Thank you, Freedom! I do have the hookshot and am currently working out level 3 with most of the posters right now. It's encouraging that the rest of the quest gets easier. I was beginning to think I wasn't cut out for this much heroism! I'm sure the mushroom will make everything all better!
I believe level three is the largest and hardest level in the game, it gets easiers after that and you have more to work with.
You need to go to the dead hills before level 4, and any time that you hold 255 rupies you can get the blue tunic, it's in Sabartooth and requires the area boss key to open the door


