Muddlet

The Muddlet is a are semi-domesticated creature predominantly used for transportation and as beasts of burden. Their unpredictable behaviour makes them less suitable than horses as a means of transport.

History
Muddlets once existed all over Opal territory in huge numbers, and some were semi-domesticated by Plains farmers for transportation, plows, and other work in place of horses for millennia. They were trained to follow spoken orders, such as "Brix" for going and "Snuff" for stopping. Liza and Dodd originally owned a farm with some Muddlets before they discovered a vein of Opals.

Secrets of Deltora
Doran once bought a Muddlet for his travels through the Plains, but he lost control of it after it caught sight of some apples and nearly killed both of them trying to get to them. The Muddlet ran off and Doran was glad to be rid of it.

City of the Rats
Lief, Barda, and Jasmine, having stumbled across Tom's Shop, attempted to buy some of Tom's horses. Though tempted, Tom refused to sell the horses, but offered the three a "better" alternative; three Muddlets. The Muddlets, named Noodle, Zanzee and Pip, seemed calm, and Lief, Jasmine, and Barda were convinced into buying them to make their journey to the City of the Rats easier. Before sending them on their way, Tom advised the trio not to lead the Muddlets toward Broad River.

Lief, knowing that the City of the Rats was located along Broad River and, thinking that Tom simply wanted to keep them from the dangerous place, ignored the warning. The Muddlets, smelling their old home in Noradz, became overexcited, racing for the city. Eventually Lief, Barda, Jasmine, and their supplies were thrown from their Muddlets' backs, leaving them to be "rescued" by the people of Noradz.

Lief, Barda, and Jasmine later see that the Ra-Kacharz use Muddlet-drawn carts to transport food to Tom's Shop. The Ra-Kacharz also maintain a field of Muddlets near Noradz, and Barda assumed that Noodle, Zanzee, and Pip had been moved to the field while they were unconscious, though he had no desire to ride a Muddlet again.

Habitat
In the past, many thousands of wild Muddlets roamed all over the Plains territory, which is still their only natural habitat. The rat plague that struck the Plains drastically shortened the food supply, which, in turn, drastically lowered the Muddlet population. Wild Muddlets are seen less often than semi-domesticated ones, which are themselves scarce. Noradz is one of the few places that still use them as beasts of burden.

Anatomy
Muddlets are roughly the same size as horses, but have only three legs; two in the back and one in the front. This causes them to move in an odd, rocking fashion, but also gives them great speed and strength. Their ears are long and floppy and their skin can come in a huge range of colours and patterns. Each of their legs end in two-toed feet with thick nails and they have stubby, fleshy tails.

Behaviour
Muddlets are relatively good-natured, but their stubborn and wilful spirit negates this. They are nearly impossible to fully train and will follow their own instincts above any other command. This includes fleeing at the first sign of danger or pursuing a source of food, particularly apples, with nearly suicidal determination. This behaviour has led numerous characters such as Doran to discourage riding the creatures. They are skittish, which can easily result in a Muddlet stampede, a highly dangerous event. Climbing a tree, flattening oneself at the bottom of a deep ditch and running to a river are ways to best avoid injury.

Over millennia, the Plains people trained most Muddlets to follow commands. If a rider wants a Muddlet to go, they have to call "Brix" and if they want it to stop they call "Snuff".

Diet
Muddlets are herbivorous and eat only moss, grass, apples, and certain types of leaves. Over-ripe apples are their favourite food.

Deltora Quest 1

 * City of the Rats

Other

 * Tales of Deltora
 * Secrets of Deltora
 * The Deltora Book of Monsters

Trivia

 * In the anime, Muddlets make several appearances, usually pulling carts in lieu of horses. The Carn Squad all ride Muddlets. Unlike in the books, all Muddlets seen in the anime are brown with tan eyes.
 * In the anime, the calls used to control Muddlets were changed from "Brix" and "Snuff" to "Abra" and "Cadabra".