Gonff’s Wuddshipp Song

I am not going to say that I won’t sneak another post labeled Redwall-Mossflower in, but this the last post in this series of posts featuring content from the Mossflower novel.

Gonff’s song is song that sang as he watched the Wuddshipp sink below the surface of the River Moss. The ship was scuttled in order to flood the castle Kotir and put an end to the diabolical wildcat, Verdauga Greeneyes and her forces.

“You carried use safe o’er the water,

So proudly you sailed the blue sea,

Now lie on the bed of a river,

To help make Mossflower free.

But here in our hearts we will keep you, Wuddshipp.

Like a great bird of freedom upon that last trip,

With the wind in my whiskers,

Surrounded by friends.

Sleep deeply, old Wuddshipp,

Your voyaging ends."

(Mossflower, 387)

A Wikipedia Article on Fictional Hare and Rabbits

Wikipedia has an interesting compilation of fictional rabbits and hares, albeit they seem to have missed more than a few hares that are mentioned in Brian Jacques, Mossflower. How could they have missed such a cast of hares with the likes of Trubbs, Wother, Ffring, Harebell, Honeydew, Willow, Buffheart, his wife, Lupin, and their two children, Starbuck and Breeze? This is a shameful outrage. What will these hares think?

The Badgers of Redwall and Mossflower: Finding Purpose for my Splintered Light Miniatures

I am in the process of completing my Splintered Light Miniatures 20mm badger and am looking for his purpose in life. My badger could be a female badger, but I am assuming that one carrying a battle axe would be a male. I have yet to name this miniature, but I will most likely use one of the characters from the Redwall series. So far in my reading I have come across the following badgers.

Redwall 

• Constance

Mossflower

• Bella of Brockhall
• Boar the Fighter
• Bluestripe the Wild
• Sunflash the Mace(AKA Sunstripe)

The Salamanastron Ruse

Salamanastron, "mountain of the fire lizard" is a ruse.  There are neither fire-breathing dragons nor volcanos.  The mountain was one great hall. At its center was huge furnace like forge. The forge was used to manufacture weapons of all description and was kept lit at all the times. From afar, the seafarer imagined the island having an active volcano.  

In a chamber above the forge sat a dragon that had been carved out of rock, which, from time to time was hoisted into a window. A fire was started in an opening in the back of its mouth and smoke and fire would emerge from its mouth, thus causing those passing nearby to see what they thought was a real fire breathing dragon. These activities were initiated to keep the wayward traveler away, far away from Salamanastron.

The Hares of Salamanastron

Boar would send several of his hares out on recon missions. The hares of Salamanastron were the eyes and ears of Lord Boar. As the four adventures got nearer to Salamanastron they were noticed.  Trubbs, Wother, Ffring were sent by Lord Boar to intercept the four and lead them to the mountain fortress.

The hares that live under the mountain of Salamanastron are Trubbs, Wother, Ffring, three doe eyed hares named Harebell, Honeydew, and Willow which rendered Trubbs, Wather, and Ffring speechless with just the flutter of their eyes. There were also a huge hare, Buffheart, his wife, Lupin, and their two children, Starbuck and Breeze.

                                  Trubbs

“Harabell, Honeydew, and Willow,

Each a pretty thing;

Bold brave and fearless,

Wother, Trubbs and Ffring;

Lupin, Buffheart, Starbuck, Breeze,

Swift as winds across the trees,

Rule o`er land and sea herefrom,

Sala-manda-stron.

A song of Gonff for the Hares of Salamanastron, Mossfollower, page 326.

The Quest for Salamandastron

The ship had been lost and the rest of the journey had to be done on foot. As the four adventures drew closer to Salamandastron, the mountain “flared crimson against the dark sky”, and Gonff began to sing this song:

‘Always the tide comes flowing in.

Ever it goes out again.

Sleep ‘neath the shore evermore,

Free from hunger and pain.

Morning light will bring the sun;

Seasons go rolling on.

Questing ever far from home,

For Salamandastron.’

(Mossflower, 285)

The Ships of Mossflower

Although Mossflower is not a maritime story it does have a maritime element to it; there are two ships mentioned within its pages.

Waterwing

Waterwing was built by Log-a-Log, a shrew. (The land of the shrews was sacked by Ripfang and his band of sea rats. The shrews that were not killed were put to the oars as galley slaves.) Waterwing is a gallery that is fit with a sail. She was lost on her maiden voyage after she came in contact with cataracts on the Great South Stream.

