The owl greets Link as he emerges from Tail Cave, telling him that the Full Moon Cello is one of the eight Instruments of the Sirens, which once combined will have the power to awaken the Wind Fish. He points Link to Goponga Swamp, where the next dungeon is. However, the path through the swamp is blocked with flowers that Link’s current weapons cannot harm. But when God closes a door…
Crisis in Mabe Village!
While Link was away, Moblins came to the village and took BowWow away! As Link returns to the village, the two boys playing in front of the library run up to him and tell him what happened, only they’re so breathless and scared Link decides it’ll be quicker to investigate on his own. And here I have to offer a criticism of the game: It will shift from dialogue to game text in a single text box with no indication of the change, and sometimes it’s confusing whether it’s done so. For instance, here, if you think the kids are telling Link it may be faster for him to investigate on his own, hell, you may be right.
Whatever the case, Link goes to Madam MeowMeow’s house and immediately notices there’s not a giant Chain Chomp in the front yard anymore. Madam MeowMeow confirms that the Moblins took him, and so Link sets off to rescue her pet.
Getting to the Moblins’ base requires hopping over some gaps, which Link saw earlier while visiting the witch’s hut, and he can now get the heart piece that was in the center of the gaps. Just before reaching the Moblins’ hideout, there’s an owl statue, which offers a critique:
“THE WIND FISH IN NAME ONLY, FOR IT IS NEITHER.”
Right, then.
The Moblins in the base are surprised to see Link, although their King knows why he’s here. “You came here to get me, but it is I who will get you!” The King Moblin is generally immune to sword attacks, but every now and then will charge Link, and if he runs into the wall, will be stunned, removing his protection. It takes a few times, but eventually the King Moblin is defeated and Link can rescue BowWow.
The owl shows up to remind Link to go to Goponga Swamp. If Link takes BowWow back to Madam MeowMeow now, she’ll ask him to take him for a walk, so we’re not done with BowWow yet. In fact, BowWow can eat the flowers blocking the way, clearing the path for Link to enter the next dungeon.
But before that, Link can go to the graveyard and get a heart piece, completing the first heart container.
Bottle Grotto
The map of Bottle Grotto really does resemble a bottle, which once again foreshadows the final boss. More Mario enemies make the jump: Shyguys, here known as Mask-Mimics; Boo Buddies; and Piranha Plants. The miniboss is a Hinox, who gave me a lot of trouble until I realized the best way to fight it is to sneak around behind it where it can’t throw bombs and can’t grab Link and stab stab stab until it dies.
The treasure in the dungeon is the Power Bracelet, finally giving Link the ability to pick things up. It feels a bit wrong that he can’t even lift pots without it1, and it’s frustrating to have to switch items to use it, but at least pots are no longer an obstacle. The Nightmare’s Key requires defeating three enemies in a specific order: a Pols Voice2, then a Keese, then a Stalfos.
The Nightmare is… a clown. Yep, that’s about right. Well, technically, it’s a Genie3, but it’s a clown genie. He continually taunts Link that he can’t be harmed as long as he has his bottle, so it’s obvious what Link needs to do: pick up the bottle and throw it against the wall till it smashes. This makes the clown genie super angry, but now he’s vulnerable to sword attacks, so he dies, and Link gets the second instrument, the Conch Horn. A voice tells him “The Prairie is waiting,” so that’s the next destination.
Next: Link gets distracted by leaves and seashells.