Chapter Six: Singe
Far away from the little island something, far different than what was happening on the small island, was happening in the Redwall Abbey.
"Singe! Singe, come back here this instant!" Singe, a mouse Dibbun, surely lived up to her name. She would run around the abbey with a small candle, singing the tips of the other Dibbuns' whiskers. She was now trying to climb up a curtain with the candle clenched tight in her jaws. Her adopted mother, Cottonrose, was desperately trying to stop her catching the curtains aflame. "Singe get down here, or.or. No supper!" This got the tiny mouse's attention.
Singe took the candle out of her mouth. She blew it out, then dropped it on the floor. "Singe nono wanna go wit no supper. Singe nono wanna come down. Singe nono wanna be bad. Singe nono-" Singe's cries were cut short by Cottonrose.
"You realize, little 'un, that you cant eat up on top of a curtain, 'cause nobeast is going to bring it up there. So, if you want your supper, come down right now." Singe slid slowly down from the curtain. When she was a hair's length the ground, Cottonrose grabbed her tiny paw. She dragged her away. "Now, what have I told you about candles?"
"They ain't ta be messed wit by lil' 'uns like I. I sorry Miz Cottonroze. I promise I never do it again. On the honor of me own whiskers." Singe gave a small, humorous salute, and scampered off. Just as she did so, Abbot Mitchell came into the room.
"Little uns are such a pawful, eh, Father Abbot?"
The Abbot was watching the young Dibbun disappear around the corner. HE sighed deeply. "Why, Cotton, I remember when you were a Dibbun. You were quite a feisty little 'un yourself, if you don't mind me recalling. That was many long seasons ago. When I was just a brother. Ah, but as I said before, that many, many long seasons ago. But yes, I agree with you. Little ones are such a great pawful." The Abbot left the room; while Cottonrose followed Singe to make sure she wasn't getting into the emergency candle supply. As Cottonrose walked though the halls of her beloved Abbey, she could hear the cries of angry little Dibbuns as they pointed Singe out to their mums.
"Lookit, mum, there's tat mean mousy who hurt me poor whiskers!"
"Mum, you should tell her mum tat she hurt all our whiskers!"
"There's the mouse who turned me whiskers black!"
Screams like that and many others came as Cottonrose came through the room as the mothers knew she watched over Singe.
"Cottonrose! You should be ashamed of yourself! Letting your responsibility run around burning other Dibbun's whiskers!"
"Haven't you taught that rouge any manners?!"
"This is the tenth time it's happened, Cottonrose!"
Cottonrose ignored the yelling mothers, and ran after Singe.
Far away from the little island something, far different than what was happening on the small island, was happening in the Redwall Abbey.
"Singe! Singe, come back here this instant!" Singe, a mouse Dibbun, surely lived up to her name. She would run around the abbey with a small candle, singing the tips of the other Dibbuns' whiskers. She was now trying to climb up a curtain with the candle clenched tight in her jaws. Her adopted mother, Cottonrose, was desperately trying to stop her catching the curtains aflame. "Singe get down here, or.or. No supper!" This got the tiny mouse's attention.
Singe took the candle out of her mouth. She blew it out, then dropped it on the floor. "Singe nono wanna go wit no supper. Singe nono wanna come down. Singe nono wanna be bad. Singe nono-" Singe's cries were cut short by Cottonrose.
"You realize, little 'un, that you cant eat up on top of a curtain, 'cause nobeast is going to bring it up there. So, if you want your supper, come down right now." Singe slid slowly down from the curtain. When she was a hair's length the ground, Cottonrose grabbed her tiny paw. She dragged her away. "Now, what have I told you about candles?"
"They ain't ta be messed wit by lil' 'uns like I. I sorry Miz Cottonroze. I promise I never do it again. On the honor of me own whiskers." Singe gave a small, humorous salute, and scampered off. Just as she did so, Abbot Mitchell came into the room.
"Little uns are such a pawful, eh, Father Abbot?"
The Abbot was watching the young Dibbun disappear around the corner. HE sighed deeply. "Why, Cotton, I remember when you were a Dibbun. You were quite a feisty little 'un yourself, if you don't mind me recalling. That was many long seasons ago. When I was just a brother. Ah, but as I said before, that many, many long seasons ago. But yes, I agree with you. Little ones are such a great pawful." The Abbot left the room; while Cottonrose followed Singe to make sure she wasn't getting into the emergency candle supply. As Cottonrose walked though the halls of her beloved Abbey, she could hear the cries of angry little Dibbuns as they pointed Singe out to their mums.
"Lookit, mum, there's tat mean mousy who hurt me poor whiskers!"
"Mum, you should tell her mum tat she hurt all our whiskers!"
"There's the mouse who turned me whiskers black!"
Screams like that and many others came as Cottonrose came through the room as the mothers knew she watched over Singe.
"Cottonrose! You should be ashamed of yourself! Letting your responsibility run around burning other Dibbun's whiskers!"
"Haven't you taught that rouge any manners?!"
"This is the tenth time it's happened, Cottonrose!"
Cottonrose ignored the yelling mothers, and ran after Singe.