Umfry Spikkle
Umfry Spikkle was a male hedgehog Bellringer, Gatekeeper, and Recorder of Redwall Abbey. He was the grandson of Corksnout Spikkle. When he was young, Umfry was a simple type, illiterate and not overburdened with knowledge. However, few Redwallers described him this way as he was a big hedgehog of prodigious strength. The only Redwaller physically bigger than him was his grandfather, whom he eventually outgrew.
Umfry was renowned at Redwall for his loud snoring. As a result, Abbot Glisam appointed young Umfry to the position of Gatekeeper to get him out of the Abbey and allow other residents some peace and quiet. He was temporarily stripped of this job as punishment for failing to close the gates one night and allowing Doomwytes to enter the Abbey; while he was deposed, Umfry helped in the search for the Doomwyte jewels and was part of the band that was attacked by the Painted Ones in the tunnels beneath Redwall.
Many seasons later, Abbot Glisam retired to become the Abbey Schoolteacher; in that capacity, he focused specifically on the education of Umfry. The big hedgehog finally learned to read and write, and eventually became the Abbey Recorder, adopting the aliases "The Teller of Tales" and "The Weaver of Dreams".
Trivia
[edit]- Umfry Spikkle is the only Redwall character to hold the positions of Bellringer, Gatekeeper, and Recorder; Tim Churchmouse and Rollo were also Bellringers and Recorders.
- Umfry Spikkle is one of only three Redwallers known to simultaneously hold the Recorder and Gatekeeper positions. The others are Brother Barlom and Brother Methuselah.