Song (poem?) at beginning of book

To where will they go,
This is a secret nobeast may know.
        Marlfox!
Plundering murdering vulpine thieves,
Who blend with stone,
Or mend with leaves.
        Marlfox!
See the pale eyes and swirling cloak,
Appear like nightmare,
Vanish like smoke.
        Marlfox !
What steals upon the silent air,
Gleaming fangs, mottled fur,
A deadly axblade lying there.
        Marlfox!
Nobeast living can hide from thee,
O thou who treads invisibly,
Cross hill and vale, through woods and rocks.
        Marlfox!
         Marlfox!
          Marlfox!

**********

Prologue

Who are we but strolling players,
Wand’ring through the long ago,
Joys and sadness, hopes and longings,
Keep us traveling onward through
The laughter and applause of others,
Who view the passing cavalcade,
Leave echoes hovering some far summer,
Floating round a woodland glade.
‘Twas but a tale for your amusement,
Like my small unworthy rhyme,
Gone, alas, into those reams,
The land of once upon a time.

**********

Sung by Song (p. 9)

“Flow’rs of the forest
Are bright in the spring,
Wake with the dawn
Hear a lone skylark sing.
Brooks gaily babble
O’er hillsides so green,
Streams ripple secrets
Of what they have seen,
Small birds give voice
Mid the leaves of great trees,
Which rustle softly
In time with the breeze.
I’ll add my music
For what it is worth,
And sing just for you, love,
The song of the earth.”

**********

Sung by the Wandering Noonvale Company (p. 24)

“Oh for the open road,
No dullard’s life for me,
Th world is my abode,
Performing endlessly.
I’m free I’m free, companions we,
Travel the highways happily,
Performing deeds of derring-do,
And plays of hearoes good and true,
Tumbling singing in merry attire,
Pray tell me, sir, what’s your desire?
Come fiddle dum twiddle dum derrydownday,
A harum-scarum hoopallahey,
come one come all this day to see
The Wandering Noonvale Companeeeeeeeeee!”

**********

Sung by the Guosim (p. 28)

“Whum chakka um chakka chumchakka whum!
Guosim dig yore paddle deep,
Hurly-burly river wide’n’curly,
There’s no time to sleep.
Whum chakka um chakka chumchakka whum!
Rapid wild and fast do go,
Hurly-burly river wide’n’curly,
Bend yore backs an’ row.
Whum chakka um chakka chumchakka whum!
Keep her bows up in the foam,
Hurly-burly river wide’n’curly,
Logboat take us home.
Whum chakka um chakka chumchakka...”

**********

Sung by Song (p. 47)

“I once knew an ant and I knew him right well,
This ant he lived in a hazelnut shell,
He had relations to count by the score,
They used to come knocking on his tiny door.
One was called distant, he lived far away,
Another was pleasant, he’d bid you good day,
A third was constant, he was never away,
Then there was hesitant, not sure he’d stay,
And poor old reluctant not sure too,
And one called valiant stout and true.
Now I’ll tell you the reason they all came to call,
‘Cos this ant was the most important of all!”

**********

Sung by Florian (p. 50-51)

“Deah mothah I am hungry, hungry,
An’ starvin’ as well to boot,
Oh to be back home in your orchard,
So full of delishowus froot.
If I perish’n’die before maaaawnin’,
My last thought will be of yewww,
An’ the smile on Father’s whiskers,
An’ a whackin’ great bowl of stewwww!
Are Grandpa’s teeth still missin’,
The way I’m missin’ yooooooou?
You’re the nicest ma a son could have
Fare thee well my dearset parents,
For quite soon now I must die,
But if I get home before midnight,
Don’t let Grandma eat all the pie!”

**********

Droned by chanters (?) (p. 53)

“All powerful mighty Queen, whose beauty has ne’er been surpassed,
Far brighter than the sun, whose rays it will outlast,
We live to serve you truly, until our final breath,
Knowing you hold all secrets, the power of life and death,
Wisest of wise, greatness sublime,
Rules o’er our isle for all time.”