Bloodwake

The Bloodwake like the Waterwing is a galley that is fit with sails. Bloodwake is commanded by Ripfang the sea-rat, the “most black hearted sea-rat or’em all”, and is crewed by a crew of murderous sea-rats and other assorted misfits. The Bloodwake is painted black and has a large bleached skull and fin of some sea-fish on its bow.

The Bloodwake, once captured by Martin and his friends and was renamed Wuddshipp. Wuddshipp would be scuttled in order to flood the River Moss. She was eventually refloated and used to ferry stone from the quarry to the location for the new Redwall Abby. 

A Song for a Sailor Mouse

Gonff, Martin, Dinny, and Log-log, the captain of the Waterwing set off for Salamandstron. Gonff sang this song while he was aboard the Waterwing, which was venturing out on its maiden voyage.

“O for the life of a sailor-mouse, it’s better than Kotir gaol,

A rest for the weary traveling paws,

With wind to drive our sail.

There’s a shrew for skipper, two mice for mates and mole for a cabin boy.

When we sight Salamandstron, we’ll shout out loud, Ahoy!"

(Mossflower, 217)

Gonff's Sings a Song as they Start-out on their Quest for Salamandastron

As Martin, Gonff, and Dinny head off to find Salamandastron, Gonff retorts with a little ditty for the occasion. 

“A questing –O the friends did go,

Companions brave and bold,

O’er forest, filed and flowing stream,

Cross mountains high and old.

These brave young creatures journeying,

Along the road together,

While birds did sing through the spring,

Into the summer weather."

(Mossflower, 141)

The Way to Salamanastron

A piece of parchment was found affixed to the bottom of the table that contained the directions, as the crow flies; to Salamanastron, as seen through the eyes of a goose.

"Twixt earth and sky where birds can fly,

I look below to see

A place of wood with plumage green

That breezes move like sea.

Behind me as the dawn breaks clear,

Woodpigeons come awake,

See brown dust roll, twixt green and gold,

Unwinding like a snake.

So fly and sing, the wildgoose is King.

O'er golden acres far below,

Our wings beat strong and true,

Where deep and wet, see flowering yet,

Another snake of blue.

Across the earth is changing shape,

With form and colour deep,

Afar the teeth of land rise up,

To bite the wool of sheep.

So fly and sing, the wildgoose is King.

Beyond this, much is lost in mist,

But here and there I see

The treachery of muddy grey,

'Tis no place for the free.

O feathered brethren of the air,

Fly straight and do not fall,

Onward cross the wet gold flat,

Where seabirds wheel and call.

So fly and sing, the wildgoose is King.

The skies are growing darker, see

Our beacon shining bright.

Go high across the single fang

That burns into the night.

We leave you now as we wing on,

Our journey then must be

Where sky and water meet in line,

And suns drown in the sea.

So fly and sing, the wildgoose is King."

(Mossflower, 142-43)

Another Clue as to the Location of Salamanastron (2nd preamble)

The second riddle pointed to a table in Brockhall, actually under the table. Directions to Salamanastron as seen by a goose while in flight can be found under the table where “ale, bread, and cheese” are consumed.

“Boar is badger, named after wood,

Not after forest, but trees.

Where did you play on a rainy day?

Where did I eat bread and cheese?

Search inside, stay indoors.

Look up and find the secret is yours.

Your castle, your fort,

Or so you thought.

The way is in four trees.

The way is in Boar in Brockhall.

Under ale, under bread, under cheese.”

(Mossflower, 135)

The Quest of Salamanastron-A Clue

Looking for clues that might have been left behind by Bella’s father, Bella, Martin, Gonff, and Dinny took to ransacking Bella’s study. The party was looking through stacks of dusty scrolls that littered the desk and room.

Becoming frustrated, Martin bangs his paw on the desk and out pops a secret drawer. Inside the drawer sits a single sheet of parchment with the following words being written on it in the hand of Boar the Fighter.

This is the first clue, a preamble to the location of Salamanastron.

“To the mountain of fire where badgers go,

The path is fraught with danger,

The way is long and hard and slow,

Through foe and hostile stranger,

The warrior’s heart must never fail,

Or falter on his quest.

Those who live to tell the tale,

First must turn he crest.”

