Link outside Martha's Bau and Catfish's Maw

We're now in part six of our Zelda: Link's Awakening walkthrough where we’ll be progressing the Trading Quest nearly to its conclusion, before diving into Martha’s Bay and the Catfish’s Maw dungeon.

Route to Martha’s Bay Walkthrough

Learning Manbo’s Mambo

Outside Manbo's cave

In the last part of our guide, we suggested acquiring the Ocarina from the Dream Shrine in Mabe Village in anticipation of a useful song available immediately after the Angler’s Tunnel (take a look if you are currently Ocarina-less). Ocarina in hand, you should swim immediately west of the Angler’s Tunnel entrance and into an opening in the cliff-face flanked by two fish reliefs.

Manbo plays Link his Mambo

Inside you will meet Manbo, a friendly sunfish devoting full time to floating and ready to share his song with passing adventurers:

I am Manbo, child of the Sun Fish! Have you got an ocarina?
Ahaha! Then I can teach you my song! Bloop!

Watch the short sequence as Manbo and his friends play their song and you’ll get Manbo’s Mambo added to your ocarina. Manbo explains:

When you play my mambo, you can warp to a warp point around the island!
Try this tune in the dungeons too!
And since today’s a special day, I’ll let you warp to Manbo’s Pond too. Cha-cha-cha!

An even larger chunk of Koholint Island is now open to you with the Flippers you found in Angler’s Tunnel, and this warp song will doubtlessly come in useful as you travel to your next objective (In the Game Boy versions, the tune will only take you to Manbo’s Pond).

Guiding the Pink Ghost to its Old Home

Link finds himself followed by a pink ghost

Speaking of which – your Owl friend hasn’t actually shown up yet to tell you where to head next, though the mysterious voice in Angler’s Tunnel mentioned a bay. You may already have a good idea where this is, however, your quest is about to be derailed - After a short time roaming around, you will suddenly find yourself haunted by a pink ghost (who will prevent you from entering dungeons). It demands:

…the house… take me…
…the house…at the bay…

The Pink ghost sees its old home

The ghost’s house can be found immediately west of the secluded bay in which you found Marin in part five. Head to Mabe Village and journey east beyond the beach.

(Before going inside the house, you may want to do a dash jump across the line of pits between the trees in order to search for the Martha’s Bay warp point, assuming you haven’t activated this already).

The Pink ghost inside its old home

Inside the house, the ghost will mournfully float around examining its former possessions:

…Nostalgia…
…unchanged…
…boo hoo…

Eventually, it will make another request of you:

…Enough…
…cemetery…
…Take me…my grave…

Guiding the Pink Ghost to its Grave

The pink ghost is led to its final resting place

The grave can be found to the west of the Witch’s house. The fastest way there is to play Manbo’s Mambo and head to Manbo’s Pond. As you roam, the ghost will helpfully clarify:

…take me…my grave…
…with the flowers…

Link recieves a fairy jar from the pink ghost

Approach the grave and the Ghost will offer its thanks as you put it to rest.

…Thank you…
…a jar…for you… put something inside…
…bye…bye…

(The fairy bottles are exclusive to the Switch version – you can pick up another one in the reeds of the fishing lake).

The owl directs Link to Martha's Bay

Finally, your Owl friend will arrive, apologising for his tardiness:

Hoot! It has been some time since our paths crossed, lad.
You must dive into the waters of Martha’s Bay to enter the Catfish’s Maw…
The closer you get to the Wind Fish, the more restless he sleeps.
Carry onward! Hoot!

At this point you could seek out the bay as there’s no barrier to entering the Catfish’s Maw. However, a good chunk of the remainder of the game’s trading sequence is now available and worth pursuing. Best of all, it will (eventually) take you where you’re headed anyway.

Now would be a good time to complete part three of the trading sequence guide before heading further.


With that section completed, we can continue our Zelda: Link's Awakening walkthrough and enter Catfish's Maw before learning How To Defeat Catfish's Maw Boss.