Chapter 6

Kagget woke up in the Infirmary for the second time with more injuries than just the leg, and Abbess Bluebell instead of Brother Ellor (who was sporting a sizable lump on his head) tending to his hurts. Bluebell agreed with the Infirmary Keeper that the weasel had powers of recovery, as he was already talking.

"Wot's wrong with me leg, anyway?"

"It is broken and bleeding, and you have several other injuries," replied the Abbess.

"Say, d'you know anythin' about a mouse in armor with a great big sword?"

Bluebell's curiosity was instantly aroused.

"Yes, that would be Martin the Warrior, our Abbey spirit, as some would call it. Why do you ask?"

"Cos' I dreamed about 'im, an' he said a poem to me."

"Can you recite it, then?"

"Yes, why?" asked the weasel. "Hoi, where are ye goin'?"

"To get parchment and write down whatever Martin said to you."

"Why, isn't he not real? I mean, is he just a legend?"

"No, he isn't, in fact he helped to build Redwall long ago."

Abbess Bluebell went out and come back a few minutes later with a parchment and a quill.

"Now then, could you recite the poem for me?" she said.

"Weasel, weasel, listen to what I say:

The moles will dig, a small and large grave;

If you do not leave, it will be for you,

So find the parchment, what it says is true.

In Abbey, see ache, under the table,

Find it now, while you are able.

After the full moon, two weeks, begone,

Or your small vermin life will be gone."

The Abbess's curiosity was aroused further.

"When did Martin tell you this, last night, today, a season ago, last week?"

"Er, today, I think," replied Kagget. "Mebbe we should take a look at this poem thingy, or wotever it is?"

"Yes, we should do that. But first, how do you feel?"

"Not good, I think I'm going to… Blargh!"

"What do you mean, blargh… oh."

The weasel's second bed now had vomit on it.

"Maybe we should wait until you're feeling better," said the Abbess.

"I agree – here it comes agin – blargh!"

"Oh dear. Stop moving about, would you? I don't want another collapsed room on our paws. Speaking of that, I should check on the room again."

Bluebell went to check on the room and found several moles, led by a Foremole, digging about in the rubble.

"Hello, what are you doing in this rubble, Foremole Burrum?"

"Oi be's lookin' for medicine, marm!" replied the mole.

"What type of medicine, Foremole?"

"Oi don't know, just random medicine."

"Okay then, you can continue your search while I check on the weasel."

"Burr aye, an' then we shudd 'ave supper, marm!"

Supper was small, with the food being veggible zoop (as the moles called it), damson wine (and strawberry fizz for the Dibbuns), and pudding for dessert. Furrel again did not eat much before going to bed. Everyone else, however, did eat more food than usual. After that, everybeast went to bed.

At Salamandastron, Drepp in fact had not said "Pass the wort salad, would you?" for almost an entire day, and at supper Troblaw pointed this out to Cupper.

"What d'you know, Drepp actually didn't say "Pass the wort salad, would you?" for almost the entire day!"

"I say, pass the wort salad, would you?"

Troblaw put his head in his paws.

"Troblaw, what are you doin', wot, wot?"

"I'm puttin' my head in my paws cos' I said 'What d'you know, Drepp actually didn't say "Pass the wort salad, would you?" for almost the entire day', an' right away you said "Pass the wort salad, would you?"!"

"Wait, you said that?"

Troblaw buried his head further.

"I say, if you're not goin' to scoff your scoff, can I have it?"

"Yes, whatever."