diff --git a/main/pro/down/core.hoon b/main/pro/down/core.hoon
index dfdaa22fa3..36497f6f55 100644
--- a/main/pro/down/core.hoon
+++ b/main/pro/down/core.hoon
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@
   ::
   ++  noun                                              ::  convert from %noun
     |=  src=*
-    ^+  `_..grab`+>+
+    ^+  +>+
     +>+(don (down src))
   --
 ::
diff --git a/main/pro/html/core.hoon b/main/pro/html/core.hoon
index 797afc895e..8a0648966c 100644
--- a/main/pro/html/core.hoon
+++ b/main/pro/html/core.hoon
@@ -13,3 +13,4 @@
     [/text/html (met 3 htm) htm]
   --
 --
+
diff --git a/main/pro/zong/core.hoon b/main/pro/zong/core.hoon
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bd3e91df98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/pro/zong/core.hoon
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+::
+::::  /hoon/core/zong/pro
+  ::
+/?  314
+/-  zong
+|_  zog=zong
+::
+++  grab                                                ::  convert from
+  |%
+  ++  noun                                              ::  convert from %noun
+    |=  src=*
+    ^+  +>+
+    +>+(zog (zong src))
+  --
+--
diff --git a/main/str/zong/gate.hoon b/main/str/zong/gate.hoon
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c008476101
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/str/zong/gate.hoon
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+=<  zong
+|%
+++  mess                                            ::  message
+  $%  [%do p=@t]                                    ::  act
+      [%exp p=@t q=tank]                            ::  code
+      [%say p=@t]                                   ::  speak
+  ==
+++  zong
+  $%  [%mess p=@da q=ship r=mess]
+  ==
+--