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           "Howonearth,Badger,"hesaidatlast,"didyoueverfindtimeandstrengthtodoallthis?It’sastonishing!"

           "Itwouldbeastonishingindeed,"saidtheBadgersimply,"ifIhaddoneit.ButasamatteroffactIdidnoneofit—onlycleanedoutthepassagesandchambers,asfarasIhadneedofthem.There’slotsmoreofit,allroundabout.Iseeyoudon’tunderstand,andImustexplainittoyou.Well,verylongago,onthespotwheretheWildWoodwavesnow,beforeeverithadplanteditselfandgrownuptowhatitnowis,therewasacity—acityofpeople,youknow.Here,wherewearestanding,theylived,andwalked,andtalked,andslept,andcarriedontheirbusiness.Heretheystabledtheirhorsesandfeasted,fromheretheyrodeouttofightordroveouttotrade.Theywereapowerfulpeople,andrich,andgreatbuilders.Theybuilttolast,fortheythoughttheircitywouldlastforever."

           "Butwhathasbecomeofthemall?"askedtheMole.

           "Whocantell?"saidtheBadger."Peoplecome—theystayforawhile,theyflourish,theybuild—andtheygo.Itistheirway.Butweremain.Therewerebadgershere,I’vebeentold,longbeforethatsamecityevercametobe.Andnowtherearebadgershereagain.Weareanenduringlot,andwemaymoveoutforatime,butwewait,andarepatient,andbackwecome.Andsoitwilleverbe."

           "Well,andwhentheywentatlast,thosepeople?"saidtheMole.