Brian Jacques - Redwall #20 - Eulalia!

There were willing paws aplenty to help Maudie with her cooking, by midnoon her offering was ready. The haremaid did not attempt anything-fancy, she prepared food that was plain, but satisfying. Flatcakes with nuts and berries, fresh fruit salad, some shrew cheeses, chopped celery stalks and a cordial of dandelion and burdock. The Guosim chieftain complimented her as they sat eating together.

"This is a perfect feast for a happy summer's day, I can't remember the last time I had so much fun!"

Young Dinger called out, "Aye, me, too, Chief. Wot d'ye say we do this once every summer, pie fight an' all?" There were shouts of agreement from the Guosim.

Asio helped himself to another flatcake. "Mayhaps thou could call it Mad Maudie Day!"

Luglug clinked his beaker with the haremaid's cup. "Mad Maudie Day it'll be, thank ye, friend, if'n there's any-thin' we can do for ye, just ask me anytime."

Maudie was in like a shot. "Er, actually there is, sah, I was wonderin' if you could possibly show me the way to Redwall Abbey. I need t'get there, doncha know?" She explained the mission Lord Asheye had sent her upon, asking if the shrews had seen the badger with the flame, who walked with the banished one.

Log a Log Luglug stroked his snout reflectively. "Ain't seen nobeast like that 'ereabouts, miz, a badger like that'd stick out like a lantern at night. As for takin' ye to Redwall, well, that's quite a journey. But nothin' a Guosim couldn't manage. I'll do ye a deal, though: you stay 'ere an' cook supper for us this evenin'. Then first thing tomorrer we'll break camp an' take ye to the Abbey. Is that a bargain?"

Maudie shook Luglug's outstretched paw. "Rather, I'll say it is, how'd you like a drop of woodland broth to sup round the fire tonight, wot?"

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Mad Maudie (the Hon.) Mugberry Thropple had been trained by the best cooks at Salamandastron. Even the great Lord Asheye always asked for seconds when she served up broths, which were her speciality. That evening she produced a woodland broth which had the Guosim savouring every drop.

Asio assured the shrews solemnly, "Ah tell thee, yon lass is nowt but magic, an' thee can tek mah word on it!"

After supper, Maudie sat by the campfire with the Guosim as the young ones sang and danced. It was a soft summer night, with the darkened skies reflecting starlight upon the still surface of the pond at Bulrush Bower. Tomorrow she would start the journey to Redwall, and see the fabled Abbey for herself. Asio was dozing, though he opened one eye, to comment on the Guosim music.

"Hmm, tain't too bad, mayhaps ah'll give 'em a song later."

Maudie muttered under her breath, "I blinkin' well hope not!"

The owl craned his head forward. "Wot did thee say?"

Maudie smiled. "I said, save it for tomorrow, wot!" She watched the little shrewmaids dancing as Dinger and his friends sang the melody.

"Honour your partner, hop one two, twirl round twice, now tap that paw, curtsy low, my pretty shrew, altogether turn once more.

"Guosim maids are small and fair, nimble as the day is long, they wear ribbons in their hair, as they dance we sing this song.

"Two steps forward, one step back, point that footpaw, shake it round, grace and charm you'll never lack, tripping lightly o'er the ground.

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"Guosim maids are neat and bright, such a lovely sight to see, spinning round in pale moonlight, pray, miss, save a dance for me!"

Two elders continued the air with flute and drum, whilst the singers joined the maids, each taking a partner and twirling gracefully off around the lakeshore. Luglug nudged Maudie, whispering quietly, "Ole Asio's fallen asleep, now ye won't 'ave the pleasure of 'earing him sing."

The haremaid whispered back, "I've already heard him sing, an' it wasn't any bally pleasure!"

Luglug chuckled. "Aye, so have I, an' I'd much sooner put up with his snores than his singin', thank ye!"

Gradually the usual Guosim hubbub died down, the dancing ended, and the musicians ceased playing. Round the fire, and the lakeshore, Luglug's tribe lay down for their much needed rest. There was no need of coverlets, it was a warm, windless night. Maudie stretched out on the moss, imagining what Redwall Abbey would look like, as she fell into a slumber. Soon the only sound in the woodland depths was the gentle snoring of Guosim shrews, and the odd crackle as the campfire died into embers.

It was in the gray gloom which precedes dawn, when everybeast was wakened by the piercing wail of a shrewmum.

"Waaaaah! Where's my liddle Dupper?"

Maudie knocked Asio sideways as she sprang up. She joined Luglug, and several others, who were running to the lakeside. The Guosim mother was scurrying about distractedly, waving her paws.

"Dupper, where's my baby? Waaaah 'e's gone!"

The haremaid took charge of the situation. Grabbing the shrewmum by her flowery apron, she halted her, calling sternly, "Please be still, marm, you'll mess up all the tracks. Now, when did y'last see Dupper, wot?"

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Guosim scouts spread out into the surrounding trees, as the mother explained tearfully. "I 'ad Dupper in me paws last night, when I went t'sleep. Oh, where's the pore liddle tyke got to?"

The gruff voice of a Guosim scout came from the north corner of Bulrush Bower. "Over 'ere, mates!"

Maudie bounded to the spot, ahead of everybeast. She could tell, by the horrified look on the scout's face, and the ominous drag trail of tracks, what the shrew was going to say.

"The liddle 'un's been taken by a snake!"

The word struck terror into the Guosim, just the word snake sent them into a gibbering panic. It was Asio who got order, with a deafening hoot. "Whooooohooooo!"

Maudie could see by the state of the shrews that they would not be of any use to her. She nodded to the owl. "Right, quick's the word an' sharp's the action, laddie buck, we've got t'get that babe back, and jolly well soon!"

Luglug countered grimly. "Not much chance, miz, once a snake's got ye, that's that!"

The haremaid grabbed the rapier from Luglug's belt, and thrust it into his paw, whispering to him, "Bad form, sah, wot? You're supposed t'be a blinkin' chieftain among shrews. Look at the example you're settin' 'em. A little baby'll die if ye don't do anythin' about it. Now c'mon, stiff upper snout, wot!"

Luglug gritted his teeth. "Yore right, Miz Maudie, let's get after that evil worm right now!"

The owl, the haremaid and the shrew chieftain sped off into the still darkened woodland depths.

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10

Bludgullet was now sailing through the Mossflower woodlands, away from its normal habitat of the open sea. It was a novelty to the vermin crew, sunlight and shade, the absence of wind and tranquil, waveless waters. The only bar to their pleasure was that the ship had to be poled upriver. Without the aid of sail, and with the current, however gentle, running against them, they were forced to propel their vessel to its destination.

Vizka Longtooth kept to his cabin, leaving Codj and a stoat named Bilger in charge of the crew. The pair patrolled up and down the ranks of vermin crewbeasts, who were sweating at their long paddles, punting the ship along. Codj flicked a knotted rope's end about idly, he was secretly scared to use it. Some of the crew were vicious, bad-tempered beasts, who would not take kindly to being whipped. It was slow progress, and the crew soon became disenchanted with the rustic surroundings. They began complaining aloud.

"Yowch, I'm bein' eaten alive by h'insecks!"

"They ain't h'insecks, they're midges."

"Huh, they might be midgets, but they got giant teeth!"

"Ain't there no cool water t'be 'ad aboard dis tub?"

"Aye, an' we ain't stopped once fer vittles, I'm 'ungry!"

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"I'm gittin' splinters offen dese paddles."