just another bit of trickery.

This time the silver badger ducked in under die blade, catching Martin's sword paw. Locking the point with the flat of the fire iron, he flattened the warrior mouse against the wall with the edge of the sword across his throat. "See, just another bit of trickery." That second day of summer, Martin learned more of swordplay than in his whole life. Nobody was more adept with a blade than Boar the Fighter. Dinny, Log-a-Log and Gonff tried jointly to lift Boar's own sword, but they could hardly manage to get the big battle blade off the floor. It was immense, a real full-grown male badger's war sword, with double crosstrees and a ripping edge that had two sets of curved prongs halfway down die length of the extra-wide blade. Boar performed tricks with it, slicing apples in the air and taking a whiskertip from Lupin as she stood stock-still. Martin noticed that the badger's mood became more light-hearted and jovial when he was around weapons, even allowing himself to be flattered by Harebell, Honeydew and Willow, who imitated Trubbs and company by speaking alternately. "Ooh, you are clever, Boar old chap." "And strong. My word!" "We ladies would never be able to lift your big heavy sword." Three special daggers had been forged for Gonff, Log-a-Log and Dinny, who wore them proudly about their waists. Gonff delighted the occupants of Salamandastron with his impromptu ballads. Harebell, Honeydew and Willow, Each a pretty thing; Bold, brave and fearless, Wother, Trubbs and Ffring; Lupin, Buffheart, Starbuck, Breeze, 280 Swift as winds across the trees; Rule o'er land and sea herefrom, Sala-manda-stron. Harebell and company fluttered their eyelids madly. "Oh, Mr. Gonff, you are clever."