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

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

Discussion starters

• What should a reader notice first when entering The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo?
• How does this poem by Edward Lear fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?

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