The Bellmaker Quotes

Picture by Zelwood

Many warriors own the glory /But the saying in Redwall is /"This is the Bellmaker's story /Because the dream was his."

Agric developed a sudden stammer.

"I cast aside the pen in favor of the spoon."

"Give us dinner every eve, /Or we'll pack our bags and leave. /Where we'll go to we don't know, /Up the path a league or so. /If we don't find comfort there, /Back to Redwall we'll repair. /We'll eat pudden, pie, and cake, /All the Abbey cooks can make!"

"How is it that I'm naught but a flattering fraud and Saxtus gets thanked for his gallantry?" grumbled the bellmaker, as he attacked a salad busily.

"Compliments are like clouds, my friend: very pretty, but if we had to dine on them we'd starve."

"That's my Tarkers for you, always payin' me compliments," she said. "Er, that was a compliment, wasn't it?"

"Cheer up, Rufey. It'll be a great adventure. I've been on adventures before, you'll enjoy it."

Nagru dangled the pitiful rags against the cage door, chanting in a singsong voice: "Ho, Dirgecallers, swift and sleek,/ You shall have your share./ Fangs will rip and blood will leak,/ Scent your victims. There!"

Often they would break out into river shanties, gruff bass voices resounding in the countryside- "I was born on a stream and fed from a padddle,/ Shrum a doo rye 'ey, shrum a doo rye 'ey,/ And here I'll stay 'til me tail don't waggle,/ See longweeds grow where the currents flow,/ Aye, that's the way I like it soooooooooooo./ Shrum a doo rye 'ey, shrum a doo rye 'ey, /Ho run you river, run my way,/ Ho ummm, ho ummmm, ho ummmm!"

Dandin looked away from the wild glittering eyes. "Whew! Wouldn't like to meet him on a dark night." Glokkpod inched closer to the flap. "Woulda like to meet me anytime, mousa!"

Still with his paw about Rufe's shoulder, Joseph recited some words he had put together for the ceremony:" Friend is a very small word,/ A little sound we make,/ For one who is there, one who will do,/ Great deeds for friendship's sake."

Furrtil had regained her composure by now. She attached herself to Blaggut's leg, chuckling, "Oi loik 'ee, zurr. You'm a funny vurmint." "D'yer 'ear that, cap'n? The liddle molemaid likes me!" The searat's face was a picture of delight.

"Comin' aboard, ahoy, an' all that nautical nonsense!"

"Whoa there was an ole lobster who married a cod,/ Boggle me barnacles, sail off t'sea,/ And tho' all the cockles an' clams thought it odd,/ Boggle me barnacles, over the brine,/ I know yer a codfish but darlin' yore mine!"

"This humble abode doth suit me fine,/ A simple homely place, 'tis mine."

"They murdered and tricked their way into power-have you ever heard of them, Finn?" The sea otter touched his twin sword hilts ominously. "No, but when we meet, I'm sure the pleasure'll be all mine, matey. I've allus been a freebeast, an' I never could take to tyrants an' conquerors, 'specialy those who'd make orphans of liddle 'uns. Bad fortune to 'em says I, an' I'm the beast who'll bring it to 'em!"

Figgs followed Rosie about, throwing her paws in the air and repeating over and over, "Lack a day, no tucker's left, lack a day!"

"Well, swoggle me whiskers an' rot me rudder, if I ain't a bottle-nosed son of a barnacle!"

"Friends, good creatures all, I thank you for rallying to me, and this, your standard. It is only and ordinary broom, but it will be the symbol of our army. This will show those who try to conquer and enslave us that ordinary things can become very dangerous, like this broom."

"Free southswaaaaaard!" The army took off like a hurricane, headed for Castle Floret with Bowly in the vanguard. Racing alongside the tribal leaders were hedgehogs, moles, mice, otters, and squirrels. With the broom waving high in his paws, Bowly yelled his war cries to the four winds. He was a warrior!

Blerun leaned on his lance and nodded. "I know; we have watched you since you camped there. Do you serve Urgan Nagru the Foxwolf?" Before an otter could lift javelin, Finnbarr's twin swords had cleared thier sheaths. He went into a fighting crouch, his single eye glittering hotly. "No, matey, we've come t'battle with 'im, so if you're on the Foxwolf's side we'd best start the party right 'ere!"

Blaggut walked around the ramparts and descended by the south wall steps, stopping on the final stair. His voice was raw and husky with sorrowing. "I killed my own Cap'n this morn. Yore badger was a good creature, 'e did wrong to slay 'er. I would've stopped 'im, but it all 'appened so quick. Any 'ow, I brought back the cup fer the liddle uns an' that's that; you kin kill me now." Saxtus took the dagger from Oak Tom and stowed it in his wide habit sleeve, and he turned to the mousebabe. "You saw what happened. I leave it to you. Does he deserve to die, or would you let him live?" There was a moment's silence. Every Redwaller looked on anxiously as the mousebabe trundled over to the wall steps and took Blaggut's paw in his. "Mister Blackguts is good, norra killer; he makes boats." Furrtil joined him, latching herself onto the searat's other paw trustingly. "Hurr, that be roight, ee'm a gennelbeat, oi loikes 'im."
***

Silvamord's sword had gone right through. Fatch's head lolled to one side as he smiled weakly into Rufe's face. "Told you I'd look after you, didn't I, mate?" The eyes of Fatch, the loyal Guosim shrew, clouded over and closed for the last time. Durry Quill turned and guarded both his friends. Rufe had both paws around the body of his protector, weeping softly as he rocked him back and both.
***

The molebabe thought about this for a moment before replying, "Hurr, vurry good, zurrs, but ee know wot I allus say?" Rufe smiled at him. "No, tell me what you always say." The bass-voiced molebabe waved his stick in the air and charged off shouting.

"Redwaaaaaaaaallllll!"