Mail Delivery
- "Postal Service" redirects here. For the service in The Wind Waker specifically, see Island Postal Service.
Mail Delivery is a recurring service in The Legend of Zelda series.[4] In The Wind Waker, it is named Island Postal Service.[5] The postal systems in The Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks are unnamed.
The service delivers Letters, possibly with other items enclosed. It is staffed by the Postman (or Rito postmen), usually in combination with sentient Postboxes and a Post Office. Postboxes and other postal equipment (such as the Postman's Hat) tends to be colored white on red and bears an insignia, either a rabbit head,(MM | TMC | TP) or a winged envelope.(TWW | PH | ST)
Appearances
Majora's Mask
Clock Town has talking Postboxes that accept letters.[6] The Postman collects the mail in the morning and hand-delivers it in the afternoon. His schedule is set by Mayor Dotour,[7] but it can be overriden by the Postmistress,[8] Madame Aroma (the Mayor's wife).
Kafei uses the service to deliver an anonymous letter to Anju on the First Day. The Postman delivers it but dodges Anju's question when asked which Postbox it was from. Later on in the Anju's Anguish Event, Link mails Anju's Letter to Kafei. This is the only item Link can deposit in the Postbox. If Link attempts to deposit the Priority Mail, the Postbox will direct Link to the Post Office.[9]
The Wind Waker
The Island Postal Service delivers mail to islands of the Great Sea. The service is operated by the Rito, who do mail collection, sorting and delivery out of the Mail Center on Dragon Roost Island. Sentient Postboxes serve as the touchpoints for the service. They take outbound mail,[10] give out inbound mail, perform Cash-On-Delivery transactions,[11] and charge postage fees. Postage fees at any given Postboxes vary according to the distance from Dragon Roost Island. Postboxes wiggle when they have mail for Link.[12]
Link uses the service to mail Baito's Note to Mom, and Maggie's Letter to Moe at the Forsaken Fortress. The Windfall Island Postman Ilari delivers Maggie's Letter and returns with Moe's Letter, but is rebuffed by Maggie's Father when he attempts to deliver the letter to Maggie. Link can deliver it for him.
Garrickson is the only other character seen depositing mail. He uses the service to send unwanted love letters to an unspecified person.
The Minish Cap
Hyrule Town has a Postman and a Post Office in The Minish Cap, although the Postbox on its roof is purely decorative – Link himself neither receives nor sends mail.[note 1] The Postman dashes around Hyrule Town, while Stamp is constantly stamping letters in the Post Office. After Link Fuses Kinstone Pieces with the Postman, Stamp will bring Marcy to help him in the Post Office; Link can then buy issues of the Swordsman Newsletter.
Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess, Hyrule has no physical Post Office or Postboxes. The Postman hand-delivers Letters all over Hyrule. In between deliveries to Link, he can be seen at various locations struggling with some delivery or other.[15][16][17][18]
Phantom Hourglass
In Phantom Hourglass, the postal system features wiggling Postboxes as in The Wind Waker. When Link approaches one, a winged Postman appears. Rather than hand over the Letter, the Postman will read it aloud and comment on it afterwards.[19][20] The Postman is a new hire. In fact, the first Letter Link receives is from the Postmaster vouching for the new Postman.[21] The Postman has Link sign for every delivery.[20]
The Drawing Commission uses the postal system to run sweepstakes. Link participates by mailing Prize Postcards.
Spirit Tracks
In Spirit Tracks, the postal system functions the same way as in Phantom Hourglass, only the Postman hand-delivers Letters unopened, and Link needn't sign for them.[22] The Postman has the same physical appearance but without wings, and wears a different outfit. He imitates a chugging train when he approaches and leaves a Postbox. Link's first Letter is again one from the Postmaster vouching for his new employee. The postal system itself is new as of the day Link receives the Letter.[23] Despite this, the Postman goes to read the Letter aloud before remembering that the delivery policy changed due to complaints.[23]
Letters concerning Beedle Member's Club each come with a package consisting of a new Beedle's Club Membership Card.[24] Letters from the Battle Committee come with a prize for having achieved a certain Battle Rank.[25][26] The Letter is delivered first, then the package.
Link can mail Prize Postcards in this game as well.[27]
Nomenclature
 Names in Other Regions  | ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | Names | |
| This table was generated using translation pages. To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference. | ||
Trivia
- In The Minish Cap, the Postbox could originally wiggle and was interactive rather than decorative, but it was cut in the final version of the game.[28][29]
See Also
Notes
- ↑ The development team may have once intended for Link to receive the Swordsman Newsletter (or other parcels) in the mail. In the European version of The Minish Cap, the first issue of the Swordsman Newsletter invites readers to "check [their] mail" for future issues.[13] In the North American version, which was released two months later, the text of the newsletter is in closer alignment with the actual gameplay. It tells readers to "check with [their] local post office for future issues."[14]
References
- ↑ "This postbox is near the mail center on Dragon Roost Island.
