Watership Down

Hazel wakes Fiver, who’s kicking and struggling during a nightmare. He dreamed they were floating downstream on the sign, but it’s made of wire and bones, and Hazel orders everyone to jump off while he continues, alone, on the sign. Fiver insists that the warren is in danger and everyone should leave. Hazel “did not want to believe Fiver, and he was afraid not to” (12), so the brothers visit the Chief Rabbit with Fiver’s worry.

At the Chief’s burrow, they’re stopped by Bigwig, a large rabbit with extra fur atop his head. Reluctantly, he brings them to the aging Chief, Lord Rowan Tree, or the Threarah. Hazel explains that Fiver is excellent at sensing danger, and he senses a new one. Fiver can’t describe it, but he’s sure it’s coming. The Threarah counters that there’s plenty of food, no elil—enemies—and no disease; the others won’t want to go. He promises to think about it, though.

Dejected, the brothers leave but hear, behind them, the Threarah scolding Bigwig.

Hazel and Fiver discuss the Threarah’s denial with Blackberry and Dandelion. Blackberry believes the board that frightens Fiver is a type of signal humans send to each other.

Bigwig arrives: He has quit the Owsla and intends to leave the warren. He agrees to join Fiver and Hazel. Blackberry also will come along—the warren is too crowded for young bucks—but he fears the dangers ahead.

The peril threatens everyone, so Hazel suggests they try to recruit as many others as possible. Bigwig says a couple of younger Owsla members share his discontent and may join him, though not because of Fiver’s fears.

After moonrise, Hazel and Fiver emerge from their burrow and head down to the ditch. With them is the small and nervous Pipkin, a friend of Fiver. At the ditch, they meet Dandelion and his dim-witted friend, Hawkbit. After a wait, Blackberry appears with three others: the “tough, sturdy” Buckthorn and two smallish rabbits, Acorn and Speedwell, each six months old and already tired of being pushed around by the larger bucks.

Bigwig arrives, accompanied by Silver, the Threarah’s quiet nephew and a large, white-coated recent recruit to the Owsla. Hazel’s relieved: He doesn’t want a bunch of older Owslas who’ll bully the smaller rabbits.

Owsla captain Holly and two others appear and try to arrest Bigwig for mutiny. They fight: Buckthorn and Dandelion join Bigwig, kicking and scratching, until Holly’s guards run away. Trapped, Holly stares angrily. Hazel says, “Go […]. Or we’ll kill you” (27). Holly leaves, but Dandelion, licking a shoulder wound, warns that the Owsla will return in greater numbers.

Hazel realizes it’s time to leave. He leads the group down the slope and away.

They follow the creek through the fields and come to a woods, a dangerous place for rabbits but one where Holly’s forces will be unlikely to venture. They enter the woods, whose many sounds keep them on edge. They lose the creek’s path and stop under a tree. Hazel goes ahead to scout.

At an oak tree, he stamps his foot. Dandelion appears, saying, “Running our risks for us, are you—like El-ahrairah?” (30) El-ahrairah is the mythical Robin Hood of rabbits. Bigwig joins them and warns that many of the others are nearly “tharn,” or exhausted with terror. Hazel orders a halt, then asks Dandelion to tell a story, so the others don’t brood and panic.

Dandelion tells of Frith, the sun god who made the earth, the stars, and the animals, who all lived in harmony. One, El-ahrairah, the prince of rabbits, had many wives and countless children. The rabbits began overcrowding the world and eating all the grass, so Frith told El-ahrairah to control his flock. El-ahrairah replied that his brood was the most successful and thereby honors Frith.

Frith gives a present to each creature, gifting the cow with horns, the bird with song, and the fox and weasel with the yearning and cunning to kill and eat rabbits. El-ahrairah learns of this and runs away. He begins to dig a hole. Frith appears, sees El-ahrairah’s bottom sticking out, and asks if he knows where El-ahrairah might be. El-ahrairah says that the rabbit is far away. Frith offers to give him the present intended for El-ahrairah. El-ahrairah answers that he’s too busy escaping the fox and weasel, but “you can bless my bottom” (37).

Impressed with El-ahrairah’s resourcefulness, Frith indeed blesses the rabbit’s rump, which becomes strong, and its legs grow long, and the rabbit becomes the fastest animal. Frith says rabbits will never rule the world, and they will always be hunted, but they also will be full of tricks and never will be destroyed. 

The rabbits alert to a rank smell. A badger, or lendri, appears, teeth bared, eyes scanning. Bigwig quietly leads the rabbits away, then he and Dandelion race ahead down a new path as the others try to catch up.

Bigwig halts at a bluff overlooking a small river, the Enborne. At 15 feet wide, it looks immense to the rabbits. Bigwig, always cranky when perplexed, berates Hazel for not considering such huge obstacles. The diplomatic Hazel compliments Bigwig for getting the rabbits away from possible trouble with the lendri.

As dawn approaches, they can see that the river borders the woods, and beyond lie open fields.

