The Bab Ballads

"The Bab Ballads" is a delightful collection of witty poems written by the renowned W. S. Gilbert. Before achieving fame for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan, Gilbert crafted these humorous verses and accompanied them with his own charming illustrations. The Ballads showcase Gilbert's distinctive "topsy-turvy" style, where he presents outlandish scenarios and explores their absurd consequences in a clever and amusing manner. With a dash of cynicism and satire, Gilbert's work became widely popular in its own right and served as inspiration for his later collaborations with Sullivan. The title of the collection is derived from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he even signed his illustrations with the endearing pseudonym "Bab." Dive into this e-text to experience the whimsy and brilliance of "The Bab Ballads" firsthand.