Chapter X – Animal Village

Link placed the Wind Marimba down by the entrance to the Animal Village. True to its name, the only inhabitants were animals. When a few rabbits noticed his arrival, they hopped right over to the young man.

"Welcome stranger!" The first rabbit spoke. Link should have been surprised by this, but he honestly wasn't.

"Did you come from Mabe Village?" Another rabbit asked.

"Why are you all wet? Did you take a swim in the bay?" The third rabbit asked.

"I did, actually. Is there anywhere I can rest here?" Link asked instead.

"Sure! You can stay with the bear! He'll cook you up something nice!" The second rabbit answered.

"And about this instrument?" Link gestured to the Wind Marimba. The first rabbit jumped atop it.

"We'll take good care of it for you! It's an Instrument of the Sirens, isn't it?"

"You know about them?"

"Everyone knows about them!" One of the other rabbits answered.

"Do you know Marin of Mabe Village?"

Link nodded at whichever rabbit asked the question.

"She has one of the instruments, you know! The Surf Harp! Sometimes, she visits us here and plays her harp for us!"

"We could sure use Marin's music now!" Another rabbit added.

"Yes! There's a lazy walrus who's fallen ill and blocked the road to the desert!"

"If you know Marin, maybe you could go to Mabe Village for us and find her?" The rabbit atop the instrument asked.

"Sure, I'll find her for you. I just want to get a bit of rest first." Link nodded.

"Good! Follow us!"

Two of the rabbits lead the way to one of the larger houses in the village. Most were too small even for Link to fit inside, so to find a house big enough for him was a strange sight. Inside, Link saw a bear sporting a chef's tote slaving over a pot of stew.

"Hi ho! What've we here, furry friends?" The bear called out as soon as Link entered.

"A visitor!"

"He's come to rest!"

"Rest he can! Take a seat, friend!" The bear called out happily.

A bit cautious, Link sat down at the table nearby. The rabbits let themselves out of the house right away, leaving Link alone with the cooking bear.

"Would you like some?" He asked Link. Unsure what it was, but not wanting to seem rude, Link nodded.

"Yes please."

The bear produced a bowl and dipped it into the pot. Despite the mess he was trailing to the table, the bear laid the bowl down in front of Link. The aroma drifted up to Link's nose, but it wasn't particularly bad. In fact, it even smelled... delectable.

There was no silverware to be found, so Link picked the bowl up with his hands and put the rim to his lips. It was piping hot, but Link managed to sample the flavor. It was hard for him to pinpoint what was in it, but as the soup coursed through his body he felt more energized than he'd felt in weeks.

"This is amazing!" Link smiled, taking in more of the soup.

"You're too kind! Unfortunately, it's not enough for the poor walrus." The bear sighed.

"He must be really sick, then! I feel better than I've ever felt before after drinking this!" Link finished the rest of the bowl, almost wishing he could have more.

"He is. I'm missing an ingredient and this would bring back the dead even! But... it's not pineapple."

The bear walked back to the pot, showing Link the pineapple on the other table.

"I've already used five of these, but the soup's not strong enough!"

"How about honey?" Link asked. "My uncle said honey helped when he was sick."

The bear clapped his paws together. "Honey! Why didn't I think of that! But I can't leave my pot unattended to find any..."

"I can go," Link offered. "As thanks for the soup."

"Would you? We really need it for the walrus!"

"No problem! Do you know where I can find some?"

"The Ukuku Prairie! Not far from Kanalet Castle you'll find some trees. I usually see a lot of honeycombs there!"

Link rose from his chair, ready to be on his way.

"I'll be back as soon as I can!"

Fueled by the mystery ingredients in the bear's soup, Link found himself making record time across Martha's Bay to the Ukuku Prairie. On the far eastern side of the fields, he found the trees the bear had spoken of. But no matter how many trees he checked, there wasn't a single honeycomb in sight. So enthralled was he in his search, Link didn't notice the entire time he was being watched by someone.

"Why, if it isn't Link!" The voice belonged to none other than Tarin.

"Oh! I didn't see you there, sir."

"What's this 'sir' business? Just Tarin'll do." The older man was sprawled on the ground, clutching something in one hand. It was a honeycomb.

"Tarin, could I have that honeycomb?"

"This? Last one, son. Honey doesn't fill like the bananas Sale has, but it has to do. The blasted gator won't give me any!"

The gears in Link's head clicked together. "If I ask the alligator for some bananas, will you let me have the honeycomb?"

"Of course! All yours! Just hurry up, son. I'm mighty hungry."

