Fermald the Ancient

Fermald, also known as Fermald the Ancient, was a very old female squirrel of Redwall Abbey. She was exceptionally introverted in her old age and chose to live alone in the abbey's attic. She became rather senile and was usually content being along and would often recite cryptic riddles and rhymes. She quite enjoyed fishing on the abbey pond. She also carried with her an exquistely carved wooden spoon.

When the injured weasel Graylunk arrived at the abbey with a terrible headwound, Fermald befriended him and he lived with her in the abbey attic. She cared for him before he died, and also hid his stolen treasure, the Tears of all Oceans, throughout the abbey after his death. Writing a short but difficult riddle for each individual pearl, she hid all six of them carefully throughout the abbey. She also gave her wooden spoon to Graylunk.

Although she does not appear alive in the story, the aftermath of her actions before her death creates the impetus for much of the plot in The Pearls of Lutra.

Books
Fermald is mentioned in The Pearls of Lutra.