There is an extensive discussion of this in the Editorial of Kipling Journal March 1960 (Vol XXXII, No.133). The conclusion was confirmed by a letter from Kipling’s daughter quoted in the following issue:

 

“Mrs Bambridge writes; ‘My father meant quite definitely that the meaning was rewards in the sense of recompense, as in the song by William Corbet’”.

 

Regards

 

Howard Mather

Alan Wilmshurst <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Thank you for the information. I am still not quite clear as to the actual
meaning of Rewards in this connection. Is it meant that with the departure
of the faries there are no more rewards for the humans, or has the word
some special meaning?