42: Chapter 40. The Way Back Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher A late promotion to the podcast's Owsla. Welcome to the Owsla Nati Plavin. Please consider yourself very much a part of the inaugural membership. Chapter 40. The Way Back The pre-chapter quote is from English poet Walter de la Mare. Most of Adams' selected quotes have an element of foreshadowing and this one certainly has.  It's all about a grinning wolf being outside of the door of Dame Hickory. This Chapter open with the sad news that the Efrafan doe Thrayonlosa, has died in the night. She's the rabbit who, beside Speedwell, was wounded when the boat hit the first of the two bridges in Chapter 39.  As is the case with many animals, Thrayonlosa went to be by herself as she died. In his notes on this chapter, John Ruths told me about a cat he once lived with who did this, having first been very affectionate. It is such a poignant behaviour among animals. Hazel consults with Blackberry and determines that it is time to continue to head towards WD, as the other does are getting preoccupied with the body of Thrayonlossa.  This is also the moment when Kehaar announces that he will soon depart for the "Peeg Vater." When Kehaar flies away, it's very nice that he makes it a point to swoop down over the rabbits. Then Hazel and Bigwig see a man in his garden looking at them.  Knowing that it'll be tough keeping their rabbits away from it, they decide to leave. Adams uses this chapter to tell us more about Blackavar. who is proving himself to Hazel and the group.  He's a Wide Patrol veteran and seems quite comfortable out in the wilderness.  They are now close to a copse near Caesar's Belt, west of where they crosses it on the way to Efrafa. Blackavar and our trusty Dandelion come back from a sort of mini patrol.  Blackavar argues against the idea of stopping here, stating that this area is fox country. Bigwig and Blackavar argue but Blackavar is on the defensive.  Bigwig is being a bit petty towards him.   And then, just as Hazel and Bigwig are talking about how well things are going, a fox appears out of nowhere and quickly swoops off with a doe.  When I recorded Episode 29, on death in WD, I completely missed the death of this doe, even though the place where it happens is the last location marked on the map at the front of the book. So the revised book death-toll, including Woundwort, is 12, with 2 being killed by a fox rather than one. So Blackavar's warning was not heeded and a doe paid with her life.  Hazel suggests that the matter of the loss of the doe is closed and accepts equal responsibility as Bigwig. However, this is soon interrupted by other visitors: Four large rabbits and we already know that they're Efrafans. Campion, probably General Woundwort's most capable and trusted subordinate, has managed to catch up with and intercept the group.  Hazel points out that Campion really has no chance of success and is badly outnumbered. Campion himself seems to realize that he's acted rashly. Campion's common sense wins out and the small Efrafan group departs.  The movement of the group continues and soon they know they're close to WD.  Buckthorn is the first WD rabbit to see members of the group and happily greets Hazel-rah and Dandelion.  We also learn that Clover will "kindle" meaning that she's pregnant.  It is Strawberry who delivers this news so this may mean that he is the father.  We learn that a total of 20 rabbits have returned from this expedition, those being all 11 WD bucks who set off, the 8 surviving Efrafan does and the Efrafan buck Blackavar. The chapter closes with an account of Campion and his wide-patrol.  Yes, they departed when Hazel told them to, but they also shadowed the large group heading toward WD. They'll return to Efrafa with this knowledge and the pre-chapter quote now takes on a deeper and more foreboding meaning.