**********

Sung by Song (p. 69)

“Our thanks to you friends, our thanks to one and all,
For kindly asking us to join you at Redwall,
We saw from afar, just as we thought we should,
Your Abbey like a gem, set in Mossflow’r’s green wood.
the welcome you gave us was like we’d never known,
Like family you treat us, as we were your own,
The bells tolled so pretty, out o’er the countryside,
A message of friendship, it echoed far and wide,
The food and drink you gave us was wonderful and yet,
‘Tis you and your friendship that we’ll never forget!”

**********

Sung by the Noonvale Companions (p. 91)

“Oh come along dearies follow me,
I’lltake ye down t’the sycamore tree,
Plum pudden an’ turnover, apple pie.
Beneath its spreadin’ boughs we’ll lie,
With veggible pasty an’ damson tart,
We’ll wheel it along in a little cart,
the birds will sing ‘Give us some do.’
Oh the food’s for us an’ the crumbs for you,
So empty the cupboard out what d’you see,
A fruitcake for you an’ trifle for me,
There’s bread’n’cheese an’ what d’you think,
A jugful o’ raspberry cordial to drink.
A rowtle tee trowtle an’ toora lie ay,
What do you think our old mother will say,
Riddle dum diddle dum derrydown dare,
When she comes home to find her cupboard all bare?”

**********

The Battle for the Final Crumpet (p. 108-109)

“Oh ‘twa on the umpty-ninth of spring,
when a duck blew on a trumpet,
I led an army from behind,
To the battle of the final crumpet.
Some wore boots an’ some wore clogs,
An’ some wore big long faces,
An’ two fat moles fell down with colds,
Before we’d marched ten paces.
At the battle of the final crumpet,
I very near lost me life,
When I go punched upon the nose,
By a big bad hedgehog’s wife.
Then all broke out in mutiny,
When a mouse with a mustache said,
‘Lie down me lads afore they charge,
So they’ll all think we’re dead!’
Well there we sat while all around,
The spears an’ shafts were thuddin’,
A-drinkin’ goosegog cordial wine,
An’ eatin’ cabbage puddin’.
We finally defeated them,
When the duck tripped on his trumpet,
An’ I got a feather in me cap,
‘Cos I ate the final crumpet!”

**********

Samkin’s riddling rhyme to the Great Lake as read by Friar Butty (p. 110)
 Archivist’s note: Samkin is in another book, as many of you might know.  If someone can shine some light on which on it is for me, I’d be greatful, since I couldn’t find a mention of him.

“At the rear of redstone wall,
Find me o’er where breaks the day,
You cannot, shall not walk at all,
Just follow as I run away.
Discover the speechess hidden mouth,
Alas, my friends, our ways part there,
Go down green tunnel, bounden south,
Through trees with blossoms in their hair.
Then when the sky shows blue and light,
And clear down to the bed you gaze,
Be not decieved by rainbows bright,
Beware tall stones and misted haze.
Leaping boiling, stealing breath,
None can stand against this might,
Which sweeps the traveler down to death,
In caves of grim eternal night.
And should you live to seek the lake,
Watch for the fish of blue and gray,
Betwixt those two’s the path you take,
Good fortune wend you on your way!”

**********

Warrior’s grace (p. 114-115)

“Fate and fortunes, seasons fair,
Be kind to us this day,
Let nobeast here whom we hold dear,
See comrades borne away.
May the strong defend the weak,
Protect those who take part,
Grant victory of truth and right,
To warriors brave of heart.
Banish the foebeast from our land,
And when new seasons fall,
Leave not an empty space of grief,
Amongst us at Redwall!”

“An’ if on a empty tummy I’m slain,
Then I’ll jolly well never get killed again,
So pass the pudden an’ fetch the pies,
An’ I’ll give the foebeast a rotten surprise!”

