Ballad: King Borria Bungalee Boo

In “King Borria Bungalee Boo” from *The Bab Ballads*, the story vividly narrates the peculiar and darkly humorous tale of a man-eating African king, Borria Bungalee Boo, and his four loyal subjects. The king, known for his fearsome appetite, faces a dire situation when the kingdom runs out of food, pushing him to the brink of desperation for a meal. His loyal subjects, once more numerous but reduced in number due to the king’s dietary habits, are introduced with colorful names: haughty Pish-Tush-Pooh-Bah, cumbersome Doodle-Dum-Dey, despairing Alack-a-Dey-Ah, and the exemplary Tootle-Tum-Teh.

As starvation looms over them, King Boo contemplates consuming one of his subjects, particularly the ‘good little Tootle-Tum-Teh’, unless an alternative food source is found. Tootle-Tum-Teh suggests a solution: invading the neighboring state ruled by Queen Tippy-Wippity Tol-the-Rol-Loo, known for her and her four pretty Amazons’ potential as delicious meals, thereby presenting an opportunity not only to satiate the king’s hunger but also to prevent one of their own from becoming the next meal.

The narrative takes a lighter turn when it reveals the invasion plan against Queen Loo and her state, highlighting the whimsical nature of the characters and their unusual predicaments. Rather than focusing on the grim possibilities of cannibalism or brutal conquest, the tale indulges in the absurdity of the situation, where the resolution leans towards capturing and consuming adversaries as opposed to internal sacrifice.

This ballad, rich in absurd names and fantastical elements, portrays a satirical adventure steeped in dark humor. The exaggerated characters and scenarios serve as a critique of gluttony, loyalty, desperation, and the lengths to which individuals might go to satisfy their basic needs, all wrapped in the playful and rhyming verse characteristic of *The Bab Ballads*.