# The Dong — Nonsense Books character guide

> The Dong in Nonsense Books by Edward Lear.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** the Dong

**First appearance:** 0095-the-dong-with-a-luminous-nose

## Snapshot

A lonely creature with a luminous nose who wanders the Gromboolian plain by night, piping for the Jumbly Girl he lost.

## Who they are

Once happy and gay, the Dong fell in love with a Jumbly Girl who came ashore with the sieve-sailing Jumblies and then sailed away. Now he roams the dark with a light strapped to his nose, playing a silvery pipe and singing the Jumbly chorus to empty hills. His search is the book's most haunting thread, turning its cheerfulness inside out without ever quite breaking it.

## Relationships

### [The Jumblies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/characters/the_jumblies)

_friendship_

The Dong is a lonely creature who longs for the Jumblies, his former companions who sailed away.

## In the story

### [Nonsense Books](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/nonsense-books)

A lovelorn creature who wanders with a luminous nose.

### [Laughable Lyrics: A Fourth Book of Nonsense Poems, Songs, Botany, Music, etc.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/laughable-lyrics-a-fourth-book-of-nonsense-poems-songs-botany-music-etc)

The Dong falls in love with a Jumbly Girl, is left behind when the Jumblies sail away, creates a luminous nose, and wanders eternally seeking her.

### [Laughable Lyrics](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/laughable-lyrics)

The Dong falls in love with a Jumbly Girl, is left behind when the Jumblies sail away, and creates a luminous nose to search for her eternally.

### [The Dong with a Luminous Nose](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/the-dong-with-a-luminous-nose)

The protagonist who falls in love with a Jumbly Girl and later creates a luminous nose to search for her eternally.

### [The Quangle Wangle’s Hat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/the-quangle-wangle-s-hat)

Arrives with a luminous nose and joins the community on the hat.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/v)

Arrives with a luminous nose

### [List of Illustrations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/list-of-illustrations)

Mentioned in the context of the Jumblies sailing away, leaving the Dong behind.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/characters/the_dong
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/characters