# The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò

I
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.
II
 Once, among the Bong-trees walking  Where the early pumpkins blow,  To a little heap of stones  Came the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò. 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-Bò,  Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
III
'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,  Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
IV
'On this Coast of Coromandel,  'Shrimps and watercresses 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,  Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
V
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. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!'
VI
'Mr. Jones — (his name is Handel,--  'Handel Jones, Esquire, & Co.)  'Dorking fowls delights to send,  'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò! '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!  'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!'
VII
'Though you’ve such a tiny body,  'And your head so large doth grow,--  'Though your hat may blow away,  'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò! 'Though you’re such a Hoddy Doddy-- 'Yet a 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!  'Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!'.
VIII
Down the slippery slopes of Myrtle,  Where the early pumpkins blow,  To the calm and silent sea  Fled the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò. 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,  Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.  
IX
Through the silent-roaring ocean  Did the Turtle swiftly go;  Holding fast upon his shell  Rode the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò. With a sad primæval 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-Bò,  Sang the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
X
From the Coast of Coromandel,  Did that Lady never go;  On that heap of stones she mourns  For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò. On that Coast of Coromandel, In his jug without a handle  Still she weeps, and daily moans;  On that little hep of stones  To her Dorking Hens she moans,  For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò,  For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
<1877>
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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