The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo
The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo is a humorous poem by Edward Lear, first published in 1877. It tells the story of a lonely Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo, a creature of unknown origin, who lives on an island off the coast of an unnamed country. The Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo is lonely and decides to find a wife. He sends out a letter to all the ladies of the land, asking them to come to his island and marry him. However, none of the ladies respond to his request. The Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo then decides to take matters into his own hands and sets off on a journey to find a wife. He visits many places, including a castle, a palace, and a farm, but he is unable to find a suitable bride. Finally, he meets a beautiful lady named Jingly Jones, who agrees to marry him. The two are married and live happily ever after on the island. The poem is a light-hearted look at the idea of courtship and marriage, and is a humorous take on the traditional fairy tale.
By Edward Lear · First published 1888 · Genre: Fantasy, Humor, Romance · 1,042 words
Editions
First lines
I.
On the Coast of Coromandel, / Where the early pumpkins grow, / In the middle of the woods / Lived the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
What this Textopian page supports
The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edward Lear, dated 1888 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Edward Lear
- Date: 1888 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Humor, Romance, Children's Literature
- Length: 1,042 words
- Structure: 1 section, 27 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo by Edward Lear
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
- The Broom The Shovel The Poker And The Tongs by Edward Lear
- The Jumblies by Edward Lear
- The Owl And The Pussycat by Edward Lear
- Calico Pie by Edward Lear
- The Duck And The Kangaroo by Edward Lear
- More Misrepresentative Men by Harry Graham
Genres
- Fantasy — The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo is a whimsical poem about a man who courts a sea-creature, which is a fantastical element.
- Humor — The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo is a humorous poem with a light-hearted tone and silly characters.
- Romance — The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo is a poem about a man's courtship of a sea-creature, which is a romantic element.
- Children's Literature — The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo is a poem written by Edward Lear, a renowned author of children's literature.
Tags
English · Nonsense verses · bo · bonghy · candle · chairs · coast · coromandel · dorking · early · go · goods
More by Edward Lear
- Nonsense Drolleries (1889)
- The Broom, the Shovel, the Poker and the Tongs (1888)
- The Duck and the Kangaroo (1888)
- The Cummerbund. An Indian Poem (1888)
- The Dong with a Luminous Nose (1888)
- Calico Pie (1888)
- Incidents in the Life of My Uncle Arly (1888)
- How Pleasant to Know Mr. Lear! (1871)
- All works by Edward Lear