Brian Jacques - Redwall #05 - The Legend of Luke

"Here she is, safe'n'sound, miz Bell!"

"Snug as a bug in a rug with all those cushions an' blankets, miz Bell. We was very very careful with 'er, marm."

Twinkle-eyed, the ancient Abbess peered out of the trolley. "Mm, mm, if they'd pushed me any slower we would've stopped. Two snails passed us on the way, would y'believe!"

Both ottermaids' lower lips began to tremble. Abbess Germaine chuckled, nodding fondly at them. "Mmm, mm, now don't fret, little maids, I was jesting. An old fogey like me couldn't ask for more gentle or better care than you two showed to me. Cheer up now!"

Bella ruffled the ears of both affectionately. "That's why I sent them. Mayberry and Catkin are my two best and most trusted helpers. Run along now, you two."

Smiling and curtsying, they prepared to skip off.

"Thankee, miz Bell. Nice t'be of service to ye!"

"An' you, too, Mother Abbess, just call if'n you needs us!"

Germaine was a bit warm. She shrugged off the blankets as she watched the two ottermaids looking for others to assist.

"Such good little things, Bella. A credit to Redwall, eh?"

"I'll say they are. They're both Skipper's granddaughters, y'know. I was only saying to him the other day Yaaaah! Look out! Everybeast out of the waaaaaay!"

Amid squeaks of dismay and a great bumping and rumbling, Bella seized both Abbess and trolley. Heaving them up in her strong paws, she dashed from the leanto, not a moment too soon. Gonflet and his Dibbuns had let Coggs and Ferdy's cellar stock get away from them. Down the slope a thundering stampede of kegs, barrels, firkins and casks leaped, bounced and spun. In their wake came Gonflet and his gang of little Abbey creatures, hallooing and whooping wildly.

Bella ducked, covering the Abbess with her body as a keg of pennycloud cordial bounced and whizzed by overhead, missing the badger's ears by a whisker. In a trice the leanto was leveled, flattened to the ground. In a resounding boom of splashes the picnic drinks in their oaken containers hit the pond's surface, drenching everybeast within range in a cascade of pondwater.

Dripping from ears to tail, Bella turned to the saturated gang of Dibbuns. Gonflet grinned from ear to ear, pointing with his stick at the array of floating barrels bobbing about in the pond.

"All go'd too fast t'stop, miz Bell. But pond keep d'drinks nice an' cool, I fink!"

Bella could not be angry in the face of the little fellow's irresistible charm, though she hid a smile and tried to sound stern.

"I knew a young mouse one time who was just like you, a scamp, a rascal and a complete pickle!"

Gonflet pawed water from his eye, wrinkling his nose as he stared up at the big Badgermother. "Wot was him name, miz Bell?"

The huge striped muzzle lowered, until it was level with Gonflet's face. "If I recall rightly, his name was Gonff!"

This sent the tiny mouse off into tucks of laughter. Waving his stick, he raced off with his Dibbun gang, shouting, "Heeheehee! Jus' wait I tell my daddy. You a scamp! Raskill! Pickler! That wot miz Bell call you. Heeheehee!"

Creakily Abbess Germaine emerged from the swathe of blankets and cushions in her trolley. She began sorting out poles from the pile of collapsed canvas.

"Hmm, mmm, 'tis some long seasons since I built a leanto. Lend a paw here, Bella, come on!"

The Badgermother sighed as she dragged the canvas aside. "Gonflet was right, though, the pond will keep those barrels nice and cool on a day like this, Mother Abbess!"

That evening the picnic was a huge success. Lady Amber and her squirrels skipped nimbly down the scaffolding, navigating the sheer walls as if they were on level ground, singing as they descended.

"The dull old ground is not for me,

I can't stand it somehow,

Leave me in a good stout tree,

Upon a knotty bough!

'Tis hey ho and up we go,

Above the ground we dwell,

Where every leaf'n'twig we know,

And every branch right well!

A squirrel a squirrel so nimble,

Can climb most anywhere,

A tail in a tree is a symbol,

That I'm at home up there!

So ash, oak, rowan or pine,

Stately elm or beech,

They're all fine, they're all mine,

They're all within my reach!"

While the Redwallers made merry, otters fished the barrels of drink from the pond. Gonflet and his Dibbun gang had everybeast roaring with laughter as they performed a dramatic re-enactment of the barrel incident. Skipper held his sides to stop them aching, tears of helpless merriment streaming from his eyes, as a small mole, acting a barrel of dandelion and burdock cordial, tumbled downhill into the pond. Columbine hauled him out and attempted to give the tiny creature a strict lecture, but was unable to do so because she collapsed laughing.

Lanterns were lit at the pond's edge when evening shadows deepened, the still water reflecting their glow. Mayberry and Catkin performed a graceful dance to the accompaniment of Ferdy and Coggs on drum and fiddle, playing a time-honored favorite called "Bide in the Rushes." Columbine left off serving drinks and sat eating pensively. Abbess Germaine watched her closely.

"An acorn for your thoughts, my dear."

Columbine recovered herself as Gonflet hurled himself into her lap. "What? Oh, er, sorry, Mother Abbess, I was in a bit of a daze. I was just thinking how much I miss GonffMartin and Dinny, too, of course. I wish autumn would hurry and they'd return to Redwall."

Gonflet yawned and looked up at his mother. "I want my daddy. When it be h'autumn, mamma?"

The dancing had stopped, and all eyes turned on Columbine. Gonflet's lids began drooping as she stroked his head and softly recited an old poem.

" 'Round the seasons slowly turning,

Faithful as the stars and moon,

Summer fades, the earth is yearning,

Softly whisp'ring, autumn soon.

Drape the woods in mist one morning,

Now small birds have learned to fly,

Mother Nature's gentle warning,

See green leaves turn brown, and die.

In old orchards on the bough,

Fruit hangs russet, red and gold,

Purple scarlet berries now,

All the rambling hedgerows hold.

Hazel, beech and chestnut, too,

Each displays its burden fair,

They will shed them, all for you,

Ere winter lays their branches bare.

Fields of ripened grain and corn,

Swaying to a murm'ring breeze,

Shaking off the dew of dawn,

When the eye sees signs like these.

Summer's long hot days are ended,

Harvest moons o'er stream and mere,

Tell the tale, as 'twas intended,

Autumn's peaceful dream is here."

Columbine shifted slightly, trying not to disturb her sleeping babe. "Ooh, this fellow's getting heavy these days."

Bella relieved her friend of the burden, scooping Gonflet neatly up in one huge paw. She nodded knowingly. "Little wonder. See, the pockets of his smock are full of wedgestones to use on the barrels. Pity the scamp never bothered to use 'em!"

Abbess Germaine could not help remarking, "Think of the fun we'd have missed if he did. That one'll grow up a bigger rascal than his father. But you're right, Columbine. Redwall isn't the same without Martin, Dinny and your Gonff. Let's hope they'll make it back safely."

Skipper paused, a cheese and mushroom flan halfway to his mouth. "Only beasts I'd be worried about, beggin' yore pardon, marm, are those foolish enough to try an' stop 'em returnin' to our Abbey. Huh, I'd sure enough feel sorry for those!"

Columbine topped the otter's beaker up with October Ale. "I suppose you're right, Skip, but my Gonff attracts trouble no matter where he is. I think he enjoys it."

Abbess Germaine patted the mousewife's paw. "That's why he has two good friendsMartin, who has never been defeated by anybeast, and Dinny, full of caution and sensible mole logic. Don't fret yourself over those three, my dear, they could overcome anything!"