Lets see... Saria helped you on your quest by being the sage of the forest. (Rainbow Bridge) She helped link get though his childhood with everyone bugging him. She had a really cool theme theme.
Ilia... stole your horse, only to find that it was pretty much OK, got kidnaped which made you become a wolf and go on a adventure, risking your life many times, and lost here memory and had to make you get it back. The only helpful thing she did was giving you the horse whistle.
(Well, Saria did get kidnaped. But I forgive her. She's only 10!)
So, Saria rocks!

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That's Mama Luigi to you Mario!