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