imported>LordTBT at 16:08, 18 February 2026

2026-02-18T16:08:17Z

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The rationale of having certain species in the ''[[Redwall]]'' series naturally gravitate towards "good" or "evil" behavior is often debated.

Why did [[Brian Jacques]] decide that some species (e.g. mice, hedgehogs, moles) would be good characters, while others (rats, stoats, foxes, weasels) would be bad characters?

Well, he [[Redwall FAQ|said it himself]]:

''"The bad creatures are those which are traditionally bad in European folklore and have come to be regarded as sly or mean or evil. The good creatures are mostly small and defenseless, with the exception of the badgers."''

''"<nowiki>[Animals]</nowiki> are more identifiable to young readers, more sympathetic too. A dirty rat, a sly fox, a slippery snake, an heroic mouse, a homely mouse, a friendly badger ... these are all prevalent in the folk tales of Europe and they suit the medieval setting well. The young reader is the young hero and the evil is savage, reptilian, and wild."''

''"If you think of a rat, you can call somebody a 'dirty rat'. Right away, you've identified the baddie. Weasels, stoats, ferrets are vermin. And that sounds bad. And the good guys are you."''

So let's examine a few traditional depictions of classic ''Redwall'' animals in European folklore.

'''Foxes'''

Foxes have appeared as foes in literature for '''centuries.''' Their historic stature as villains has led to the development of what are [https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/cunning-as-a-fox-the-animal-kingdom-s-most-hunted-hero-has-its-roots-in-myth-and-legend-a6677366.html considered to be] the "fox-like traits of deception, selfishness and guile." Known for their wickedness and trickery, this is the reason the phrase "as cunning as a fox" exists.

'''Stoats'''

In Ireland, it was [[Wikipedia:Cultural_depictions_of_weasels#England_and_Ireland|believed that]] "seeing a stoat at the beginning of a journey was considered bad luck unless you greeted the animal as a neighbor."

And in the UK, stoats have had a reputation in the public conscious for villainy for quite some time. According to the 1929 publication [https://www.thefield.co.uk/country-house/stoats-and-weasels-the-wild-wooders-30996 The Keeper’s Book], "<nowiki>[The Stoat]</nowiki> is a merciless tyrant, a meaningless murderer, shedding blood from mere wantonness. Both ground and winged game fall victims to his blood thirstiness."

'''Weasels'''

According to [https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/things-to-do/wildlife/wildlife-the-secret-world-of-a-weasel-6506064 British myth], witches often took the form of the weasel, and one found to be invading your space could be considered a bad omen.

[https://www.dailyedge.ie/irish-superstitions-duchas-ie-3606885-Sep2017/ Irish beliefs] are similar: "if a weasel stands and stares you in the face, you will have bad luck."

It should also be observed that Jacques was a massive fan of Kenneth Grahame's "The Wind in the Willows."

Of note, good characters: a mole, a badger, a squirrel, a rabbit, and an otter; bad characters: weasels, ferrets, and stoats.

Jacques once stated "the goodies are good and the baddies are BAD, no grey areas" in response to a 1990s fan inquiry about including "really good vermin or bad woodlanders" in his stories, however it's clear he evolved on this position. It was not a hard and fast rule whatsoever, and [[:Category:Grey characters|many exceptions were made]].

One only has to look at characters like:

*[[Blaggut|The rat who tired of evil, so he killed his captain, returned stolen goods to Redwall Abbey, and was invited to live there]]
*[[Graylunk|The weasel corsair who befriended an old Abbey resident]]
*[[Grubbage|The sea rat who was beloved by Redwallers]]
*[[Voogal|The ferret who admitted he had no loyalty to his cruel leader]]
*[[Marlfoxes#Water_Rats|The entire villain species who became peaceful agrarians]]
*[[Triggut Frap|The hedgehog who imprisoned Dibbuns]]
*[[Tugga Bruster|The shrew tribe leader who wanted to attack Redwall]]
*[[Blodd Apis|The hedgehog who got Redwallers intoxicated and threatened them with violent deaths]]

And if you're unfamiliar with them, it may be time to take more adventures in [[Mossflower Woods]].

For additional reading, the [http://seanrubin.com/faq the words] of illustrator [[Sean Rubin]] are recommended.

Watch Brian Jacques discuss international anthropomorphic folklore [https://youtu.be/8ZtB4wO7JDM?si=mFCk2BFHxhwK6ofv&t=16 here].

[[Category:Essays]]
[[Category:Blog posts]]

User blog:LordTBT/How European Folklore Inspired Redwall - Revision history

imported>LordTBT at 16:08, 18 February 2026