From the top of the bank, the rabbits see no obvious way, upstream or down, to cross the river. They notice grass downstream, clamber down to it, and feed. Hazel asks Fiver if they must cross the water. Fiver says their destination is someplace high and dry that’s far from predators. Such a location lies in the uplands beyond the river.

Hazel suggests that Bigwig cross the river and look around. The big rabbit agrees, splashes across, and disappears. Shortly, he reappears at a run, jumps into the water, and recrosses quickly. He reports that a dog on a broken chain is loose in the woods and will soon catch their rabbit scent.

Pipkin, his paw injured, can’t cross. Hazel refuses to leave him behind. He’s caught in a dilemma and near to panic. Blackberry finds a piece of driftwood, and he and Fiver push Pipkin aboard, and Fiver joins him. Blackberry pushes on the wood, and it floats out onto the stream. Hazel orders everyone else to swim across. Bigwig pushes on the little boat until it nudges the far shore.

They rest under a hedge. Hazel thanks Blackberry for his idea. The rabbit replies, “Let’s remember it. It might come in handy again sometime” (51).

While the others try to catch a little shut-eye, Hazel explores. He comes upon a field of beans on stalks, their flowers strongly aromatic. It’s a perfect place for rabbits to hide. He hurries back to the hedge and coaxes everyone toward the bean field.

On the way, a crow attacks Pipkin and Fiver. Hazel, Bigwig, and Silver fight off the bird, which flies away. The rabbits hop to the safety at the center of the beanfield. Hazel looks at Pipkin’s paw: A thorn sticks into it. Hazel pulls it out with his teeth. He tells Pipkin to lick the wound and then get some sleep. 

Late in the afternoon, Hazel wakes and checks on Pipkin, whose paw feels much better. A shot rings out; the rabbits scatter. A man trudges away. Slowly, the rabbits return to their resting spot. Hazel realizes how dangerous is their travel. He wonders if any dry bank might do for a new home.

He leads them to the next field, where they graze. A vehicle—a “hrududu”—hurtles past on a nearby road. Bigwig and Hazel visit the smooth, hard river of tar and gravel. Bigwig says the creatures that travel on it are faster even than rabbits but don’t hunt them. He proves it by sitting next to the road as a car roars past.

Blackberry discovers a dead hedgehog lying squashed on the road. Bigwig explains that, at night, the hrududil have bright lights that stun animals, who get crushed. Hazel leads the rabbits quickly across the road and onward.

They come to a common filled with thick heather that slows their passage. Late in the evening, Hawkbit, Speedwell, and Acorn announce that the rabbits have traveled far enough. Bigwig berates them while Fiver and Hazel confer. Fiver indicates a tall ridge about four miles away, its trees blowing in a stiff breeze. High and dry, it’s the place for them.

Fiver slips into a trance and mumbles about a myst and troubles that lie ahead. He snaps out of it and, puzzled, can’t remember what he just said. 

Bigwig gets into a tussle with some of the rabbits. He bites Hawkbit. Hazel assures them that they’ll get out of the thick heather. They continue on in a haphazard way, their fears and stampings slowing their progress: “All was confusion, ignorance, clambering and exhaustion” (73).

At dawn, they straggle onto a gravel slope, where they can see the end of the heather commons. Blackberry compliments Hazel on leading them out of the dense wilderness, calling him “Chief Rabbit.” Downslope, they see Bigwig and Silver waiting. Within minutes, all arrive at a grassy meadow.

The meadow seems just the place for their new home. They find a good spot for digging burrows. Bigwig reports that the meadow seems safe, and that the only possible dangers are nearby farmers, though men are less dangerous than other enemies.

Without females to help, the bucks dig perfunctory holes to protect them from rain. At noon, a rabbit appears nearby and stares at them. He’s large and handsome, almost regal, but not aggressive. He approaches their new burrows. Bigwig demands to know who he is. He says that he’s Cowslip, his warren is small, and they’re welcome to join it. He warns that the visitors’ newly dug burrows will get wet when the wind shifts.

Cowslip departs. Hazel and the others crouch in unfinished burrows as the rain begins to filter in. The meadow is much wetter than they imagined.

Blackberry thinks the local rabbits would have attacked them if they felt threatened. Bigwig believes he can handle himself if their offer is a trick. Dandelion says Cowslip’s warren will think them cowards if they don’t accept their hospitality. Hazel agrees; they depart at once. Only Fiver hesitates, but he follows.

The group hops down to Cowslip’s warren. They’re escorted in by way of large burrow runs, and they come to a huge underground cave with many large, healthy rabbits. Cowslip welcomes them, and Hazel makes a little speech of admiration. The two groups slowly get used to one another and realize that both sides are friendly.

Hazel visits a couple’s burrow and asks about their warren. The buck, Strawberry, says a man kills predators for them. Strawberry introduces his doe, Nildro-hain, and says there are plenty of empty burrows for the newcomers. Hazel notes that the entire place is dry and well-maintained.

They continue the tour, which passes areas that seem to include man-made walls. To some of Hazel’s questions Strawberry answers by changing the topic. At one burrow, Strawberry calls to his friend Kingcup, but there’s no answer. 

