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

Mardi Volume 1 Chapter 87 - Nora-Bamma

In which the narrator and his company glide silently through a calm lagoon toward the mystic isle of Nora-Bamma, a place enwreathed in an ethereal haze where the boundaries between waking and sleeping seem delicately blurred. The isle, described through the musings of Braid-Beard, is a dreamy refuge for melancholics and dreamers alike, whose enchantments lull strangers into a deep and mysterious repose.

Mardi Volume 1 Chapter 86 - Of those Scamps the Plujii

In which the narrative unfolds a curious account of the Plujii, invisible spirits whose mischievous antics torment the islanders of Quelquo with a myriad of petty misfortunes and unexplained ailments. Through the reflections and dialogues of the voyagers, a gentle contemplation emerges on the nature of unseen forces that vex humanity beyond the reach of divine wrath or mortal design.

Mardi Volume 1 Chapter 85 - After Dinner

In which the revelry of a royal bacchanal dissolves into somnolent company shared betwixt kings and their earthly remembrances, whilst the absent monarch’s solitary melancholy unfolds amidst the shifting shadows of his once vibrant hostelry. Thus, parting from him, the companions perceive a soul ensnared by an invisible captivity, steadfast to his haunt yet beckoning friendship through the transient solace of wine.

Mardi Volume 1 Chapter 84 - Taji sits down to Dinner with five-and-twenty Kings, and a royal Time they have

In which the protagonist enjoys a sumptuous and lively banquet hosted by Donjalolo alongside a diverse assembly of twenty-five kings, where exotic wines and festive merriment dissolve all royal formality into genial camaraderie. The revelry culminates in enchanting music, aromatic incense, and a languorous haze that ushers all into a dreamlike state, inviting reflection on the convivial nature of sovereignty and fellowship.

Mardi Volume 1 Chapter 83 - They visit the Tributary Islets

In which the travellers, after parting from their genial host Donjalolo, explore the outer villages and tributary isles ruled by his ostensibly loyal but secretly tyrannical viceroys, whose pious demeanour conceals a harsher reality. Their idle search for Yillah is abruptly interrupted by a summons to return to Willamilla, where a grand banquet among neighbouring kings is being prepared in honour of their company.