Beginning Poem as told by Nightshade the Seer
“When blood of the week meets blood of the strong,
Reapp the whirlwind you have sown,
Beware the lightning summer mark,
Of one whom you have known.
To the Lord who scorns all pity,
Open wide th Dark Forest gate,
There a little flower awaits,
One day to seal your fate.”
**********
Song about Sunflash and Skarlath (p. 17)
“I met with six weasels one warm summer night,
And I feared for my life I’d be eaten and slain,
But their faces wer fearful, ashen with fright,
They jibbered and whimpered like they were insane.
‘O save us, presverve us, O hide us from him,
The one with the mark of the sun on his facee,
In one paw he carries a great hornbeam limb,
He’s the Warrior Lord they call Sunflash the Mace!’
Of a sudden the earth seemed to tremble and shake,
And the verminous weasels passed out in a swoon,
As he came like the wind, with a hawk in his wake,
There he stood strong and tall ‘neath the moon.
I’ll neer forget what he told me that night,
While he looked at the weasels, stretched out where they fell.
‘You’re a very brave beast to down six in one fight,
For a small baby dormouse you’ve done very well!”
**********
Chant from Sunflash’s dream (p. 27)
“Find me one day ‘neath the sun,
Guarding the land and the seas.
Streams to the rivers must run,
Telling their tales to the breeze.
You are Lord, by the blood of your sires,
From dawn ‘til the daylight dies,
As the sun bursns the sea with its fires,
And stars pin night’s cloak to the skies.
Find me whenever you will,
Seek me wherever you may,
All of your dreams fulfill,
‘Ere time like the mist rolls away...”
**********
Chanted by Uncle Blunn (p. 30)
“Willy Nilly Nilly, Pod Pod Pod!
All you’m ‘oglets stamp ee ground,
Moi ole paws b’ain’t young loike yores,
Show us ‘ow ee darnce around!”
**********
Sung by Dearie Lingl (p. 30)
“I once ‘ad a cattypillar come t’live with me,
We was both the best of friends as ever there c’d be,
He’d wiggle ‘round upon the ground, he’d smile an’ shake my paw,
An’ every time that I went out, stop in an’ guard my door.
But then one time when I returned I cried out ‘Lack a day!’
My little cattypillar, he had left an’ gone away,
An’ there upon my mantelpiece a butterfly I saw,
Far to proud to speak to me, he flew right out the door.
Colored bright in warm sunlight, that creature winged away,
I’ve never found my cattypillar to this very day.
Which makes me say unto myself, now I am old and wise,
I do like cattypillars, but I can’t stand butterflies!”
**********
The song that told Sunflash about Salamandastron (p. 31)
“Arm not alas sand, ‘wau south in the west,
So star land a mat, there’s where I love best,
Sand not as alarm, lone seabirds do wing,
And alas most ran, list’ to me whilst I sing.”
**********
Nightblade’s chant (p. 37)
“Gurgling, rattling, final breath,
Brings me from Dark Forest gate,
I, the messenger of death,
King of Darkness, Lord of Fate!”
(p. 38)
“Mightier than the Warlord,
Who must come to his call,
I am but a messenger,
Death rules over all!”
(p. 41)
“Seasons of glory will come to the horde,
Nobeast will lack plunder while Sixclaw is Lord!”
“All beasts who challenge the Sixclaw will die,
Dark Forest gates will reflect in their eye!”
**********
Recited by Elmjak (p. 65)
“If beast be bit by fang of snake,
And lying near Dark Forest gate,
This ancient poultice you must make,
To thwart the paws of fate.
Find berries from the rowan tree,
Add one small green pine cone,
With young leaf of raspberry,
Pounded flat beneath a stone.
Heat o’er a flame ‘til colored dark,
Stir fast to make a paste of it,
Bind hot and tight with aspen bark,
Unto the limb the serpent bit.
Change oft from dawn till nightfall,
Make sure the beast lies still,
Mayhap he’ll live to thank us all,
If he be strong of will!”
**********
Blunn’s song (p. 69)
“Oh, oi knowed a mole called Wurpldown Dumm,
Ee wurr a rascal, a villyun boi gumm,
An’ ee ‘ad the plumpest an’ fattest ole tumm,
As ever was see’d in yon wuddland.
