The Bab Ballads

by W. S. (William Schwenck) Gilbert

"The Bab Ballads" by W. S. Gilbert is a collection of light verse first published in book form in 1869. Named after Gilbert's childhood nickname, these illustrated comic poems showcase his signature "topsy-turvy" style—establishing ridiculous premises and pursuing their logical, absurd conclusions. Written before his famous Gilbert and Sullivan collaborations, the ballads reveal his cynical wit and became wildly popular, read at dinner parties and even in the House of Lords. Many later provided plot elements and characters for his celebrated comic operas.