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-Bo.

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 his worldly goods,

Of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,

Of the Yonghy-Bonghy Bo.

 

 

 

Once, among the Bong-trees walking

Where the early pumpkins blow,

To a little heap of stones

Came the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

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,

Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

 

"Lady Jingly! Lady Jingly!

Sitting where the pumpkins blow,

Will you come and be my wife?"

Said the Yongby-Bonghy-Bo.

"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-Bongby-Bo,

Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

 

"On this Coast of Coromandel

Shrimps and watercresses grow,

Prawns are plentiful and cheap,"

Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

"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-Bo,

Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

 

Lady Jingly answered sadly,

And her tears began to flow--

"Your proposal comes too late,

Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!

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-Bo!

Mr. Yongby-Bonghy-Bo!

 

"Mr. Jones (his name is Handel--

Handel Jones, Esquire, & Co.)

Dorking fowls delights to send

Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!

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-Bo!

Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!

 

"Though you've such a tiny body,

And your head so large doth grow--

Though your hat may blow away

Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!

Though you're such a Hoddy Doddy,

Yet I wish that I could modify

the words I needs must say!

will you please to go away

That is all I have to say,

Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!

Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo!"

 

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-Bo,

Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

 

Through the silent-roaring ocean

Did the Turtle swiftly go;

Holding fast upon his shell

Rode the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

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,

Sang the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

 

From the Coast of Coromandel

Did that Lady never go;

On that heap of stones she mourns

For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

On that Coast of Coromandel,

In his jug without a handle

Still she weeps, and daily moans;

On that little heap of stones

To her Dorking Hens she moans,

For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,

For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.

 

 

 

 

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat

 

 

 

 

 

 

I

 

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea

 

   In a beautiful pea-green boat,

 

They took some honey, and plenty of money,

 

   Wrapped up in a five-pound note.

 

The Owl looked up to the stars above,

 

   And sang to a small guitar,

 

"O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love,

 

    What a beautiful Pussy you are,

 

         You are,

 

         You are!

 

What a beautiful Pussy you are!"

 

 

 

II

 

Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl!

 

   How charmingly sweet you sing!

 

O let us be married! too long we have tarried:

 

   But what shall we do for a ring?"

 

They sailed away, for a year and a day,

 

   To the land where the Bong-Tree grows

 

And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood

 

   With a ring at the end of his nose,

 

             His nose,

 

             His nose,

 

   With a ring at the end of his nose.

 

 

 

III

 

"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 hill.

 

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.

 

 The Walrus and the Carpenter

 

"The sun was shining on the sea,

 

      Shining with all his might:

 

He did his very best to make

 

      The billows smooth and bright —

 

And this was odd, because it was

 

      The middle of the night.

 

The moon was shining sulkily,

 

      Because she thought the sun

 

Had got no business to be there

 

      After the day was done —

 

"It's very rude of him," she said,

 

      "To come and spoil the fun."

 

The sea was wet as wet could be,

 

      The sands were dry as dry.

 

You could not see a cloud, because

 

      No cloud was in the sky:

 

No birds were flying overhead —

 

      There were no birds to fly.

 

The Walrus and the Carpenter

 

      Were walking close at hand;

 

They wept like anything to see

 

      Such quantities of sand:

 

If this were only cleared away,'

 

      They said, it would be grand!'

 

If seven maids with seven mops

 

      Swept it for half a year,

 

Do you suppose,' the Walrus said,

 

      That they could get it clear?'

 

I doubt it,' said the Carpenter,

 

      And shed a bitter tear.

 

O Oysters, come and walk with us!'

 

      The Walrus did beseech.

 

A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,

 

      Along the briny beach:

 

We cannot do with more than four,

 

      To give a hand to each.'

 

The eldest Oyster looked at him,

 

      But never a word he said:

 

The eldest Oyster winked his eye,

 

      And shook his heavy head —

 

Meaning to say he did not choose

 

To leave the oyster-bed

 

But four young Oysters hurried up,

 

      All eager for the treat:

 

Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,

 

      Their shoes were clean and neat —

 

And this was odd, because, you know,

 

      They hadn't any feet.

 

Four other Oysters followed them,

 

      And yet another four;

 

And thick and fast they came at last,

 

      And more, and more, and more —

 

All hopping through the frothy waves,

 

      And scrambling to the shore.

 

The Walrus and the Carpenter

 

      Walked on a mile or so,

 

And then they rested on a rock

 

      Conveniently low:

 

And all the little Oysters stood

 

      And waited in a row.

 

The time has come,' the Walrus said,

 

      To talk of many things:

 

Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —

 

      Of cabbages — and kings —

 

And why the sea is boiling hot —

 

      And whether pigs have wings.'

 

But wait a bit,' the Oysters cried,

 

      Before we have our chat;

 

For some of us are out of breath,

 

And all of us are fat!'

 

 

With sobs and tears he sorted out

 

      Those of the largest size,

 

Holding his pocket-handkerchief

 

      Before his streaming eyes.

 

O Oysters,' said the Carpenter,

 

      You've had a pleasant run!

 

Shall we be trotting home again?'

 

      But answer came there none —

 

And this was scarcely odd, because

 

      They'd eaten every one."