For brekkist ee eated a duzzing gurt pies,
They say that ‘is tumm wurr as big as ‘is eyes,
Ee kept ‘is mouth opened so ee cudd catch flies,
Ee ett everythink in yon wuddland.
One day as ole Wurpldown Dumm lied asleep,
Ee Lord o’ Dark Forest came wi’ a gurt lep
An’ carried ‘im off furrever to keep,
Ole Wurpldown in ee dark wuddland.
An’ all ee dead vurmints cried, ‘Coom an’ see mates,
O boggle us seasons, an’ lackaday fates,
Yon fat mole ee’s eatn’ gurt Dark Forest gates,
O get ‘im back up to ee wuddlands.’
Ee said, ‘Oi’ve eatd butterflies, oi’ve eated bees,
Oi’ve drinked lots o’ soups and cordials an’ teas,
But gates o’ Dark Forest tastes just loike gudd cheese,
One day oi’ll go back to those wuddlands!’ ”
**********
Sung by Folrig (p. 96)
“When I was just a liddle beast,
I was so small an’ weak,
I’d often fall flat on me tail,
An’ I could ‘ardly speak.
I scarce could totter round the floor,
Me whiskers used to droop,
‘Til granma mad a great big pot
Of good ole ‘otroot soup!
An’ now I’m brisker than a bee,
More fitter than a mole,
Most every day I ‘ear granma say,
‘Give ‘im another bowl!’
I’ll live a thousand seasons,
Grow strong as any tree,
Give me a spoon an’ fetch it soon,
Good ‘otroot soup for me.”
**********
Spoken by Sunflash (p. 99)
“Through wintercold and summerheat,
The Badger Lord knows not defeat!
Point of spear or blade of sword,
Nought can stop the Badger Lord!”
**********
Nightshade’s pact with Balefur (p. 114)
“Fox and fox together act,
Here’s my paw and here’s my pact!”
**********
Song about Sunflash and the searats (p. 129-130)
“Oh, ‘twas all in the summertime,
Our hearts did sadly grieve,
The searats stole up in the night,
And with our babes did leave.
Full four and thirty little shrews
Were taken to be slaves,
To live in misery or refuse
And die in watery graves.
But then a mighty warrior
Did come along our way;
We knew what fate had sent him for,
When these words he did say:
‘Come follow me down to the sea,
Across the mountain track,
And I will set your young ones free;
I’ll bring those babies back.’
And then with mighty chunks of rock,
He damned the great broadstream
And gave those foul searats a shock,
Which caused them all to scream.
He came with death held in his paw,
Which no rat born could face.
Oh woe to those who break the law,
Of Sunflash and his mace.
Take warning all you bold searats,
Who plough the raging main,
Steal not our babes, and come not near
Our peaceful shores again,
For fear you meet the Badger Lord,
he of the gold-marked face,
For you’ll meet death once you have met
The Warrior with the Mace.”
**********
Guosim paddling chant (p. 132)
“Shrum a too rye hey, shrum a too rye hey,
Dig those paddles deep today,
Where the adlers shade me overhead,
And trout swim on the broadstream bed.
I’m a Guosim to the water wed,
Shrum a too rye hey, shrum a too rye hey,
I’ll see you one day to make,
O’er any stream or pond or lake,
A good ole logboat’s ripplin’ wake,
Shrum a too rye hey, shrum a too rye hey shrum shrummmmmm.”
**********
Skarlath’s Spring Song (p. 142)
“I went off to my bed on one dark winter’s night,
When the ground was all snowy and covered up white,
And snug in my blanket I started to dream
That the ice had melted away from the stream.
Ooooh! Plip plop, hear the water drop,
And larks take wing as the buds go pop!
And the sun do shine as the birds do sing,
Throw open the gates of Spring!
Then I dreamt that I felt all the earth come awake,
And the sky was as blue as a clear mountain lake;
And through that old dream a good sound ringing true,
‘Twas the hearalding song of a happy cuckoo!
Ooooh! Plip plop, hear the water drop,
And larks take wing as the birds do sing,
Throw open wide the gates of Sprig!
