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The Bab Ballads
They see in his gay rotundity A clumsy stuffed…out dress … They see in
the cup he waves on high A tinselled emptiness。
Those aged men so lean and wan； They've seen it all before； They
know they'll see the charlatan But twice or three times more。
And so they bear with dance and song； And crimson foil and green；
They wearily sit； and grimly long For the Transformation Scene。
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Ballad： King Borria Bungalee Boo
KING BORRIA BUNGALEE BOO Was a man…eating African swell；
His sigh was a hullaballoo； His whisper a horrible yell … A horrible；
horrible yell！
Four subjects； and all of them male； To BORRIA doubled the knee；
They were once on a far larger scale； But he'd eaten the balance； you see
（〃Scale〃 and 〃balance〃 is punning； you see）。
There was haughty PISH…TUSH…POOH…BAH； There was lumbering
DOODLE…DUM…DEY； Despairing ALACK…A…DEY…AH； And good little
TOOTLE…TUM…TEH … Exemplary TOOTLE…TUM…TEH。
One day there was grief in the crew； For they hadn't a morsel of meat；
And BORRIA BUNGALEE BOO Was dying for something to eat …
〃Come； provide me with something to eat！
〃ALACK…A…DEY； famished I feel； Oh； good little TOOTLE…TUM…
TEH； Where on earth shall I look for a meal？ For I haven't no dinner to…
day！ … Not a morsel of dinner to…day！
〃Dear TOOTLE…TUM； what shall we do？ Come； get us a meal； or； in
truth； If you don't； we shall have to eat you； Oh； adorable friend of our
youth！ Thou beloved little friend of our youth！〃
And he answered； 〃Oh； BUNGALEE BOO； For a moment I hope you
will wait； … TIPPY…WIPPITY TOL…THE…ROL…LOO Is the Queen of a
neighbouring state … A remarkably neighbouring state。
〃TIPPY…WIPPITY TOL…THE…ROL…LOO； She would pickle
deliciously cold … And her four pretty Amazons； too； Are enticing； and not
very old … Twenty…seven is not very old。
〃There is neat little TITTY…FOL…LEH； There is rollicking TRAL…
THE…RAL…LAH； There is jocular WAGGETY…WEH； There is musical
DOH…REH…MI…FAH … There's the nightingale DOH…REH…MI…FAH！〃
So the forces of BUNGALEE BOO Marched forth in a terrible row；
And the ladies who fought for QUEEN LOO Prepared to encounter the foe
… This dreadful； insatiate foe！
But they sharpened no weapons at all； And they poisoned no arrows …
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The Bab Ballads
not they！ They made ready to conquer or fall In a totally different way …
An entirely different way。
With a crimson and pearly…white dye They endeavoured to make
themselves fair； With black they encircled each eye； And with yellow they
painted their hair （It was wool； but they thought it was hair）。
And the forces they met in the field：… And the men of KING BORRIA
said； 〃Amazonians； immediately yield！〃 And their arrows they drew to the
head … Yes； drew them right up to the head。
But jocular WAGGETY…WEH Ogled DOODLE…DUM…DEY （which
was wrong）； And neat little TITTY…FOL…LEH Said； 〃TOOTLE…TUM； you
go along！ You naughty old dear； go along！〃
And rollicking TRAL…THE…RAL…LAH Tapped ALACK…A…DEY…AH
with her fan； And musical DOH…REH…MI…FAH Said； 〃PISH； go away； you
bad man！ Go away； you delightful young man！〃
And the Amazons simpered and sighed； And they ogled； and giggled；
and flushed； And they opened their pretty eyes wide； And they chuckled；
and flirted； and blushed （At least； if they could； they'd have blushed）。
But haughty PISH…TUSH…POOH…BAH Said； 〃ALACK…A…DEY； what
does this mean？〃 And despairing ALACK…A…DEY…AH Said； 〃They think
us uncommonly green！ Ha！ ha！ most uncommonly green！〃
Even blundering DOODLE…DUM…DEY Was insensible quite to their
leers； And said good little TOOTLE…TUM…TEH； 〃It's your blood we desire；
pretty dears … We have come for our dinners； my dears！〃
And the Queen of the Amazons fell To BORRIA BUNGALEE BOO； …
In a mouthful he gulped； with a yell； TIPPY…WIPPITY TOL…THE…ROL…
LOO … The pretty QUEEN TOL…THE…ROL…LOO。
And neat little TITTY…FOL…LEH Was eaten by PISH…POOH…BAH；
And light…hearted WAGGETY…WEH By dismal ALACK…A…DEY…AH …
Despairing ALACK…A…DEY…AH。
And rollicking TRAL…THE…RAL…LAH Was eaten by DOODLE…
DUM…DEY； And musical DOH…REH…MI…FAH By good little TOOTLE…
DUM…TEH … Exemplary TOOTLE…TUM…TEH！
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The Bab Ballads
Ballad： The Periwinkle Girl
I've often thought that headstrong youths Of decent education；
Determine all…important truths； With strange precipitation。
The ever…ready victims they； Of logical illusions； And in a self…
assertive way They jump at strange conclusions。
Now take my case： Ere sorrow could My ample forehead wrinkle； I
had determined that I should Not care to be a winkle。
〃A winkle；〃 I would oft advance With readiness provoking； 〃Can
seldom flirt； and never dance； Or soothe his mind by smoking。〃
In short； I spurned the shelly joy； And spoke with strange decision …
Men pointed to me as a boy Who held them in derision。
But I was young … too young； by far … Or I had been more wary； I knew
not then that winkles are The stock…in…trade of MARY。
I had not watched her sunlight blithe As o'er their shells it dances … I've
seen those winkles almost writhe Beneath her beaming glances。
Of slighting all the winkly brood I surely had been chary； If I had
known they formed the food And stock…in…trade of MARY。
Both high and low and great and small Fell prostrate at her tootsies；
They all were noblemen； and all Had balances at COUTTS'S。
Dukes with the lovely maiden dealt； DUKE BAILEY and DUKE
HUMPHY； Who ate her winkles till they felt Exceedingly uncomfy。
DUKE BAILEY greatest wealth computes； And sticks； they say； at no…
thing； He wears a pair of golden boots And silver underclothing。
DUKE HUMPHY； as I understand； Though mentally acuter； His boots
are only silver； and His underclothing pewter。
A third adorer had the girl； A man of lowly station … A miserable
grov'ling Earl Besought her approbation。
This humble cad she did refuse With much contempt and loathing；