(Mossflower, 132)

A Ritual of Villains

“Shake paws, count your claws,
You steal mine, I’ll borrow yours.
Watch my whiskers, check both ears.
Robber foxes have no fears”

(Mossflower, 201)

This oath was taken between two like minded Fox, except one wasn’t. Patchcoat was actually a weasel, that was dressed like a fox, from Mossflower who was sent to intercept Fortunata, which was out by the orders of the queen “thousand eyes” to look for clues as to the where-about’s of the creatures of Mossflower. The creatures of Mossflower had been waging war against the forces of Kotir and had proved they could fight an effective guerilla war against the superior forces of Kotir.

The Quest for Salamanastron

“Salamandastron is a large, extinct volcano on the western shore of Mossflower.” Salamandastron is described as “Fire Mountain”, and secret place of dragons. Bella is sending Martin and Gonff to find her father Boar the Fighter which is reported to have traveled to Salamandastron. Boar the Fighter is to be apprised of the situation back in Mossflower.

The location of Salamandastron is a mystery and Bella and her cohorts are looking for clues that might have been left behind by Bella’s father as to its location.

Gonff Sings Grace

“Squirrels, otters, hedgehogs, mice,
Moles with fur like sable,
Gathered in good spirits all,
Round this festive table.
Sit we down to eat and drink.
Friends, before we do, let’s think.
Fruit of forest, field, and banks.
To the springtime, we give thanks.”

(Mossfollow, 109)

A Pot Luck Affair at Bella’s

The woodlanders were told to meet at Bella’s for a meeting to come up with ideas on how to best confront Tsarmina Greeneyes and her armies. Most of the participating woodlanders brought something with them to share with the others. Martin had eaten at many tables, but never did he sit at a table with so many excellent dishes:

Bulrush and fresh water shrimp soup
A flagon of hot root punch
Hazelnut truffle
Blackberry Apple crumb
Baked sweet chestnuts
Honeyed toffee pairs
Maple three cordial
Current and berry pies
Seedcake
Potato scones
A cask of October ale
Turnip’ n’ tater, beetroot’ n’ tater, and been’ n’ tarter pie with tomato chutney

Escaped from Kotir, Gonff’s Song

As the troop of woodlanders were marching back from the fortress of Kotir with Martin and Gonff, Gonff played his hornpipe and danced about and sang this song:

"I’m a mouse with a very long tail,
With a heart and voice to match.
I’ve escaped from the pussycats goal.
They’ll find me hard to catch.
So, away, through the grass, the flowers and leaves,
Like smoke on the breeze, the Prince of Thieves.
Lets cheer for the day when we will see,
The Mossflower country safe and free."

(Mossflower, 69)

Gonff’s Escape Song

After having the necessary tools smuggled into the prison, Gonff played his flute and sang another of his improvised songs:

“Pickalock, pickalock, you’ll regret the day,
When you took a mousethief and locked him away.
Sillycat, look at that, its two for one.
The thief and the warrior,
By dawn will be gone.”

(Mossflower, 50)

(It is fortunate that none of guards heard Gonff’s song.)

It should be noted that the pair had over slept and did not start their escape until way after dawn. They were still able to affect their escape, but along the way out of the castle the two mice ran right into Tsarmina Greeneyes, the wild cat and purported ”Lady of the Thousand Eyes, Slayer of Enemies, Ruler of Kotir, Conqueror of all Creatures.” If it had not been some quick action by Martin the two might not had realized their escape.

Gonff’s Prison Song

Gonff had been apprehended by the soldiers of Kotir for his thefts of their stores. This is another song sung by Gonff, the mouse thief, after being thrown into a cell with Martin the warrior.

“I knew a mouse in prison here,
More than a hundred years,
His whiskers grew along the ground,
And right back to his ears.
His eyes grew dim, his teeth fell out,
His fur went silver-gray,
‘If my granddad were here,
‘I wonder what he’d say?’ ”

(Mossflower, 38)

Another Song of Gonff

Gonff was heard singing this song as he skipped through the flowering woodlands with a "heavy intoxication of springtime" or was he intoxicated form the elderberry wine?

"Cuckoo, cuckoo, good day, my friend, to you.
O sly one you know best,
To lay in others nest.
But I am smarter, sir than you.
Cuckoo, my friend cuckoo."

Mossflower, 35