Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations and music clips as well as midi, pdf, and lilypond files. See 13649-h.htm or 13649-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/6/4/13649/13649-h/13649-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/6/4/13649/13649-h.zip) LAUGHABLE LYRICS A Fourth Book of Nonsense Poems, Songs, Botany, Music, etc. by EDWARD LEAR Author of the _Book of Nonsense_, _More Nonsense_, _Nonsense Songs, Stories_, etc., etc. With all the Original Illustrations [Illustration] CONTENTS LAUGHABLE LYRICS THE DONG WITH A LUMINOUS NOSE THE TWO OLD BACHELORS THE PELICAN CHORUS THE YONGHY-BONGHY-Bò THE POBBLE WHO HAS NO TOES THE NEW VESTMENTS MR. AND MRS. DISCOBBOLOS THE QUANGLE WANGLE'S HAT THE CUMMERBUND THE AKOND OF SWAT NONSENSE BOTANY " ALPHABET, No. 5 " " No. 6 LAUGHABLE LYRICS. THE DONG WITH A LUMINOUS NOSE. [Illustration] When awful darkness and silence reign Over the great Gromboolian plain, Through the long, long wintry nights; When the angry breakers roar As they beat on the rocky shore; When Storm-clouds brood on the towering heights Of the Hills of the Chankly Bore,-- Then, through the vast and gloomy dark There moves what seems a fiery spark,-- A lonely spark with silvery rays Piercing the coal-black night,-- A Meteor strange and bright: Hither and thither the vision strays, A single lurid light. Slowly it wanders, pauses, creeps,-- Anon it sparkles, flashes, and leaps; And ever as onward it gleaming goes A light on the Bong-tree stems it throws. And those who watch at that midnight hour From Hall or Terrace or lofty Tower, Cry, as the wild light passes along,-- "The Dong! the Dong! The wandering Dong through the forest goes! The Dong! the Dong! The Dong with a luminous Nose!" Long years ago The Dong was happy and gay, Till he fell in love with a Jumbly Girl Who came to those shores one day. For the Jumblies came in a sieve, they did,-- Landing at eve near the Zemmery Fidd Where the Oblong Oysters grow, And the rocks are smooth and gray. And all the woods and the valleys rang With the Chorus they daily and nightly sang,-- "_Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live; Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, And they went to sea in a sieve._"