"A fanciful legend, Braid-beard." "Very entertaining," said Media.
"Even so," said Babbalanja.

"But perhaps we lost time in listening to it; for though we know it, we are none the wiser." "Be not a cynic," said Media.

"No pastime is lost time." Musing a moment, Babbalanja replied, "My lord, that maxim may be good as it stands; but had you made six words of it, instead of six syllables, you had uttered a better and a deeper.".