Hazel, Blackberry, and Pipkin emerge from the burrow to munch grass in the rain. Pipkin says their hosts, though big and healthy, seem sad: “They put me in mind of trees in November” (107). 

The next morning is sunny. From long habit, Hazel hesitates at an entrance hole to make sure there are no predators awaiting him. Cowslip says it’s always safe. The warren residents hop out heedlessly into the meadow, so Hazel follows. In one corner, they find a pile of carrots and dine luxuriously. Bigwig is convinced they’re definitely better off here than at their old warren. Hazel agrees, as does Hawkbit.

Cowslip says the free food varies, depending on the season. He teaches Hazel’s group how to drag extra food back to the warren.

Hazel finds Fiver sitting at some distance from the warren. Fiver’s suspicious of a man who gives rabbits food. Hazel says, “He’s just throwing away rubbish” (117). Fiver says the roof of the warren’s great hall is made from bones. Hazel says they’re tree roots.

After sundown, Hazel and Bigwig explore a stand of trees near the warren. They find no scent of predators, but Bigwig notices signs of a struggle near an entrance hole. It starts to rain; most of the rabbits congregate in the great hall. Cowslip asks for a story from Hazel’s group. Hazel offers to tell of their recent journey, but their hosts stir awkwardly. Dandelion agrees to tell a story about El-ahrairah.

The world’s animals so despise rabbit trickery that they trap them in a marsh. Prince Rainbow, in charge of the world, refuses to let the rabbits out until El-ahrairah’s behavior improves. El-ahrairah can’t force his people to “stop living on their wits” (124), but he offers instead to do something impossible—steal the king’s lettuce.

The animal king Darzin owns a beautiful garden full of lettuce that’s guarded day and night. Prince Rainbow agrees to free the rabbits if El-ahrairah can get the lettuce.

El-ahrairah’s lieutenant, Rabscuttle, sneaks into the king’s kitchen and poisons the lettuce. The king becomes ill, and El-ahrairah, disguised as a physician, proclaims that the lettuce is bad and must be discarded. To prove it, they find a lone rabbit—it’s Rabscuttle—and feed him some lettuce. Rabscuttle behaves as if very ill.

King Darzin hates rabbits. He’s heard rumors that they plan to attack his garden, so he delivers all the lettuce to the marsh, hoping this will harm them. El-ahrairah thus tricks the king into giving him lettuce. Prince Rainbow rewards him by freeing the rabbits. To this day, because they’re tricky, “no power on earth can keep a rabbit out of a vegetable garden” (131).

The warren’s residents respond politely to the story but without enthusiasm. They say El-ahrairah’s trickery no longer appeals to them; instead, they like stories in which rabbits accept their fate.

A young rabbit, Silverweed, much favored for his poems, speaks up. Fiver whispers to Hazel that this rabbit smells like rotten barley or a wounded mole. As if in a trance, Silverweed recites verse in which a rabbit begs the wind to take him far away, then asks the stream to do the same, and the blowing leaves. Finally, the rabbit addresses Frith: “O take me with you, dropping behind the woods, / Far away, to the heart of light, the silence. / For I am ready to give you my breath, my life, / The shining circle of the sun, the sun and the rabbit” (136).

Fiver is fascinated and horrified. Panicked, he fights his way through the crowd. Hazel and Bigwig follow and catch up to Fiver before he exits the warren. He turns and says Silverweed speaks the truth, and it’s a horrible one. Hazel says Fiver has upset their hosts, and he must come back inside and get some sleep.

Hazel wakes to find Fiver missing again. He and Bigwig search outside and discover him grazing. Fiver says he’s leaving. They protest that he won’t survive; he says they’re in worse danger. Fed up, Bigwig scolds Fiver and leaves. A sudden scrabbling noise erupts. Hazel and Fiver locate Bigwig: His neck is caught in a wire snare.

Gasping, Bigwig mumbles about digging out the peg. Hazel digs near Bigwig until his paw hits a hard, smooth object. Blackberry arrives and puzzles it out: The wire is attached to a peg that must be pulled up. Others from Hazel’s group arrive, but Cowslip refuses to help. Taking turns, they dig around the peg.

The peg gets narrower farther down. Pipkin and Fiver gnaw at the peg until it breaks off. Bigwig doesn’t move. The others fear he’s dead. Bigwig suddenly jerks awake and swears he’ll kill Cowslip. Dragging his hind legs, he crawls toward the warren.

The others want to kill the warren’s rabbits and take it for themselves. Fiver warns that the entire place is a snare: The man feeds and protects the inhabitants, who grow complacent, and then kills them off, one by one.

The warren welcomed Hazel’s group hoping the newcomers would be killed instead of them. Fiver says they must leave at once. Dragging the peg behind him, Bigwig asks, “Where?” Hazel answers, “To the hills” (154).

As they turn to leave, Strawberry runs up and begs to join them. Hazel accepts him. The rabbits move off toward the south. Behind them lies a broken peg and a length of wire.