Martha Braebuck

Gender: female

Species: mountain hare

Appears In: Loamhedge




Martha - named after Martha Buckley, a friend of Mr. Jacques - is a young resident of Redwall who originates from a tribe in the Northern Mountains. She is the granddaughter of Grandmother Braebuck and younger sister of Horty. When she is practically a Dibbun her home is viciously attacked by vermin, and along with her grandmother and brother she is the lone survivor. She is carried on the elder's back all the way to Redwall where it is discovered that she cannot walk (while the true reason is unknown, it is presumed that she suffers from shock due to seeing her family slaughtered and her old grandmother dying from exhaustion at the Abbey gates), thus she is forced to use a wheelchair to get around; this is constructed by Toran who has a soft spot for her. She enjoys reading ancient texts from the Gatehouse and, while studying a book about Loamhedge, discovers a possible cure for her mysterious paralysis. After receiving a vision from Martin who gives the haremaid important information, Bragoon and Saro offer to travel to the ruins to find the cure. She promises to dance for them on the wall upon their return, and during their absence she does her best to help defend her home against Bol's crew and Badredd's gang. At one point she saves Carrul from being assassinated by Ferron, coincidentally taking her first steps as she is galvanized by Martin's spirit to leap up from her wheelchair and shove the corsair out a window. She is later devastated to learn that Bragoon and Saro have passed away, however as to not disappoint her since they couldn't find the cure they had written a poem revealing that the power to walk is inside her. Despite their deaths she keeps her promise to them and dances on the Abbey wall every season. Martha's paralysis is based off of a real-life condition called Conversion Disorder or Psychosomatic Paralysis, and while therapy is usually necessary some cases do resolve on their own.