{"id":"01KG8AKZM15SQ1TAK6JY6BKTH9","cid":"bafkreiev5n73yesc267a3sljgkkzuo2m3ub64lqze2xbaanjujknkzulm4","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":11387,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:18.539Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK","start_line":11304,"text":"“Yamjamma disdained to be plain; he scorned to be fully comprehended by\r\nmortals. Like all oracles, he dealt in dark sayings. But old Bardianna\r\nwas of another sort; he spoke right out, going straight to the point\r\nlike a javelin; especially when he laid it down for a universal maxim,\r\nthat minus exceptions, all men are bedeviled.”\r\n\r\n“Of course, then,” said Media, “you include yourself among the number.”\r\n\r\n“Most assuredly; and so did old Bardianna; who somewhere says, that\r\nbeing thoroughly bedeviled himself, he was so much the better qualified\r\nto discourse upon the deviltries of his neighbors. But in another place\r\nhe seems to contradict himself, by asserting, that he is not so\r\nsensible of his own deviltry as of other people’s.”\r\n\r\n“Hold!” cried Media, “who have we here?” and he pointed ahead of our\r\nprow to three men in the water, urging themselves along, each with a\r\npaddle.\r\n\r\nWe made haste to overtake them.\r\n\r\n“Who are you?” said Media, “where from, and where bound?”\r\n\r\n“From Variora,” they answered, “and bound to Mondoldo.” “And did that\r\ndevil Tribonnora swamp your canoe?” asked Media, offering to help them\r\ninto ours.\r\n\r\n“We had no such useless incumbrance to lose,” they replied, resting on\r\ntheir backs, and panting with their exertions. “If we had had a canoe,\r\nwe would have had to paddle it along with us; whereas we have only our\r\nbodies to paddle.”\r\n\r\n“You are a parcel of loons,” exclaimed Media. “But go your ways, if you\r\nare satisfied with your locomotion, well and good.”\r\n\r\n“Now, it is an extreme case, I grant,” said Babbalanja, “but those poor\r\ndevils there, help to establish old Bardianna’s position. They belong\r\nto that species of our bedeviled race, called simpletons; but their\r\ndevils harming none but themselves, are permitted to be at large with\r\nthe fish. Whereas, Tribonnora’s devil, who daily runs down canoes,\r\ndrowning their occupants, belongs to the species of out and out devils;\r\nbut being high in station, and strongly backed by kith and kin,\r\nTribonnora can not be mastered, and put in a strait jacket. For myself,\r\nI think my devil is some where between these two extremes; at any rate,\r\nhe belongs to that class of devils who harm not other devils.”\r\n\r\n“I am not so sure of that,” retorted Media. “Methinks this doctrine of\r\nyours, about all mankind being bedeviled, will work a deal of mischief;\r\nseeing that by implication it absolves you mortals from moral\r\naccountability. Further-more; as your doctrine is exceedingly evil, by\r\nYamjamma’s theory it follows, that you must be proportionably\r\nbedeviled; and since it harms others, your devil is of the number of\r\nthose whom it is best to limbo; and since he is one of those that can\r\nbe limboed, limboed he shall be in you.”\r\n\r\nAnd so saying, he humorously commanded his attendants to lay hands upon\r\nthe bedeviled philosopher, and place a bandage upon his mouth, that he\r\nmight no more disseminate his devilish doctrine.\r\n\r\nAgainst this, Babbalanja demurred, protesting that he was no\r\norang-outang, to be so rudely handled.\r\n\r\n“Better and better,” said Media, “you but illustrate Bardianna’s\r\ntheory; that men are not sensible of their being bedeviled.”\r\n\r\nThus tantalized, Babbalanja displayed few signs of philosophy.\r\n\r\nWhereupon, said Media, “Assuredly his devil is foaming; behold his\r\nmouth!” And he commanded him to be bound hand and foot.\r\n\r\nAt length, seeing all resistance ineffectual, Babbalanja submitted; but\r\nnot without many objurgations.\r\n\r\nPresently, however, they released him; when Media inquired, how he\r\nrelished the application of his theory; and whether he was still’ of\r\nold Bardianna’s mind?\r\n\r\nTo which, haughtily adjusting his robe, Babbalanja replied, “The strong\r\narm, my lord, is no argument, though it overcomes all logic.”\r\n\r\n END OF VOL. I. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJP4QDJVJYTQ1DSESTXJE","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKZKX0X9K8W0FYCFF4H6H","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:22.145Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:34.032Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}