{"id":"01KG8AKKBPEY7GXS7XCQ9V8V4F","cid":"bafkreieby4yz5qmm7ino66xkprsqx3ja7fvvv42updfloyvw665dulqe4q","type":"subsection","properties":{"description":"# Babbalanja Steps In Between Mohi And Yoomy\n## Overview\nThis is a subsection from Chapter XCIII of Herman Melville's novel *Mardi*, extracted from the file [mardi_vol1.txt](arke:01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK). It is part of the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. The subsection, titled \"Babbalanja Steps In Between Mohi And Yoomy,\" spans lines 9926 to 9987 of the source file.\n\n## Context\nThis subsection is contained within [CHAPTER XCIII. Babbalanja Steps In Between Mohi And Yoomy; And Yoomy Relates A Legend](arke:01KG8AJWVTKMC0EZ4WMWPFQ2BB) of *Mardi*. It precedes the subsection [Yoomy Relates A Legend](arke:01KG8AKKBPTYX4FN8RR9XR91E3).\n\n## Contents\nThe text describes a dispute between the characters Mohi, an old historian, and Yoomy, a young poet, regarding the telling of a legend about the islet of Tupia. Mohi is offended by Yoomy's \"presumptuous interference\" in offering to relate the legend himself. The two trade insults, with Yoomy criticizing Mohi's chronicles as \"mangled realities\" and Mohi dismissing Yoomy as a \"frippery young poetaster.\" The philosopher Babbalanja intervenes, attempting to mediate the conflict with a maxim borrowed from \"old Bardianna,\" but both Mohi and Yoomy reject his intervention. Media, another character, then directs Yoomy to proceed with the legend.\n","description_generated_at":"2026-01-30T20:49:18.075Z","description_model":"gemini-2.5-flash-lite","description_title":"Babbalanja Steps In Between Mohi And Yoomy","end_line":9987,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:09.388Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Babbalanja Steps In Between Mohi And Yoomy","source_file":"01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK","start_line":9926,"text":"Embarking from Ohonoo, we at length found ourselves gliding by the\r\npleasant shores of Tupia, an islet which according to Braid-Beard had\r\nfor ages remained uninhabited by man. Much curiosity being expressed to\r\nknow more of the isle, Mohi was about to turn over his chronicles,\r\nwhen, with modesty, the minstrel Yoomy interposed; saying, that if my\r\nLord Media permitted, he himself would relate the legend. From its\r\nnature, deeming the same pertaining to his province as poet; though, as\r\nyet, it had not been versified. But he added, that true pearl shells\r\nrang musically, though not strung upon a cord.\r\n\r\nUpon this presumptuous interference, Mohi looked highly offended; and\r\nnervously twitching his beard, uttered something invidious about\r\nfrippery young poetasters being too full of silly imaginings to tell a\r\nplain tale.\r\n\r\nSaid Yoomy, in reply, adjusting his turban, “Old Mohi, let us not\r\nclash. I honor your calling; but, with submission, your chronicles are\r\nmore wild than my cantos. I deal in pure conceits of my own; which have\r\na shapeliness and a unity, however unsubstantial; but you, Braid-Beard,\r\ndeal in mangled realities. In all your chapters, you yourself grope in\r\nthe dark. Much truth is not in thee, historian. Besides, Mohi: my songs\r\nperpetuate many things which you sage scribes entirely overlook. Have\r\nyou not oftentimes come to me, and my ever dewy ballads for\r\ninformation, in which you and your musty old chronicles were\r\ndeficient?”\r\n\r\n“In much that is precious, Mohi, we poets are the true historians; we\r\nembalm; you corrode.”\r\n\r\nTo this Mohi, with some ire, was about to make answer, when, flinging\r\nover his shoulder a new fold of his mantle, Babbalanja spoke thus:\r\n“Peace, rivals. As Bardianna has it, like all who dispute upon\r\npretensions of their own, you are each nearest the right, when you\r\nspeak of the other; and furthest therefrom, when you speak of\r\nyourselves.”\r\n\r\nSaid Mohi and Yoomy in a breath, “Who sought your opinion, philosopher?\r\nyou filcher from old Bardianna, and monger of maxims!”\r\n\r\n“You, who have so long marked the vices of Mardi, that you flatter\r\nyourself you have none of your own,” added Braid-Beard.\r\n\r\n“You, who only seem wise, because of the contrasting follies of others,\r\nand not of any great wisdom in yourself,” continued the minstrel, with\r\nunwonted asperity.”\r\n\r\n“Now here,” said Babballanja, “am I charged upon by a bearded old ram,\r\nand a lamb. One butting with his carious and brittle old frontlet; the\r\nother pushing with its silly head before its horns are sprouted. But\r\nthis comes of being impartial. Had I espoused the cause of Yoomy versus\r\nMohi, or that of Mohi versus Yoomy, I had been sure to have had at\r\nleast one voice in my favor. The impartialist insulteth all sides,\r\nsaith old Bardianna; but smite with but one hand, and the other shall\r\nbe kissed.—Oh incomparable Bardianna!”\r\n\r\n“Will no one lay that troubled old ghost,” exclaimed Media, devoutly.\r\n“Proceed with thy legend, Yoomy; and see to it, that it be brief; for I\r\nmistrust me, these legends do but test the patience of the hearers. But\r\ndraw a long breath, and begin.”\r\n\r\n“A long bow,” muttered Mohi.\r\n\r","title":"Babbalanja Steps In Between Mohi And Yoomy"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJWVTKMC0EZ4WMWPFQ2BB","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKKBPTYX4FN8RR9XR91E3","peer_type":"subsection","predicate":"next"}],"ver":3,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:09.590Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:49:19.078Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF5C36SQEVDHC9CBNZZJH9K"}}