Romance in Redwall

[Cornflower MM]

I read over the thread, remembered something, continued reading, and now I'm not bothering to go back to find the post so this makes sense because it's morning and I'm lazy.

Someone mentioned something about whether or not the Abbey order took vows of chastity, and I don't think so. A lot of older couples with Dibbuns pop up in the series, although they're not strictly Sisters or Brothers I think. (Speaking of Dibbuns, where the heck do the majority of them come from? There isn't nearly enough couples. Is staying together a rare thing in Redwall? Or are the parents not mentioned and they just dump their kids to the Badger Mum to be raised and a few don't and therefore are weirdos? Are there really that many orphans wandering around in Mossflower?)
Anyway. Back to my point. In Doomwyte (I may not be remembering correctly, haven't read it in ages, don't jump me) at the end,

Spoiler

don't most of them end up together? The black otter and the . . . Skipper? Those other people? Pretty sure one of them in the books ends up the Abbess and she had a husband and a kid. I loved that end scene, just 'cause it was so different 'cause it showed all the couples and how happy they were and their cute little kids.

[close]

[The Skarzs]

Yeah, that's right. There were a lot of couples in that book. . .

[Ashleg]

Redwall #23:
Redwall Abbey - the Garbage Can for Woodland Children

[The Skarzs]

But then why?

[Ashleg]

It would be explained in that book.

[Grond]

I read over the thread, remembered something, continued reading, and now I'm not bothering to go back to find the post so this makes sense because it's morning and I'm lazy.

Someone mentioned something about whether or not the Abbey order took vows of chastity, and I don't think so. A lot of older couples with Dibbuns pop up in the series, although they're not strictly Sisters or Brothers I think. (Speaking of Dibbuns, where the heck do the majority of them come from? There isn't nearly enough couples. Is staying together a rare thing in Redwall? Or are the parents not mentioned and they just dump their kids to the Badger Mum to be raised and a few don't and therefore are weirdos? Are there really that many orphans wandering around in Mossflower?)
Anyway. Back to my point. In Doomwyte (I may not be remembering correctly, haven't read it in ages, don't jump me) at the end,

Spoiler

don't most of them end up together? The black otter and the . . . Skipper? Those other people? Pretty sure one of them in the books ends up the Abbess and she had a husband and a kid. I loved that end scene, just 'cause it was so different 'cause it showed all the couples and how happy they were and their cute little kids.

[close]

The dibbuns/kids appear to be communally raised- a system that appears to be similar to the one described in Plato's Republic. For the most part the dibbuns sleep together in the dormitories, go to school together, play, eat together etc... you don't really see any evidence of private family life for the most part. The only exception I can think of would be with Mathias, Cornflower and Mattimeo- they lived together as a family in the gate house and had their own private living quarters.  But otherwise than that all the other families seemed to live communally- i.e. their children slept in the dormitories and little evidence of private family life was present.

TBH its really only the gatehouse keepers and perhaps to some extent the cellar keepers who consistently throughout the entire series had what could be akin to their own private living quarters.

[The Grey Coincidence]

Uhum, I know this night seem a bit out of place buuuut:
Vermin call each other 'mate' a lot don't they? I know that its English for friend but has anyone considered that some of them are together? I mean... Those hordes need to come from somewhere.

[Ashleg]

I notice, though, that Mossflower creatures typically called their partner "wife" or "husband", even vermin. Not mate.

[The Grey Coincidence]

I notice, though, that Mossflower creatures typically called their partner "wife" or "husband", even vermin. Not mate.

Fair enough, but do we see many vermin couples?

[The Skarzs]

There was one case in The Sable Quean that the husband of a vermin was killed and the wife wanted revenge.
Swartt Sixclaw had a wife.
We know several others who obviously had partners, but they weren't present.

Don't forget that otters also commonly used "mate".

[The Grey Coincidence]

Sigh... Now I shall wallow in the shame of my inatentive reading. XD

[The Skarzs]

It was a good idea, though. It's possible that some may be referring to each other that way because they are together, but evidence suggests it's more of an off-handed remark.