**********

Sung by the Noonvale Companions Troupe (p. 117-118)

“I paint my face or wear a mask,
For I’ll be anybeast you ask,
As I wander on my way.
A skillful tumbler bounding high,
A pitiful mope who’ll make you cry,
My actor’s part I play.
And what care you if I am sad,
Or if ill fortune I have had,
‘Tis just a clown, you say.
Aye, just a droll who plays a part,
Who travels in a painted cart,
From dawn to dusk each day.
An actor can be young or old,
Figure of fun or hero bold,
From tears to laughter without pause,
I strut th stage to your applause,
Then I look in my mirror and say, ‘Hey,
What fool shall I play today?’ ”

**********

Said by Dann (p. 137)

“Four Chieftains going forth,
To bring back Redwall’s heart,
Vengeance, honor, friendship,
Each will play their part.
The flower bears my blade,
And greenstick, Warrior’s daughter,
Join with the shortsword bearer,
And one who lives by water.
Before the herald lark,
Ere night’s last teardrop falls,
With none to bid you fond farewell,
Go! Leave these old red walls.”

**********

Sung by Dippler (p. 148)

“If you eat too much you’ll sink the boat,
Burst yore bots an’ split yore coat,
Just scoff enough so you stay afloat,
‘Tis manners, good manners!
If you pinch the vittles from another’s plate,
Wait till he’s lookin’ the other way, mate,
An’ when the fish are bitin’, don’t eat the bait,
‘Tis manners, good manners!
If yore a shrew o’ the Guosim clan,
To share yore matey’s pudden or flan,
‘Tis manners, good manners!
Remember to chew everythin’ in sight,
If it don’t bite back, then get first bite,
An’ always take a basinful to bed each night,
‘Tis manners, good manners!

**********

Sung by the Riverhead Tribe (p. 173)

“Oh there’s some fools take a bath each day,
By rollin’ in the mornin’ dew,
An’ others who won’t wash at all,
But that ain’t me or you.
Othersome take dry dust baths,
An’ reckon that they’re clean,
But if a watervole you be,
Well you know wot I mean.
Hoho, yiss yiss, ho hooooooo!

Don’t sit’n’shiver beside the river,
Dive right in with a splosh,
Grab hold of a good ole soapwort root,
An’ give yoreself a wash.
Scrub hard scrub soft scrub lively, mate,
Good health you’ll never lack,
An’ if yore paws can’t reach around,
A fish’ll scrub yore back.

**********

Green Rushes an’ Lilies so Pale (p. 174-175)

“Green rushes green rushes an’ lilies so pale,
Pray sit ye down friend now an’ list’ to my tale,
For the rivers flow fast an’ the mountans are tall,
An’ across the wide moorlands the curlews do call,
Dirry wallaker williker doddle rum day!

Green rushes green rushes an’ lilies so pale,
Bring me bread’n’cheese an’ some dandelion ale,
An’ light up a fire now to warm my cold paws,
I’ll sit here all winter till that river thaws,
Skither riddle aye fiddle aye rumbletum hey!

Green rushes green rushes an’ lilies so pale,
I’ve traveled so far over valley an’ dale,
Stale bread’n’hard cheese an’ the ale isn’t here,
An’ the fire isn’t lit so ‘tis goodbye, me dear.
Rowlte dowtle rye tootle I go on me way!

Green rushes pale lilies I’ll bid ye good day!
For where I’m not welcome I never would stay!
An’ to all you musicians I”d just like to say,
If I’ve sung out too fast yore indulgence I pray!”

**********

Sung by Song (p. 208)

“Oh how could a hedgehog marry a mole,
He’s prickly prickly prickly,
An’ live with a squirrel all in a great hole,
Very tickly tickly tickly.
An’ what if an otter could dance with a trout,
He’d stay in the river an’ never come out.
Pray tell me whatever they’d all think o’ me,
Inviting a bumblebee in for its tea?
Why they’d come in and join us for goodness’ sake,
For scones an’ trifle an’ blueberry cake,
Elderflow’r cordial an’ strawberry pie,
Oh turn caterpillar to bright butterfly!”

