Miss Mapp-E. F. Benson

from Bab Ballads · host W. S. Gilbert

The Bab Ballads is a delightful collection of light verse crafted by the talented W. S. Gilbert, featuring his own whimsical comic illustrations. Written before he gained fame for his iconic comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan, these Ballads showcase Gilberts innovative topsy-turvy style, where absurd premises lead to hilariously logical consequences. Infused with his signature cynicism and sharp satire, the Ballads not only captivated audiences on their own but also served as a rich source for characters, plot elements, and songs that would later appear in Gilbert and Sullivans operas. The title Bab Ballads pays homage to Gilberts childhood nickname, under which he would later sign his charming illustrations.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 10, 2026

Embed this episode

Attribution link and audio player

NOW PLAYING

Miss Mapp-E. F. Benson

0:00 8:25:54

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

No similar episodes found.

Similar Podcasts

In the Days When the World Was Wide, and Other Verses by Henry Lawson Loyal Books This is a volume of poetry by Henry Lawson, the well-known Australian poet. Some of the poems in this collection are still widely taught in school, some others are not widely known at this time. All of them, however, paint vivid images of Australia around the turn of the last century. As The Academy put it in 1909, "These ballads abound in spirit and manhood, in the colour and smell of Australian soil. They deserve the popularity which they have won in Australia, and which, we trust, this edition will now give them in England." - Summary by Carolin Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads by John Lomax Loyal Books John Avery Lomax is a towering figure in the field of early American musicology and folklore. Through intensive field work, Lomax built up the core body of work for the Library of Congress Archive. "Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads" is his collection that propelled him to the forefront of his field and ignited new interest in American folklore, inspiring many to continue research. For his contributions to the field of cowboy music, Locas was inducted into the Western Music Hall of Fame in 2010. Many of the verses here are accompanied by musical scores, and some may be more familiar in their musical form such as "A Home on the Range." A wide array of characters and life across the western United States is represented here. - Summary by Larry Wilson Robin Hood J. Walker McSpadden Robin Hood is a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes. The origin of the legend is claimed by some to have stemmed from actual outlaws, or from ballads or tales of outlaws. (Introduction by Wikipedia)

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Bab Ballads?

This episode is 8 hours and 25 minutes long.

When was this Bab Ballads episode published?

This episode was published on August 10, 2026.

Can I download this Bab Ballads episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.

URL copied to clipboard!