Just So Inspired, O Best Beloved

Did anyone else notice the heavy overtones of Kipling’s writing style from the Just So stories? I went to the acknowledgments as soon as I finished reading chapter seven “In Which Fat Charlie Goes a Long Way”, expecting to find a nod to the storyteller, but alas. But then I realized, hey, Kipling was probably just rehashing oral tradition folktales. But still. Gaiman’s in print and so’s Kipling, he should have given him a nod. But then again, writers are usually heavy readers, and it’s likely he just absorbed that style, possibly from just having have those stories read to him as a child.
Check out this passage from Just So Stories:

In the High and Far-Off Times the Elephant, O Best Beloved, had no trunk. He had only a blackish, bulgy nose, as big as a boot, that he could wriggle about from side to side; but he couldn't pick up things with it. But there was one Elephant—a new Elephant—an Elephant's Child—who was full of 'satiable curiosity, and that means he asked ever so many questions…
One fine morning in the middle of the Precession of the Equinoxes this 'satiable Elephant's Child asked a new fine question that he had never asked before. He asked, "What does the crocodile have for dinner?" Then everybody said, "Hush!" in a loud and dretful tone, and they spanked him immediately and directly, without stopping, for a long time.
By and by, when that was finished, he came upon Kolokolo Bird sitting in the middle of a wait-a-bit thornbush, and he said, "My father has spanked me, and my mother has spanked me; all my aunts and uncles have spanked me for my 'satiable curtiosity; and still I want to know what the Crocodile has for dinner!"
The Kolokolo Bird said, with a mournful cry, "Go to the banks of the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees, and find out."

All of the Just So stories take place “when the world was new”, which is the same “land” that Charlie traveled back to. That’s a direct lift from RK. I know all of this probably raises a kind of “eh” reaction, especially if presented in the “WELL! I am just shocked at Mr.Gaiman’s temerity!” kind of way. Let’s face it, there’s not much of an upside to defending Kipling. However, guided readings/book talks would be wise to point out the parallels for those good old curriculum connections to English and history classes.

Actually, I think it would just be good to point out to high school readers as an opportunity to learn more about Kipling!