The Quangle Wangle's Hat

Edward Lear

I

  On the top of the Crumpetty Tree
    The Quangle Wangle sat,
  But his face you could not see,
    On account of his Beaver Hat.
  For his hat was a hundred and two feet wide,
  With ribbons and bibbons on every side
And bells, and buttons, and loops, and lace,
  So that nobody ever could see the face
      Of the Quangle Wangle Quee.

II

  The Quangle Wangle said
    To himself on the Crumpetty Tree,—
  ‘Jam; and jelly; and bread;
    ‘Are the best food for me!
  ‘But the longer I live on this Crumpetty Tree
  ‘The plainer that ever it seems to me
  ‘That very few people come this way
  ‘And that life on the whole is far from gay!’
      Said the Quangle Wangle Quee.

III

  But there came to the Crumpetty Tree,
    Mr. and Mrs. Canary;
  And they said,—’Did you ever see
    ‘Any spot so charmingly airy?
  ‘May we build a nest on your lovely Hat?
  Mr. Quangle Wangle, grant us that!
  ‘O please let us come and build a nest
  ‘Of whatever material suits you best,
      ‘Mr. Quangle Wangle Quee!’

IV

  And besides, to the Crumetty Tree
    Came the Stork, the Duck, and the Owl;
  The Snail, and the Bumble-Bee,
    The Frog, and theFimble Fowl;
  (The Fimble Fowl, with a Corkscrew leg;)
And all of them said,—We humblyy beg,
  ‘We may build our homes on your lovely Hat,—
  ‘Mr. Quangle Wangle, grant us that!
      ‘Mr. Quangle Wangle Quee!’

V

  And the Golden Grouse came there,
    And the Pobble who has no toes,—
  And the small Olympian bear,—
    And the Dong with a luminous nose.
  And the Blue Babboon, who played the flute,—
  And the Orient Calf from the Land of Tute,—
  And the Attery Squash, and the Bisky Bat,—
  All came and built on the lovely Hat
      Of the Quangle Wangle Quee.

VI

  And the Quangle Wangle said
    To himself on the Crumpetty Tree,—
  ‘When all these creatures move
    ‘What a wonderful noise there’ll be!’
  And at night by the light of the Mulberry moon
  They danced to the flute of the Blue Babboon,
  On the broad green leaves of the Crumpetty Tree,
  And all were as happy as happy could be,
      With the Quangle Wangle Quee.

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