With a ring at the end of his nose,

His nose,

His nose,

With a ring at the end of his nose.

"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling Your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."

So they took it away, and were married next day By the Turkey who lives on the bill.

They dined on mince and slices of quince,

Which they ate with a runcible spoon; And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, They danced by the light of the moon, The moon,

The moon,

They danced by the light of the moon.

Edward Lear [1812-1888]

THE POBBLE WHO HAS NO TOES

THE Pobble who has no toes

Had once as many as we;

When they said, "Some day you may lose them all;"

He replied, "Fish fiddle-de-dee!"

And his Aunt Jobiska made him drink

Lavender water tinged with pink,

For she said, "The World in general knows

There's nothing so good for a Pobble's toes!"

The Pobble who has no toes

Swam across the Bristol Channel;

But before he set out he wrapped his nose
In a piece of scarlet flannel.

For his Aunt Jobiska said, "No harm
Can come to his toes if his nose is warm;

And it's perfectly known that a Pobble's toes
Are safe, provided he minds his nose."

The Pobble swam fast and well,

And when boats or ships came near him,
He tinkledy-binkledy-winkled a bell,
So that all the world could hear him.

And all the Sailors and Admirals cried,

When they saw him nearing the further side,"He has gone to fish, for his Aunt.Jobiska's Runcible Cat with crimson whiskers!"

But before he touched the shore,-
The shore of the Bristol Channel,-
A sea-green Porpoise carried away
His wrapper of scarlet flannel.
And when he came to observe his feet,
Formerly garnished with toes so neat,
His face at once became forlorn

On perceiving that all his toes were gone!

And nobody ever knew,

From that dark day to the present, Whoso had taken the Pobble's toes,

In a manner so far from pleasant. Whether the shrimps or crawfish gray, Or crafty Mermaids stole them awayNobody knew; and nobody knows

How the Pobble was robbed of his twice five toes!

The Pobble who has no toes

Was placed in a friendly Bark,

And they rowed him back, and carried him up

To his Aunt Jobiska's Park.

And she made him a feast, at his earnest wish,

Of eggs and buttercups fried with fish;

And she said, "It's a fact the whole world knows, That Pobbles are happier without their toes."

Edward Lear [1812-1888)

THE COURTSHIP OF THE YONGHY-
BONGHY-BO

ON the Coast of Coromandel

Where the early pumpkins blow,

In the middle of the woods

Lived the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

Two old chairs, and half a candle,
One old jug without a handle,-

These were all his worldly goods:
In the middle of the woods,
These were all the worldly goods,
Of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò,

Of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

Once, among the Bong-trees walking
Where the early pumpkins blow,
To a little heap of stones
Came the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bô.
There he heard a Lady talking
To some milk-white Hens of Dorking,-
""Tis the Lady Jingly Jones!
On that little heap of stones
Sits the Lady Jingly Jones!"
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

"Lady Jingly! Lady Jingly!

Sitting where the pumpkins blow,
Will you come and be my wife?"
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

"I am tired of living singly,-
On this coast so wild and shingly,—
I'm a-weary of my life;

If you'll come and be my wife,
Quite serene would be my life!"
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

"On this Coast of Coromandel, Shrimps and water-cresses grow, Prawns are plentiful and cheap,"

Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

"You shall have my chairs and candle

And my jug without a handle!

Gaze upon the rolling deep
(Fish is plentiful and cheap);
As the sea, my love is deep!"
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

Lady Jingly answered sadly,
And her tears began to flow,-
"Your proposal comes too late,
Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!

I would be your wife most gladly!”
(Here she twirled her fingers madly,)
“But in England I've a mate!
Yes! you've asked me far too late,
For in England I've a mate,
Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

"Mr. Jones (his name is Handel,-
Handel Jones, Esquire, & Co.)

Dorking fowls delights to send,
Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bỏ!

Keep, oh! keep your chairs and candle,
And your jug without a handle,-

I can merely be your friend!

-Should my Jones more Dorkings send,

I will give you three, my friend! Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

"Though you've such a tiny body,

And your head so large doth grow,—

Though your hat may blow away,
Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bỏ!

Though you're such a Hoddy Doddy,-
Yet I wish that I could modi-

fy the words I needs must say!
Will you please to go away?
That is all I have to say,
Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!”

Down the slippery slopes of Myrtle,
Where the early pumpkins blow,
To the calm and silent sea
Fled the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
There, beyond the Bay of Gurtle,
Lay a large and lively Turtle:-

"You're the Cove," he said, "for me;
On your back beyond the sea,
Turtle, you shall carry me!"
Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

Through the silent-roaring ocean
Did the Turtle swiftly go;
Holding fast upon his shell
Rode the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò..
With a sad primeval motion

Towards the sunset isles of Boshen
Still the Turtle bore him well.
Holding fast upon his shell,
"Lady Jingly Jones, farewell!"
Sang the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

From the Coast of Coromandel,
Did that Lady never go;

On that heap of stones she moans
For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

On that Coast of Coromandel,

In his jug without a handle,

Still she weeps and daily mourns;
On that little heap of stones
To her Dorking Hens she moans
For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò,

For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

Edward Lear [1812-1888]

NONSENSE VERSES

THERE was an Old Man with a beard,

Who said, "It is just what I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,

Four Larks and a Wren,

Have all built their nests in my beard!"

There was an Old Man in a tree,

Who was horribly bored by a bee;
When they said, "Does it buzz?"
He replied, "Yes, it does!
It's a regular brute of a bee!"