**********

Sung by Burble (p. 208-209)

“A watervole grows like an ould bulrush stalk,
An’ learns to swim afore ‘e can walk,
Just give ‘im a paddle an’ lend ‘im a boat,
There’s nought as nice as a vole wot’s afloat.
Go ruggle yore tookle an’ rowgle yer blot,
Come floogle yore wattle an’ pickle yer swot!
A watervole’s clever’n’smart an’ he’s nice,
‘E won’t take a boat out onto the ice,
But ‘e’ll live all life in a comfy ould cave,
An’ when ‘e dies it’ll do fer ‘is grave.
So twagle me gurdle an’ griddle me twogg,
Right burgle me doodle an’ frumple me plogg!”

**********

Sung by Redwallers (p. 219)

“Midsummer midsummer the solstice is here,
And now we give thanks to the day,
We joyfully sing like the birds on the wing,
For old winter is still far away.
The high sun of noontide smiles down on us all,
Sending warmth to the earth from on high,
Soon the autumn will yield, out in orchard and field,
Where the bounties of nature do lie.
Midsummer midsmmer the solstice is now,
In the midst of this season so bright,
Yea we sing, aye we sing, hear our glad voices ring,
Far into this fine summer night.”

**********

Said by Soll (p. 232)

“Goodwife Brimm, are you at ‘ome?
If’n you are ‘tis only me,
Now you won’t sit all alone,
‘Cos I’ve brought some friends to tea!”

Answer by Brimm

“If’n that’s who I think it be,
Wot a din yore makin’,
Seems to me I only see,
Yore face when I’m bakin’!”

**********

Sung by Song (p. 234-235)

“Who taught the birds to sing?
Why Mother Nature dear.
Who told the winds an’ breeze to blow,
Rain to fall an’ snow to snow,
Rivers to run an’ streams to flow?
Oh Mother Nature dear!

Who colored grass so green?
Why Mother Nature dear.
Who tells the moon, come out at night,
And teaches stars to shine so bright,
Then orders sun and clear daylight?
Oh Mother Nature dear!

Who makes the seasons change?
Why Mother Nature dear.
Who says the seas must ebb and flow,
An’ tells each tree how tall to grow,
Then lets the days pass fast or slow?
Oh Mother Nature dear,
I see her plain an’ clear,
She’s all around us here!”

**********

Sung by Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop (p. 242-243)

“Armed to the dirty mangy teeth,
Ten of ‘em came at me,
Hoho, me buckoes, here, sez I,
Only ten of ye?
So I boxed their ears an’ blacked their eyes,
Then tied their tails in knots.
I kicked their bottoms o’er the walls
With javelins an’ slingshots,
When suddenly behind me back,
Some foulbeast shouted ‘Charge!’
An’ twenty’-three came right at me,
Those villians were quite large.
So I got me trusty salad fork,
An’ jabbed ‘em here’n’there,
I left ‘em weepin’, full o’ holes,
‘Oh save us from that hare!’
Well I grabbed a fleein’ Marlfox,
An’ punched him on the snout,
Both his boots went flyin’ off,
I gave him such a clout!
those rats were dirty fighters,
Out came me old soup ladle,
The cowardly pack o’ blighters,
Fled fast as they were able.
I chased ‘em laughin’ bravely,
Haharr now off you pop,
I”m the warrior who saved Redwall,
An’ me last name’s Wilffachop!”

**********

Chanted by vermin (p. 267)

“Who be death? We be death!
Here’s d’blade wot stop yore breath!
Kye arr rakkachakka whummwhummwhumm!
Plunder good! Slayin’ good!
These d’blades wot shed yore blood!
Kye arr rakkachakka whummwhummwhumm!”

