# The Pobble Who Has No Toes — Nonsense Books character guide

> The Pobble Who Has No Toes in Nonsense Books by Edward Lear.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** The Pobble, a Pobble

**First appearance:** 0109-the-pobble-who-has-no-toes

## Snapshot

A toe-counting swimmer of the Bristol Channel whose twice five toes vanish under mysterious circumstances, leaving him oddly content.

## Who they are

The Pobble sets out to swim the Bristol Channel with his toes carefully wrapped, only to lose them to nobody knows whom. His Aunt Jobiska takes him home and insists that Pobbles are happier without their toes. His cheerful acceptance of an irreversible loss gives the book one of its gentlest lessons about grief, and his missing toes become a running joke the reader cannot quite shake.

## In the story

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

A character who loses his toes and returns to his aunt.

### [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 Pobble loses his toes while swimming across the Bristol Channel, despite his Aunt Jobiska's precautions, and is returned to her care.

### [The Pobble Who Has No Toes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/the-pobble-who-has-no-toes)

The protagonist who loses his toes during a swim across the Bristol Channel.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/i)

The Pobble once had toes but now has none; he dismisses warnings about losing them.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/ii)

The Pobble swims across the Bristol Channel, wrapping his nose in scarlet flannel before setting out.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/iii)

Swims fast and well, ringing a bell as he nears the shore.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/iv)

The Pobble loses his toes after his wrapper is taken by a Porpoise.

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

The Pobble is the victim whose toes have been taken in a manner far from pleasant.

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/nonsense_books_se/chapters/vi)

Returned to his Aunt Jobiska after losing his toes.

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

Comes to the Crumpetty Tree and builds a home on the Quangle Wangle's hat.

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

Arrives at the Quangle Wangle's hat

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

Referenced in the illustration list, likely depicting his adventures.

## Links

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