Kids can get away with anything. Why? Because they’re cute. Especially when they’re an adorable fish baby. So it’s okay that little Tumbo says Link’s face is weird, even though we well-informed adults know that Link does not have a weird face, but an incredibly handsome, well-sculpted one. We forgive you, Tumbo, you adorable little noodle.
Tumbo is found splashing around Zora’s Domain with his brother, Keye (though Keye is a tad less enthusiastic). Of course, the energy of this little cutie plus the red exclamation point in his dialogue box prompts Link to check in on the little fella. Having never met a “Hy-leon” before, he jumps with excitement, thinking this strange new non-gilled person has seen his mother, Mei, as she’s traveled far from home. He doesn’t know much about what happened, but she hasn’t come back since the “water monster” attacked. Still, he doesn’t give up hope she’ll return like the brave little soldier he is.
While Link, being the good samaritan that he is, will surely keep an eye out for her in his travels, there is another more immediate way to help the child in the meantime. Little Tumbo, bless his little heart, has decided to sell frogs to earn wages while she is gone. Why frogs? I don’t know, but he’s going to sell them and sell them well! He doesn’t need Link’s pity— he needs an errand boy to assist with his hot-footed frog business!
Tumbo only needs five frogs to get his business up and running, though if that is his main inventory, shouldn’t he want more? Ah, it doesn’t matter. With a cute face like his, Tumbo could sell those frogs for one hundred rupees a piece!
Tumbo continues about his business as running loops around Mipha’s statue as Link as his lackey does all the gritty work, like any good businessman. Talk to him again and he’ll update you on the mother situation in an optimistic way, ending with a big belly laugh. He also gets just as excited talking about his dad, Fronk. However, bring back the frogs he requested and he’ll count them out— all five of them— like the big boy he is.
Though he’s young, he does understand the concept of gratitude and gifts Link with a bundle of Armoranth. Yes, Link could easily have gotten that by strolling through Hyrule field, but he’s just a kid. Cut him some slack. This is a big deal for him, okay? He picked it but decided he didn’t like it, so he was kind enough to give it to Link. What a good boy Tumbo is.