**********

Recited by Cregga (p. 272)

“I’ll skelp their tails I’ll skelp their ears,
Then skelp some whiskers too,
Nobeast skelps like Cregga does,
An’ I’ve skelped quite a few!
I love to see ‘em turnin’ pale,
Some’ll weep or some’ll wail,
Some’ll grow up with no tail,
When I’m done skelpin’ here!

So hush my naughty dear,
Go fast asleep till morn,
That’s if you wish to waken up,
With tail unskelped by dawn!
One more word, just one more peep,
Woe betide those not asleep,
They will call out, Mercy! Help!
When the badger starts to skelp!”

**********

Sung by Tragglo (p. 298)

“Ho there am I, a liddle bee,
A-livin’ in my ole oak tree,
When some bad varmind wid an ax,
Deals my ‘ome a good few whacks.
Oh buzz, sez I, now wot’s amiss,
Good gracious me, I can’t ‘ave this.
So, buzz, buzz, buzz, I flies right out,
Wags my sting an’ looks about,
Buzz buzz buzz, who can I sting?
Whoever did this wicked thing.
So right up in the air I fly,
An’ there the villain I espy,
Buzz buzz buzz, the one I chose,
Had honey smeared all on his nose,
Buzz buzz buzz, aye, that’s him there,
That ‘orrible funny-lookin’ hare.
Steal my honey, that ain’t fair,
Yore goin’ to pay the price, proud sir,
Buzz buzz buzz, so down I goes,
An’ stings him hard upon his nose,
I mde him leap an’ howl an’ wail,
An’ that’s the sting in my small tale.
Buzz buzz buzz, I tell you folk,
Stay clear o’ my ole three-topped oak!”

**********

Said by Ascrod (p. 300)

“The Marlfox cannot be bested,
Either in cunning or stealth,
Whenever there is power to be seized,
Plunder, land or wealth,
When other minds are slumb’ring,
The Marlfox is wide awake,
Figuring how and where and when,
To deceive, to slay to take!
Invisibly, by the magical guile,
Slyly, with less than a sound,
Count your paws, make sure they’re yours
When the Marlfox is around!”

**********

Read by Ashrak (p. 334)

“No more on our isle will your presense be,
Or your voice like some silver bell,
Like summer smoke, you have gone from me,
My grief is too mournful to tell.
Great High Queen Silth we commend you,
With loving care to the deep,
May the guardians of waters attend you,
In silent depths of sleep,
Knowing that I, who rule in your place,
Draw all of my wisdom from you,
May show to all, a merciful face,
To your memory, always true!”

**********

The ‘odgepodge Song (ok, it’s not the actual title ::smiles::) (p. 338)

“Oh you take an ‘odge, an’ I’ll take a podge,
If anybeast asks us why,
Jus’ tell him that some clever cooks,
Are makin’ ‘odgepodge pie.
We start with an ‘azelnut an’ a leek,
‘Cos they’re wot we likes best,
An’ tho’ they don’t look much to speak,
Tll we toss in the rest!
‘Odgepodge ‘odgepodge, good ole ‘odgepodge,
That’s the pie for me,
I’ll scoff it ‘ot at suppertime,
Or wolf it cold for tea.
Oh savage a cabbage, tear a turnip,
Rip ripe radishes too,
Chop up chestnuts, they’re the bestnuts,
Chuck in quite a few.
Dannyline ransum, mushrooms ‘andsome,
Beetroots nice an’ red,
An’ watercress that’s more or les,
With piecrust over’ead!
Oh ‘odgepodge ‘odgepodge, good ole ‘odgepodge,
North west east or south,
You can shove it up yore nose, but I suppose,
‘Tis better off in yore mouth!
Who loves an ‘odgepogde...Hedge’ogs!”

**********

Sung by Song (p. 344-345)

“Aboard the good ship Wobblechop,
I sailed when I was young,
First in line an’ feelin’ fine,
When the dinner bell was rung.
Our Cap’n ‘ad a fog’orn voice,
An’ boots as big as me,
‘Stand by, me lads, ‘ere comes a ship,
‘Tis a pirate craft!’ cried he.
Whoa skilly’n’duff that’s the stuff,
To keep nearby when things get rough!