Fol de rol de lair oh lair oh,
Hail the newborn day,
Spring has made the weather fair oh,
Winter’s gone away!”
**********
Sung by Togget (p. 147)
“Ho a bumblybee ee’m a wunnerful burd,
Sings a song loike you’m never hurrd,
Ho a fuzzbuzz fuzzbuzz fuzzbuzz buzz,
That’s all ee’m ever duzz duzz duzz!”
**********
Young ones chant (p. 158)
“Cut the cake, cut the cake,
Cut the cake for goodness sake,
Me an’ my mat have each got a plate,
An’ here we have to sit an’ wait.
So cut the cake, say the grace,
Let’s get cream upon me face,
An’ sticky paws as a slice I take,
Oh cut that cake for goodness sake!”
**********
The Rememberance Grace (p. 159)
“This feast we’ve made to remember you,
Who made our Abbey great,
Comrades, stout of heart and true,
Belov’d by valorous fate.
Dinny, Gonff, and Columbine,
Good Martin and Abbess Germaine,
I raise to you this glass of wine,
And to others, to many to name.
So join me, friends, this toast I call:
Redwall heroes one and all!”
**********
Sung to Sunflash during his sleep (p. 167)
“Rest a while, sleep awhile,
Here where the warrior stays,
Old as the dust of seasons,
Soft as the call of lost days.
Mountain Lords marked out by fate,
Watched o’er great seas forlorn.
You are the heart of this ancient rock,
Where mighty legends are born.”
**********
Sung by the warriors returning to Redwall (p. 184)
“Oh we chased ‘em off the highway,
They fled off to the west,
We sent ‘em every whichway,
Our warriors are the best.
They’ll never see ole Redwall,
’Cos they were forced to flee,
Sent on their way by shaft ‘n’ stone
From every greenwood tree.
Bad luck attend the vermin beast
Who came out of the north and east,
We’ll give ’em blood’n’steel’n’stone,
Until they leave our land alone!”
**********
Saying as told by Zigu (p. 193)
“Where fate is sealed on battle’s field,
And many low are laid,
Th wasest mind says stay behind,
And let the fools get slayed!”
**********
Sung by Jodd (p. 210)
“O the Reason why I sing this ballad
Is ‘cos I wish I were a salad;
If I were a salad, a great big one,
I’d lick the plate when I was gone!
But merrydown derrydown, I don’t care,
I’m hungry as a good old hare.
So all you frogs pay heed to me
A pudden’s what I’d like to be;
All full of plums and steamin’ hot,
I’d scoff me in a flash, eh wot?
But merrydown derrydown, no not me,
A good old hare is what I’ll be.
Then if I were a great fat fish,
The frogs would lay me in a dish;
And when they all sat down to sup,
With knives an’ forks they’d cut me up.
So merrydown derrydown, lack a day,
A hungry hare is what I’ll stay!”
**********
Toungue Twister as told by Sister Withe (p. 227)
“See all the plants of the woodland are mine,
Gilliflow’r nettle, dock and columbine;
Good Nature provided these things for my own,
The speedwell, fine conttongrass, and the cockscomb;
They grow and they flourish in sunshine or rain,
Groundsel, rush, hemlock, soapwart, and verbane;
Some in the summer and others in spring,
Whilst others in autumn cause me to sing;
Yarrow and arrowroot, bracken and bramble,
Pennywort, chervil, marestail, and eyebright,
Teazel and thistle and ivy to ramble,
Whilst lily and violet await morning light,
Mint, borage, fennel, and basil are mine,
Like lavender, rosemary, thyme, and woodbine!”
Sung by Byrony (p. 247-248)
“I search for the summer o’er fields far and still,
Though seasons may take me wherever they will,
Cross vale and o’er hill as the warm winds blown down,
‘Twas there I fould autumn gold russet, and brown.
I wandered the lands ‘neath a misty morn sky,
‘Til the frost rimed a small icy tear from my eye.
O winter, cold winter turns short days to night,
And dresses the lea in a gown of pure white,
So windswept and sad until yon comes the day,
A pale morn of sunlight melts snowflakes away.
