew that you couldn't get through the night without me," Finn's smug, slightly sleepy voice filled my ear. "So why don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/hello-sexy-i-knew-that-you-couldn-t-get-through-the-night-without-me/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [Those who do not know what love is liken it to beauty. Those who claim to know what love is liken it to ugliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite-kubo/those-who-do-not-know-what-love-is-liken-it-to-beauty-those-who-claim/) [Tite Kubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite-kubo/) > [It's a crooked system, but gin straight take the pain away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludacris/it-s-a-crooked-system-but-gin-straight-take-the-pain-away/) [Ludacris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludacris/) > [You might be a redneck if when you run out of gas, you put gin in the gas tank.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-when-you-run-out-of-gas-you-put-gin-in-the/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [Gin a body meet a body Coming thro' the rye, Gin a body kiss a body— Need a body cry?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/gin-a-body-meet-a-body-coming-thro-the-rye-gin-a-body-kiss-a-body/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [We real cool. We Left school. We Lurk late. We Strike straight. We Sing sin. We Thin gin. We Jazz June. We Die soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/we-real-cool-we-left-school-we-lurk-late-we-strike-straight-we-sing/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [There's truth in wine, and there may be some in gin and muddy beer; but whether it's truth worth my knowing, is another question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-s-truth-in-wine-and-there-may-be-some-in-gin-and-muddy-beer-but/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [My name is Gin, and I kill people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/my-name-is-gin-and-i-kill-people/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [The fun, joy, and humor dry up in a relationship when one of the partners is swimming in gin. To my way of thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginger-rogers/the-fun-joy-and-humor-dry-up-in-a-relationship-when-one-of-the/) [Ginger Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginger-rogers/) > [bad literature of the sort called amusing is spiritual gin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/bad-literature-of-the-sort-called-amusing-is-spiritual-gin/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) ## More by Rudyard Kipling > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“I follow the Law—the Most Excellent Law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/i-follow-the-law-the-most-excellent-law/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Believe the best of everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/believe-the-best-of-everybody/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Adam was a gardener, and God, who made him, sees that half of all good gardening is done upon the knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-of-all-good/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Call a truce, then, to our labors - let us feast with friends and neighbors, and be merry as the custom of our caste;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/call-a-truce-then-to-our-labors-let-us-feast-with-friends-and/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [No one accuses the gunner of maudlin affection for anything except his beasts and his weapons. He serves as least three jealous gods-his horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/no-one-accuses-the-gunner-of-maudlin-affection-for-anything-except/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“One of these days, Strickland is going to write a little book on his experiences. That book will be worth buying; and even more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/one-of-these-days-strickland-is-going-to-write-a-little-book-on-his/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Good work does not matter, because a man is judged by his worst output and another man takes all the credit of his best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/good-work-does-not-matter-because-a-man-is-judged-by-his-worst-output/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes, said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/those-who-kill-snakes-get-killed-by-snakes-said-chuchundra-more/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Like everything else in the world, it is one man's work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/like-everything-else-in-the-world-it-is-one-man-s-work/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Father Wolf looked on amazed. He had almost forgotten the days when he won Mother Wolf in fair fight from five other wolves, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/father-wolf-looked-on-amazed-he-had-almost-forgotten-the-days-when-he/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [If you want something and don't get it, there are only two reasons. You either really didn't want it, or you tried to bargain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-you-want-something-and-don-t-get-it-there-are-only-two-reasons-you/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) [Explore all 491 Rudyard Kipling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## More Beer quotes > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) > [“Nevertheless, four years later, at the end of August 2004, a Zogby poll discovered the critical fact that 57 percent of the undecided voters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-p-pierce/nevertheless-four-years-later-at-the-end-of-august-2004-a-zogby-poll/) [Charles P. Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-p-pierce/) > [You're getting into some kind of shape, cop." Aw, come on, now." Butch grinned. "Don't let that shower we took go to your head."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/you-re-getting-into-some-kind-of-shape-cop-aw-come-on-now-butch/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I never was a crazy liquor drinker, and I don't like beer that much - though I keep the brews at home because my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-brown/i-never-was-a-crazy-liquor-drinker-and-i-don-t-like-beer-that-much/) [Danny Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-brown/) > [I'm 12 years sober, so I don't have beer! When I used to drink I really liked Bass Ale!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-davis/i-m-12-years-sober-so-i-don-t-have-beer-when-i-used-to-drink-i-really/) [Kristin Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-davis/) > [I can get along great with the Hispanics. In fact, I sure would like to meet them, even the politicians, maybe in the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-can-get-along-great-with-the-hispanics-in-fact-i-sure-would-like-to/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I was never able to have three of four beers. One's too many, and ten just ain't enough. Basically it's the way I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daly/i-was-never-able-to-have-three-of-four-beers-one-s-too-many-and-ten/) [John Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daly/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [There's nothing better than having a bottle of beer in your hand in the waves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/there-s-nothing-better-than-having-a-bottle-of-beer-in-your-hand-in/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [Everybody thinks I drink beer but I actually like cider!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-william/everybody-thinks-i-drink-beer-but-i-actually-like-cider/) [Prince William](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-william/) > [Design is all about relationships. Unfortunately, many designers don’t fully appreciate this. Some of the best design work I’ve ever done was drinking coffee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-burka/design-is-all-about-relationships-unfortunately-many-designers-don-t/) Daniel Burka > [“I drink beer not to get drunk or because i have stress, i drink beer just because i want to share good ideas with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ntambara-sylvestre-owen-berbason/i-drink-beer-not-to-get-drunk-or-because-i-have-stress-i-drink-beer/) [Ntambara Sylvestre Owen Berbason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ntambara-sylvestre-owen-berbason/) [Browse all 1,632 Beer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You may talk o' gin and beer When you're quartered safe out 'ere, An' you're sent to penny-fights an' Aldershot it; But when it comes to slaughter You will do your work on water, An' you'll lick the bloomin' boots of 'im that's got it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rudyard Kipling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/you-may-talk-o-gin-and-beer-when-you-re-quartered-safe-out-ere-an-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/you-may-talk-o-gin-and-beer-when-you-re-quartered-safe-out-ere-an-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/rudyard-kipling-527_beer_you-may-talk-o-gin-and-beer-when-you-re_1219023.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/rudyard-kipling-527_beer_you-may-talk-o-gin-and-beer-when-you-re_1219023.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/rudyard-kipling-527_beer_you-may-talk-o-gin-and-beer-when-you-re_1219023.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You may talk o' gin and beer When you're quartered safe out 'ere, An' you're sent to penny-fights an'…” — Rudyard Kipling", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rudyard Kipling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You may talk o' gin and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/you-may-talk-o-gin-and-beer-when-you-re-quartered-safe-out-ere-an-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/you-may-talk-o-gin-and-beer-when-you-re-quartered-safe-out-ere-an-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```