The pirate Cap’n was a rat,
His name was Itchee Scratch,
Upon his nose, why goodness knows,
He wore a red eyepatch.
‘Haul to, ye dozy lubbers,
I’m fat’n’bad an’ tough,
An’ I smells plunder on the air,
Wot might be skilly’n’duff.’
Whoa skilly’n’duff, that’s the stuff,
Us waterbeasts can’t get enough!

Well I tell you, me word ‘tis true,
Our crew got quite upset,
To rob a sailor’s dinner was,
The worst thing we’d ‘eard yet,
So we put down our bowls’n’spoons,
Then armed ourselves with slings,
We slung at those ole pirate rats,
A dozen kinds o’ things.
Whoa skilly’n’duff, that’s the stuff
To eat while fightin’ searats gruff!

That pirate Cap’n he got shot,
By a barrel load of peas,
Wot blacked his eyes an’ stung his thighs,
An’ fractured all his knees.
We hit the crew with onion skins,
Big cabbage stalks as well,
With hardcrust pies an’ ‘orrible cries,
They splashed into the swell.
Whoa skilly’n’duff, that’s the stuff,
When vermin crews you must rebuff!

As Wobblechop sailed away that day,
We sang a jolly song,
The bottlenosed cook with laughter shook,
As the dinner bell went bong.
I’m old an’ fat with a greasy hat,
But this to you I say,
I must’ve scoffed a score o’ bowls,
Of skilly’n’duff that day.
Whoa skilly’n’duff, that’s the stuff,
When winter winds do howl’n’puff!”

**********

Sung by Song (p. 371)

“Please gaze round our garden, remember me there,
And always be faithful and true,
Then look to the sunset and know that somewhere,
‘Tis I wh’ll be thinking of you.
Home, home, I will come home,
Back to the ones I love best,
Home, home, no more to roam,
My weary heart will find rest.

So leave the door open and keep the fire bright,
As I recall it was always,
It may be evening or dawn’s welcome light,
I”ll wander back one of these days.
Home, home, I will come home,
Ere the long seasons have passed,
Home, home, no more to roam,
Peace we will find there at last.”

**********

Seven Seasons Gone (p. 375)

“Seven seasons gone, oh seven seasons gone,
But now I’m comin’ home, me dear ole mate,
Over valley hill’n’field an’ me footpaws didn’t yield,
Get some vittles on the table I can’t wait!
Go t’the left right left  Go t’the left right left!

Seven seasons gone, oh seven seasons gone,
Have the little ones all growed up big’n’strong,
Is me father in the chair, do his snores ring through the air,
Now I’m goin’ to wake him up with this ould song.
Go t’the left right left!  Go t’the left right left!

Seven seasons gone, oh seven seasons gone,
I’ve been fightin’ roarin’ marchin’ all the time,
But I’m comin’ home t’you, to give you a hug or two,
The moment that i’ve supped a jug o’ wine.
Go t’the left right left!  Go t’the left right left!

**********

Quoted by Marglo (p. 378)

“The paw of the shrew that slays the beast,
Who made our Chieftain fall,
Will wield the sword of Guosim,
And be Log a Log over all!”

**********

Recited by Cregga (p. 380)

“Four Chieftains from the isle return,
But one with his own tribe will stay,
Three will return, back to this place,
On summertime’s last day.
The riverbeast to rule his kind,
Where once his errors were maligned,
But this to you I say,
Lok to the young two who went from here,
A-questing for my tapestry,
The Reguba and Swifteye’s maid,
Champion and Abbess they shall be!”

**********

End paragraph (p. 386)

This narrative has been edited by Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop, Actor Manager Impresario.  Who insists that the entire tale is a drama, which he will be later performing as a play.  Hence the three parts being named as acts, rather that books.  We crave your indulgence for this deviation.