"Just wait right here, and I'll be right back!"

Tarin had mentioned before that the alligator Sale lived on the Toronbo Shores, near where Link originally found his sword. In fact, he distinctly remembered seeing the hut on his first visit to the beach with Marin. It already seemed like so long ago. With blazing speed Link ran across the whole of the Ukuku Prairie and down to the beach. Sure enough, there was a hut surrounded by palm trees. Not a one of them had any bananas, though.

Inside, Link came face to face with an actual alligator. Though this one didn't look vicious at all, especially not sporting torn shorts and a straw hat. Odd sight though it was, the gator did not forget his manners.

"Welcome to Sale's House O' Bananas! How can I help you?"

"I need some bananas." Straight to the point.

"Well, I need something OTHER than bananas, boy." The gator cried. "I've been eating these things forever. I need meat, but I can't seem to get any."

Link knew where this was going. "If I get you some meat, would you give me a bunch of bananas?"

"I'll give you as many as you want!"

"I'll be back!" Link said as he ran out the door.

Link remembered that Marin and Tarin's neighbor, Madame MeowMeow, kept Chain Chomps for pets. These monsters, ferocious things that they were, had to be fed meat to be kept alive. And docile. So that was Link's next stop. Madame MeowMeow was quite surprised to see Link at her door.

"Link! Where have you been?" She asked immediately.

"It's a long story, but-"

"But nothing! Do you know how worried Marin has been about you? Cried her eyes out to me this morning! You should be ashamed of yourself!" The large woman scorned him.

"I'll run right over to her house, but I need your help first!"

"What is it, then?"

"I need meat. The kind you feed your Chain Chomps."

Madame MeowMeow looked at Link as though he were crazy. "Well, I won't ask why but... I can't give any of it up willy-nilly. I'll need something in return."

Link sighed. "What is it and where can I get one?"

"My precious Bow-Wow is in need of a new bow. If you can get me one, I'll gladly spare a can of food."

"I'll be back." Link moaned, before running off again.

This time, he made a stop by Marin's house, hoping to find her there. In her room, Link found the Sea Lily Bell, so she had been back at least. Back outside, he ran into one of the village children.

"Hey mister! You're Marin's boyfriend, right?"

Link scratched the back of his head. "Well... I guess?" He could feel himself blushing.

"Marin's not here. She's down by the beach. She likes to go there when she's sad."

"Thanks, kid. Listen, do you know where I can get a bow?" Link asked, figuring it better than nothing.

"Sure. Papahl's wife usually has a bunch. Ask her." The kid pointed to the house on the north side of the village.

"Thanks kid!" Link dashed off once more.

"A ribbon? Yes, I have quite a few." The new mother asked, cradling her baby in her arms.

"I need one. Is there anything I can give you for it?" Link wasted no time with pretense. This woman would want something in return as well.

"Well, I could use this new toy for my baby. There's one here in the village, at the town shop. I've been meaning to get it myself, but I never have the time. And I can't rely on Papahl for anything. You know that man got himself lost on Mount Tamaranch again?"

"Well, I don't have any rupees on me." Link hadn't seen a single rupee since arriving on the island. He assumed there was no need for money for a community this small.

"Don't you worry! Here, this is all you'll need to buy the doll. Thank you so much!"

The mother handed Link a pouch with some rupees, and off he was again. The store was just a skip away, and the doll was sitting there as the mother claimed. Link took it, paid the store owner, and rushed the doll back to her. The baby was absolutely ecstatic, giving the mother enough of a chance to find one of the bows to hand him.

"Thank you so much!"

From there, it was just a matter of retracing his steps.

Link took the bow back to Madame MeowMeow, who immediately slapped it onto one of the Chain Chomps. It did little to make the creature any prettier, but the woman was content. In return, Link got a can of food.

He rushed the food down to the Toronbo Shores, back to Sale the alligator. Rather than open it to take the meat out, he swallowed it can and all, remarking how delicious the meal was. For the trouble, Sale let Link have two bunches of bananas.

The sprint back across the Ukuku Prairie was hardest, especially now that the effects of the soup were wearing off. Still, Link arrived back at the spot where Tarin was sitting. The old man had fallen asleep, the honeycomb still tucked away under his arm. Never mind it had him all sticky, he took the bananas and started wolfing them down. Link took his promised reward and rushed back down to Martha's Bay and the Animal Village beyond it.

"What took you so long?" The chef bear asked the moment Link walked back in. Between gasps for breath, Link handed him the honeycomb.

"You have no idea what I had to do to get this."