Mardi Volume 1 Chapter 70 - the Minstrel leads off with a Paddle-Song; and a Message is received from Abroad

Mardi Volume 1 Chapter 93 - Babbalanja steps in between Mohi and Yoomy; and Yoomy relates a Legend

In which a lyrical contest unfolds between the sage chronicler Mohi and the poetic minstrel Yoomy, each asserting the superiority of their art in preserving history, until the philosopher Babbalanja intercedes with impartial counsel amidst their quarrel. A fanciful legend of diminutive, vine-crowned beings inhabiting the isle of Tupia is then recounted, blending delicate imagery with musings on truth and fiction that provoke thoughtful reflection among the listeners.

Mardi Volume 1 Chapter 92 - The God Keevi and the Precipice of Mondo

In which the voyagers encounter the remarkable idol of Keevi, god of Thieves, whose legend is vividly embodied by a formidable spear and a dramatic story of descent and sacrifice at the precipice of Mondo. They observe the awe-inspiring valley and towering cliff, where the perilous leap of rebel warriors and the daunting test of kingship lend the place a solemn and supernatural gravity.

Mardi Volume 1 Chapter 90 - Rare Sport at Ohonoo

In which the island of Ohonoo is vividly portrayed as a majestic battleground where relentless waves engage in a ceaseless contest with the steadfast shore, while its inhabitants revel in the exhilarating sport of surfing on polished boards that dance upon mighty billows. The narrative further leads us to a tranquil valley retreat, where hospitality mingles with a subtle undercurrent of melancholy beneath the guise of evening revelry.

Mardi Volume 1 Chapter 91 - Of King Uhia and his Subjects

In which a young king named Uhia turns from indulgence to manly resolve, seeking to fulfil a grand prophecy that promises dominion over all Mardi by moving a certain island to the lagoon’s centre. Yet, as envy trickles down through ranks from sovereign to servant, and restless desire consumes all, peace evades the hearts locked within the tower of ambition.

Mardi Volume 1 Chapter 89 - Braid-Beard rehearses the Origin of the Isle of Rogues

In which the inhabitants of Ohonoo, an island curiously named the Land of Rogues, reveal through the tale of Braid-Beard that their name is a proud heritage rather than a stigma, tracing back to banished knaves who founded a resolute commonwealth. Time itself is celebrated as the great alchemist that transforms and dignifies all things—scoundrels to heroes, old lands to venerable homes—while playful interjections on the nature of verse and prose lighten the discourse.