Postage is only 5 Rupees." — Postbox (The Wind Waker) - ↑ "Postage for this parcel is 10 Rupees from this postbox." — Postbox (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "This postbox is quite far from Dragon Roost Island.
Postage for this parcel is 20 Rupees from here." — Postbox (The Wind Waker) - ↑ "About Mail Delivery
If I have a letter for you, I will approach you at high speed! Please do not flee!" — Postman (Twilight Princess) - ↑ "Welcome to the Island Postal Service! What do you have for delivery?" — Postbox (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "I cannot accept anything other than letters. Ka-ching!" — Postbox (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "This Week's Schedule
Morning: Collection
Afternoon: Delivery
Evening: Practice
The Week's Motto: Don't slack off—the heavens and the wife are watching.
—Mayor Dotour" — N/A (Majora's Mask) - ↑ "I have decided to flee. It is an order from the Postmaster. I am now free! I can set my own schedule!" — Postman (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Please take priority mail to the Post Office. It will even be accepted late at night. Ka-ching!" — Postbox (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Your parcel has hereby been accepted for delivery. Thank you for using the Island Postal Service. We appreciate your business!" — Postbox (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "This parcel has been sent Cash-On-Delivery." — Postbox (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "We cannot do much to help you, but we can at least do this: if we get any letters or parcels for you, we will deliver them to a postbox near you. If you see any wiggling postboxes, please look inside them." — Rito Chieftain (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "That's it for our first issue! We plan to bring you helpful questing hints every week, so check your mail!" — Swordsman Newsletter (The Minish Cap)
- ↑ "That's it for our first issue! We plan to bring you helpful questing hints every week, rain or shine. Be sure to check with your local post office for future issues!" — Swordsman Newsletter (The Minish Cap)
- ↑ "Hmm... This letter is addressed to Mr. Zora. Now who could that be?" — Postman (Twilight Princess)
- ↑ "Hmm - what to order, what to order... I do believe I will start with meat." — Postman (Twilight Princess)
- ↑ "I dropped a letter into the hot springs and now I can't read it. Gotta blow this thing dry!" — Postman (Twilight Princess)
- ↑ "I think you are lost. It's got to be around here somewhere..." — Postman (Twilight Princess)
- ↑ "This is a letter from the Postmaster to you, Link! Ahem! Here's what it says..." — Postman (Phantom Hourglass)
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "...And that's it. Wow, kinda embarrassing! Not like I wrote it, but it was odd to read out loud! Anyway, sign here, will ya?" — Postman (Phantom Hourglass)
- ↑ "To: Link If you're getting this, I guess that my new postman is working out...so far. So I'd like to make an unusual request. He's as good as a new hire gets! He's as diligent and efficient as they come! I've got no complaints. I want to keep it that way. So be nice to the Postman. He really is a good kid. From: The Postmaster" — Letter (Phantom Hourglass)
- ↑ "I've got a letter for you, so I'll just jump right in and read it aloud. Oh, wait—that's the way we USED to do things. But no more! Apparently, some folks thought our reading their letters out loud was rude. So now our policy is to just hand-deliver the mail unopened." — Postman (Spirit Tracks)
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Dear Link, Our new postal system has started running today. If you're reading this letter, it means my new postman is doing his job right. He's as hardworking and efficient as they come! So be nice to him, won't you? We'll be in touch again if anything new comes up. — The Postmaster" — From the Postmaster (Spirit Tracks)
- ↑ "I've got a letter and package for you from Beedle, Link!" — Postman (Spirit Tracks)
- ↑ "Here's a package and a letter from...the Battle Association?" — Postman (Spirit Tracks)
- ↑ "You've achieved a battle rank of D and have been registered as an intermediate competitor. To celebrate, here is a prize for you. Enjoy!" — Battle Rank Notice (Spirit Tracks)
- ↑ "Hellooooooo there, valued customer! We're here for all your postal needs! Would you like to send any prize postcards?" — Postbox (Spirit Tracks)
- ↑ The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap , The Cutting Room Floor, retrieved February 6, 2020.
- ↑ "This strange red postbox has the ability to fuse Kinstone pieces with you. Some say there is really just a person hiding inside it..." — N/A (The Minish Cap)