A concerted shout went up. "Tomorrow!"
Abbess Vale looked to her friend. "Very short notice for a Nameday. Could you cope, Faith?"
Mrs. Spinney straightened her apron and mobcap in a businesslike manner. "Ready an' willirT to try, Vale!"
At this they all gave a rousing cheer. Tudd Spinney tripped on his stick and fell, and little Dumble got overexcited and leaped over Tudd, straight into the pond. Thrugan waded swiftly in and hauled the dripping infant out.
After breakfast the word was all over the Abbey. Over at the south wallsteps young creatures whooped and jumped with delight, Samkim and Arula among them.
"It's tomorrow! Hooray! The Nameday's tomorrow!"
"There's going to be a party! We're going to have a party!"
Clad in a clean dry smock, Dumble led them, marching up
the steps and along the ramparts, chanting the traditional
rhyme which young ones recited in anticipation of the feast.
"Food to eat and games to play. Tell me why, tell me why.
32 Brian Jacques
Serve it out and eat it up.
Have a try, have a try.
Nameday, Nameday, fun and game day,
Come, Brother, Sister, join our play.
This season has a name!"
The great Joseph Bell pealed out happily over the sunny morn, and birds twittered in excitement over the joyous din. Old Abbeydwellers who were not busy in the kitchens gathered on the lawn to watch the young ones and remember long-ago Namedays they had enjoyed taking part in.
Other creatures outside Redwall heard the sounds of celebration that morningDingeye and Thura, the two stoats who had deserted Ferahgo's army some weeks earlier. They lay in the ditch on the opposite side of the path which skirted the west wall. Days and nights of roaming the west flatlands, scavenging, begging and thieving to eke out their mean existence showed on their gaunt faces. Dingeye was sleeping in the warmth of the morning sun, dreaming of roast meat and red wine, when Thura shook him.
"Lissen, can yer 'ear that, mucker?"
Dingeye sat up. He rubbed his face with a ragged sleeve and waggled a paw in his ear to clear it, cocking his head on one side. Gradually his ugly face split into a crooked grin, and he waved his paw in time with the chanting.
"Yersss, yersss indeedy! Sounds like a good of-fashioned whoopdedoo. Wot d'you make of it, mucker?"
Thura was chewing a blade of grass. His stomach growled loudly, and he pulled a face and spat out the grass. "Erm erm, I'd say it soun's the same ter me as it do ter you. Somebeast ringin' billyo out of a bell, a load of young uns settin' up a racket. All soun's very nice, though. 'Ere, wot d'you reckon that place is, mucker?"
"It's an abbey."
"A nabby? Wot's a nabby?"
Dingeye shoved Thura sideways, and he rolled down into
Salamandas tron
33
the slime. "An abbey, weedbrain, abbey. That must be the one called Redfall, or summat. I 'card of it one time off of a fox."
Thura stood up, wringing damp and ooze from his dirty shirt. "Huh, you don't know any foxes, slobberchops. An' if yer did they prob'ly wouldn't wanna know you. Redfall Nabby, chah!"
Dingeye leapt on him and clamped a paw over his mouth. "Shurrup, somebeast's a-comin' this ways."
Several moles came trundling along the path in the wake of their leader, a Foremole. The stoats watched from the ditch as the Foremole hailed the walltop.
"Yurr, gudd morn to 'ee, Sankin, an' 'ee, young 'Rula. Be guddbeasts naow an' oppen 'ee gate fer uz."
The young ones skipped down the west wall steps to open the big main gate of Redwall. As the moles filed in, Dingeye nudged Thura.
"Come on, mucker. 'Ere we go. Imagine yer a mole, and we'll latch on to the line an' march in with 'em!"
Scurrying across the path, they joined the file behind the back mole, crouching double and making moleish sounds. "Hoc arr, mucker, ho urrmucker, hur hurr!"
Walking with heads down, they marched slapbang into Thrugg. The brawny otter grabbed both stoats by Their scruffs. "Back oars, mateys. Where d'you think yer off to?"
Dingeye fell on alt fours. Grasping Thrugg's left leg, he began wailing outrageously. "Ho, woe is us, sir. Kindness'11 toiler yer all yer days if n yer shows pity on a pair of gentle-beasts fallen on 'ard times!"
Thura joined his companion, clasping Thrugg's other leg. "Wahaah! Yer a luvverly creature, sir. We 'ad a mother once, just like yerself. Don't turn me an' me mucker away yet Lordship. Show charity ter two starvin' wretches. Whahahaah!"
Thrugg folded his paws across his chest, unable to move one way or the other. He called out to Samkim above the wailing, "Cut along an' fetch Abbess Vale, young'n. Sharpish now!"
34
Brian Jacques
By the time the Abbess arrived the two stoats were facedown on the Abbey lawn, kicking their limbs and blubbering unmercifully. She held up both paws. "Silence, please. Stop all this caterwauling. You're not injured!"
Dingeye appeared inconsolable, strewing grass on his head, pounding the earth with all paws and sobbing brokenly. "Not injured! Aaaaaoooowwww! Kind lady, if only you knew the 'arf of it. If yer calls starvin', ill fortune an' limpin' round the land till yer paws are wore down t' the bone not injured, then so be it. But say nothin' of the days of 'eartache, an' the freezin' cold rainy nights, an' not a pudden rag atwixt me an' my mucker 'ere t' keep us warm an' dry from the thunder an' lightnin'. Not injured, yer say? Wahahahaah!"
Samkim and Arula could not help giggling at the tragicomic display put on by the two stoats. Abbess Vale silenced the young ones with a stern glance. Turning, she addressed the stoats in a no-nonsense manner.
"Tut-tut! If you wish to stay at our Abbey you must cease this disgraceful exhibition immediately. Do you hear me?"
Instantly Dingeye and Thura stopped howling and sat up.
"Do yer mean we c'n stay?"
"An' we can come to yer whoopdedoo an' scoff... I mean 'ave summat to eat?"
The Abbess nodded. "Redwall Abbey is a place of peace and plenty, but while you are here you must observe our rules: to live in harmony with the creatures about you, and help the sick, the aged and the very young. Also you must never raise a paw in anger against any creature. We are a peaceful order, we tend the land and prosper from its bounteous way of life. If you are willing to abide by our laws then you may stay here gladly."
The Abbess's words set them both off afresh.
"Whaahaah! Forgive me fer cryin' luvverly lady, but you reminds me of me oF mothershe looked just like yew!"
"Whaaaaw! Lackaday, I never knew my mother, but I'm sure she woulda looked just like yer too. Bless yer, mum, with yore kind eyes an' gentle voice an'"
So/amandostron
35
Thrugg and the Foremole hauled the stoats upright.
Tudd Spinney looked doubtfully toward the Abbess. "What d'you think, marm? Pers'nally, I don't much care for the look o' these two."
Foremole seconded Tudd's opinion. "Burr, nor do oi. They'm looken loik a roight ol' pair o' gully washers!"
The Abbess stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, I can see what you mean. What do you think, Bremmun?"