See greenshoots a-pushing to pierce the bare earth,
Bringing fair-colored flowers to herald springbirth,
As spinney and woodland grow leafier each day,
Young birds sing that summer is soon on its way.
I’ll find me the glade that my heart recalls best,
In my soft summer dell I will lay down to rest.”
**********
Sung by the warriors in Salamandaston (p. 263)
“Oh, here’s to the comrades who fought the good fight,
On the field where their valor was won.
They gave their lives hard to defend what was right,
Let us drink to the warriors who’ve gone.
They stood shoulder to shoulder, there’s none who was bolder,
And many the foebeast we slayed;
We’ll remember our friends who never grow older,
Alas, what a price they paid.
For the word has been spoken, the sword now is broken,
When we’re old we will sit and tell tales of their days.”
**********
Sung by Duddle (p. 277)
“One day in spring I said to me wife,
Though we’re close together as fork’n’knife,
An’ I’ve loved y’dearly all of me life,
Still I’ll have to follow the wateeeeeeer!”
She yelled at me an’ took up her broom,
An’ chased me twice around the front room,
Shoutin’, ‘That ole river’ll be yore doom,
Think of yer son an’ yer daughteeeeeeeer!’
So I said to her, ‘O love dearie me,
I must follow the river right down t’ the sea,
‘Tis the only way a beast can be free,’
An’ I ran ‘cos I couldn’t have fought heeeeeeer!
She said t’ me, ‘Now listen, you,
Me an’ the young ‘uns are all comin’ too,
On board of a raft you need a good crew,
It’ll make the jouney seem shorter!’ ”
**********
Recited by Clematis Roselea (p. 279-280)
“I have learnt to wash my paws,
An’ say sir an’ marm,
An’ don’t act daft when I’m on this raft,
Lest I do come to harm.
To sit up straight at dinner time,
An’ go to bed when told,
Mama says I’m a precious hog,
In fact I’m good as gold...So there!”
Sung by Clematis Roselea (p. 303)
“If I’m very, very good, my mama bakes me pies;
Hogmaids never should bring tears
To their dear mamas’ eye.
I scrub my face quite hard each morn,
And keep my dress so clean,
And to my little brother dear,
I’m never ever mean!”
**********
Riddle told by Fleetrun (p. 338-339)
My first is in boulder and I have a stone,
My second is thrice in an apple alone,
My third may be found at the end of a hem,
My fourth startws a stick and a stop and a stem,
My fifth’s in the middle of pop, but not pip,
My sixth is the second you’ll find in a snip.
My first half can stop up a broad river’s flow,
My second half’s no daughter, the other you know.
I’m found in pudden and pie and good wine,
And I know I’ll your names, so can you tell me mine?”
**********
Martin’s message to Bella (p. 349)
“Good creatures dwelling within these walls,
Be faithful, honest, and true.
My spirit is near; when harm befalls,
I will comfort and counsel you.
Throughout all seasons, I will be here,
Fear neither evil, nor strife.
The Warrior protects all you hold dear;
To my Redwall comrades, long life!”
**********
‘Ome Returnin’ (p.351-352)
“See the smoke curl from the chimney,
An’ the mat beside the door,
On the path there stands the family,
Like you left ‘em long before.
Home returning, home returning,
Seasons gone an’ young uns grown,
Home returning, home returning,
Back to those I call my own!
There the fire burns and the ale brews,
And the bread bakes soft an’ brown,
While my friends wait with the good news,
Bring my chair an’ sit me down.
Home returning, home returning,
Comes the warrior from the war,
Home returning, home returning,
Home to wander nevermore!”
**********
The inscription on the bench on top of Salamandastron (p. 359)
Here I often gaze out o’er the seas,
When winter snows have gone to spring so fair,
Alone, except for butterflies and bees,
Remembering the times we used to share.
Your spirit soars o’er the places where I’d walk,
Not holding any friend on earth so true,
Upon my shoulder, good and faithful hawk,
O Skarlath, there was never one like you!
With heavy heart I sit alone in grief,
Lord of the mountain, ruling over all,
Wishing I could split a single leaf,
To bring you back again, with our old call.
Archivist’s note: I just wanted to mention that this brings tears to
my eyes every
time I read it, its so sad. :(