Nonsense Books · Chapter
The Quangle Wangle’s Hat explained
The Quangle Wangle sits atop the Crumpetty Tree, hidden by his enormous hat, and laments his solitary life.
What happens
The Quangle Wangle sits atop the Crumpetty Tree, hidden by his enormous hat, and laments his solitary life. Soon, a parade of whimsical creatures—including Mr. and Mrs. Canary, the Stork, the Duck, the Owl, the Pobble, the Dong, and many others—beg to build their homes on his hat. He agrees, and they all dance joyfully together under the Mulberry moon.
Themes in this chapter
Loneliness and Longing
The Quangle Wangle initially feels lonely and laments that 'very few people come this way' and 'life on the whole is far from gay.'
Social Absurdity and Conformity
A vast array of fantastical creatures all politely request to build homes on a giant hat, and the Quangle Wangle happily accepts, creating a bizarre but harmonious society.
Characters to notice
- The Quangle Wangle
Sits on the Crumpetty Tree, hidden by his enormous hat; initially lonely, then delighted by the arrival of many creatures.
- The Pobble Who Has No Toes
Comes to the Crumpetty Tree and builds a home on the Quangle Wangle's hat.
- The Dong
Arrives with a luminous nose and joins the community on the hat.
- The Owl and the Pussycat
The Owl is mentioned among the creatures that come to the tree; the Pussycat is not directly named but the Owl is present.
Key passages
“But the longer I live on this Crumpetty Tree / The plainer than ever it seems to me / That very few people come this way / And that life on the whole is far from gay!”
The Quangle Wangle realizes that his life on the tree is lonely and dull because almost no one visits.
Expresses the character's initial melancholy and desire for companionship.
“And at night by the light of the Mulberry moon / They danced to the Flute of the Blue Baboon, / On the broad green leaves of the Crumpetty Tree, / And all were as happy as happy could be, / With the Quangle Wangle Quee.”
Under the moonlight, the creatures dance joyfully on the tree's leaves to the Blue Baboon's flute music, all content in their shared home.
Contrasts the earlier loneliness with a scene of communal happiness.