Mordalfus, Abbot

Gender: male

Species: mouse

Appears In: Redwall, The Great Redwall Feast, The Redwall Cookbook, A Redwall Winter's Tale, and Mattimeo

Mentioned In: Loamhedge




Mordalfus - possibly derived from "mor" (the Gaelic prefix for "great") and "alphus" (a type of longhorn beetle) - is the old Abbot of Redwall, having earned this title after Mortimer's untimely death and tending to the Pond before succeeding him. He is wise, wears spectacles, possesses healing knowledge, sometimes works in the Kitchen, and does his best to calm his fellow inhabitants after several youngsters are kidnapped by Slagar's gang. When Matthias's group heads out to search for the babes he asks for guidance from Martin and receives it in the form of a riddle. He helps to solve the one from Germaine which eventually allows them to figure out where Slagar is taking the prisoners, and later finds his home in great danger when Ironbeak's flock arrives. After Cornflower, Mrs. Churchmouse, and Rollo are captured by the birds he bravely offers his own freedom in exchange for their safe return, and when this doesn't work he tricks Ironbeak into allowing them more time to figure out what they wish to do (he rightfully says that the Abbey belongs to all his friends so collectively they must work together to see if they wish to surrender, though this is actually to give the woodlanders more time to conceive a rescue plan). While he initially lets Cornflower dress up as the Warrior's spirit in hopes of scaring the invaders away, and it succeeds in lowering their morale, after a while he expresses his concern of Ironbeak finding out and killing the mousemaid but allows her to spook them one last time. After the raven General's death he gives the surviving birds their freedom, welcomes back Matthias's group who have returned with the rescued youngsters, names the new season the Autumn of the Warriors' Return, is still alive when Tim becomes Abbey Recorder, and fishes in the Pond with Matthias every four seasons. He is eventually succeeded by Durral.