Prayers of Redwall

[Zolace]

The good creatures of Redwall Abbey had/have a very special way of praying.  In form and format it read like poetry, in content it sounded very naturalistic, dare I say even pantheistic.  When I was a child I couldn't wrap my head around their prayers and blessings at all because I was so used to directing my attention to God when I prayed and blessed food, and this sounded so different.  I couldn't even figure out what religion these animals were even though I knew a lot of the form and function of Redwall Abbey and its clergy were influenced by Christianity.

Now I understand the naturalistic nature of the prayers of Redwall Abbey.  These prayers are being made by animals, they come from nature, from the woods.  Nature itself seems to be their religion; a religion that doesn't even really need a name.  Their prayers, although not making requests of nature nor directly giving thanks to nature as though it is something anthropomorphic, seem to revolve around thankfulness for the seasons and the food they are able to collect.  Their prayers have a certain poetic value to them and serve to remind everybeast of their good fortune and their connection to the natural world in which they live.

I wonder, if fellow fans of Redwall would be willing to put together a collection of prayers and blessings made by the Redwallers in their abbey?  Even if it is just a collection that exists on this forum in response to this post.  It would be nice to look at them all in one place.

[Ungatt Trunn]

Wait, so your saying that you think the Redwallers pray to nature? They don't appear to do that in the books...and when did they ever pray (if they did) to nature?

[Zolace]

No, no.  They don't pray TO nature.  It's kind of difficult to explain.  Go back and read all the instances in which they said a blessing or prayer before a meal or a feast.  Like when the abbot says their version of grace in the short picture book "The Great Redwall Feast".

[Ungatt Trunn]

Oh, alright. I get what your saying now. Intresting subject, Redwallers and there "prayers"...

[Zolace]

I'll start this off.
The Redwall grace from The Great Redwall Feast, page 52.

"Seasons of plenty,
days of peace
in Redwall, may they never cease.
Good comradeship,
long life and health:
our Abbey's precious wealth.
From winter's white
to summer's gold,
from spring to autumn, we uphold
these bounties
Mother Nature brings.
Respect her earth and living things."

[Jukka the Sling]

Okay, here's one from The Legend of Luke, page 11.

May good fortune never cease,
Where we build and till the soil,
Mother Nature grant us peace,
And reward us for our toil.

Summer's come, now life is sweet,
Food is here for one and all,
In good friendship let us eat,
As one family at Redwall.