I have a confession to make: As much as I absolutely love the Redwall series, the one thing that I can't stand about it anymore is the speciesism (basically the animal version of racism) of wildlife being categorized as "good" or "vermin" (ex. mice are "good," rats are "vermin," etc.). In the real world, this mentality of categorizing animals as "good" or "vermin" has resulted in the persecution (and even extinction) of the species that were unfortunate enough to be deemed "vermin," and sadly this attitude towards wildlife still exists among some people (if you need an example, look up the anti-wolf movement). That said, I really do not want to write an essay about the "vermin" topic because it would seem too criticizing of a book series that I otherwise love very much. So I decided to write a fanfic that addressed the "vermin" topic while also celebrating everything else about the Redwall series.
Oh yeah, and this is a crossover with Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (hereon referred to as HoND), because I love that movie and it just seemed so appropriate considering the theme of the story.
Everything related to the Redwall series is copyrighted by Brian Jacques! Everything related to HoND is copyrighted by Disney! And all original characters belong to me!
Now then, without further ado, I present to you The Bells of Redwall Abbey! Enjoy!
It was a beautiful autumn afternoon in Mossflower Woods as the residents of Redwall Abbey prepared for their feast. Food was cooked and games were prepared as the ring of the bells tolled across the abbey and beyond.
Furo the ferret, a guest who had been welcomed into Redwall with open arms, sat on a tree stump in the Orchard as he listened to the ringing of the bells. "Beautiful, aren't they?" he asked a young fieldmouse who happened to be walking by at the moment.
The young fieldmouse was tempted to lunge at the ferret, but quickly remembered what happened the last time he attacked a guest: multiple scoldings, chores as punishment, and being a whisker's length away from receiving a spanking from his father. He did not want to risk any of that again, but he was too ill-tempered to just ignore the ferret. "What are you doing here, ferret?" he snapped.
"Just here to enjoy the festivals," Furo answered. "And maybe to tell a story or two, if the bells have any to be told."
The young fieldmouse eyed the ferret suspiciously. "And how do I know that I can trust you?"
"Don't worry Matti, Furo is not here to kidnap you," an older fieldmouse reassured as he approached the youngster and placed a comforting paw on his shoulder. "I know him, and he does not seek revenge on us or anything like that."
"Oh," Mattimeo calmed down and faced their guest with a look of guilt. "I'm sorry for lashing out at you."
Furo accepted the apology without question. "No worries kiddo, I too know what it is like to be suspicious of everybeast. I must say, those were not fun times."
"And I'm proud of you for owning up to your actions and apologizing without being told to," the older fieldmouse praised as he patted his son's back. "That right there is being a true warrior." Mattimeo smiled with pride from hearing his father's words.
Those words made the ferret realize who the older fieldmouse was. "Matthias, me old mouse warrior, I didn't even recognize you at first! How are you?"
"I'm good, and not that old," Matthias retorted good-naturedly.
"You're much older now than you were the last time I saw you. Back then, you were about this kiddo's age, or perhaps even a little younger. Is he your boy?"
Matthias nodded. "Yes, Matti is my pride and joy. And the future Redwall Warrior." Once again, Mattimeo smiled with pride from hearing his father's words.
Furo nodded as he turned his attention to Mattimeo. "You certainly have a lot to live up to, kiddo. And one day, the bells of Redwall will tell the tale of your heroic deeds, just as they do of your dad and all those who came before him." At that moment, the bells began to ring once again. "Speaking of the bells, they have a story to tell us now. Kiddo, I want you and your dad to invite everybeast in the abbey to come and listen to their tale."
Mattimeo and Matthias did as they were bidden, and gathered the other Redwallers to the Orchard. They settled around the ferret, with the young creatures sitting in front and the adults standing behind them. Furo began by singing about the glories of the bells, then started the tale itself. "Some say that the bells represent the spirit of Redwall, and their tolls tell the story of our great abbey!"
"Bellz tellz 'toriez?" a dibbun bankvole asked.
"Ay, they do." The ferret answered. "But you gotta listen real closely to hear them."
The bankvole tried to listen, and was blunt in his conclusion. " I don hearz nuthing but bellz."
"That's OK, it takes time to learn their language." Furo leaned closer to the youngsters. "I'll tell you all a secret: not even I can fully understand them." This resulted in a chuckle from the youngsters, which he dismissed. "Tis true. But Halvräv, oh he understood those bells better than anybeast."
"Who is Halvräv?" Mattimeo asked.
"The story of Halvräv is the tale that the bells wish to share with you all today," the ferret answered as he straightened back up to address everybeast. "Now listen carefully, for the bells present a riddle to be guessed as they tell their story: who is the goodbeast and who is the vermin?"