41: Part Four: Hazel-rah Chapter 39. The Bridges Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher An additional thought from John Ruths, following last weeks episode: "Do you think that maybe rabbits could 'feel' the moon?  As in could they possibly feel the electromagnetic effects?... If so, an Adams' rabbit could seemingly speak about the moon with more knowledge. Although, the real purpose of having a visible moon in the sky would be light to see by at least in my opinion." An interesting thought...  I have also had a follow up from Andrew Stevens, who got in touch at the end of September, about classical references in WD. Andrew makes many interesting points that will feature in future episodes. Just one more thing to add: I am officially announcing the founding of the WD Podcast Owsla, membership of which will be awarded to anyone who materially assists in the making of the podcast. The inaugural membership is as follows: Will Fuller Ric Morris Maxine Tubb Sergal Ahad Jeremy Downing Amber Rizzi Rebecca Porter Andrew Stevens An anonymous listener who got in touch about their relationship with the book after an abusive childhood. And finally, obviously, John Ruths, who is hereby appointed Captain of Owsla. Introduction to Part 4 The opening events of Part 4 of WD are entirely skirted over in the 1978 film, after the punt breaks free on the River Test. So, if that is your main experience of the story, what follows will be new to you as these events do not appear in any film portrayal of the story. Once our heroes are back on the Down, we will come on to the very familiar climax of the book. We have reached the final act of WD.  Chapter 41. The Bridges The opening quotation, from an american folk-song, is simply about a boatman celebrating while going home "with the girls" It kind of speaks for itself. We learn right away that The Test is a pretty fast-moving small river.  Most of the rabbits don't really know what is going on but Woundwort and the host of Efrafans are gone so it doesn't really matter very much.  Rather than just waiting for the little punt to beach itself, or whatever else, Hazel and Blackberry are talking about what will come next.  It also shows that the getaway is as far as their plan took them.  This indicates that they had not considered what would come afterward.   Kehaar's warning about the upcoming "pridge" is important as we shall soon sadly see.  This is a low bridge, in fact it is the same one they crossed when they first arrived at the Test, and the punt may not be able to pass underneath. The boat bumps and skids its way under the bridge.  Acorn is knocked into the lower part of the boat by the bridge, but is okay.  However, one of the newly arrived Efrafan does, Thrayonlosa,  seems to have been hurt and Hyzenthlay is with her.  Kehaar warns of another 'pridge' and it seems this one will stop the little punt.  It does and Adams gives us a time-and-distance check.  The boat has traveled just under a half mile in a bit more than 15 minutes, which also backs up the timings around the inappropriate use of the phrase Fu inlé from last weeks episode.  With the boat stopped, Hazel, Blackberry, Silver, and Kehaar discuss what to do. Kehaar thinks the rabbits need to simply get out of the boat and swim under the bridge.       Just as he quietly offers to go first things change and some men pass over the bridge.  This frightening, indeed for Hazel almost unbearable,  moment passes and Hazel comes to himself, telling everyone to disembark and swim under the bridge. They will just have to trust Kehaar. Moving back upstream, to the other side of the bridge, Hazel reassures those still in the boat that it is okay and says the does must swim through first, with the injured doe Thrayonlosa being escorted by Blackberry and Thethuthinnang. The group makes its way into the trough, or space, beneath a fallen tree.

40: Fu Inlé Scripted by Newell Fisher and John Ruths In this episode we will be exploring the Lapine phrase 'Fu Inlé', or 'After moonrise', which is used in WD as a very rough method of timekeeping. How Fu Inlé would work At the Full Moon "after moonrise" would be roughly the period after sunset. It would be a useful way of timing Evening Silflay. At the Waning Half Moon "after moonrise" would be the period after midnight. It would be a way of referring to the time between Evening and Morning Silflay. At the New Moon it would be meaningless as there is no visible moonrise. At the Waxing Half Moon, "after moonrise" would refer to the early afternoon, when the Moon is not really very visible as it rises. So we have a problem. Fu Inlé means the evening, then after midnight, then...basically nothing until the approach of the next Full Moon. So what was Richard Adams thinking? Bearing in mind his military experience, it is difficult to believe that Richard Adams was not aware of exactly how the Moon varies each month. The Moon and the Military To the military, at least to an Army which is mostly on the ground, the moon and how much light it provides is very important. In ancient times, fighting was rare at night. Even today, the moon still means a great deal.  Most night vision devices simply amplify available light.  So, a moonless night is still not a lot of fun even with night vision.  We can now easily track the moon with computers and smartphones. Even an adversary that lacks significant night vision capability will still use the moon and the light it provides. So, moonlight can be dangerous but at the same time, you can also predict some of what an adversary can do and prepare for it. For the rabbits of Watership Down at least having some moon to see by is safer for them. Having little or no light to see by when at least some elil can see quite effectively would place our rabbit heroes at a significant disadvantage.  So, having some moonlight would seem to put them in a less disadvantageous position.   I also would guess that a Richard Adams' rabbit would have current moon information in their heads.  What the moon does each night changes in small increments.  For example, at any given time, I'd guess that they'll generally track the moon rise, moon set, and about how much light the moon provides. An analysis of actual uses of Fu inlé in WD So how many times in WD are events actually timed by this method? First, the departure from Sandleford is, timed this way. In Chapter 4. The Departure, they are described as starting to gather "an hour after moonrise and a good while before midnight". Then, in Chapter 5 we are told "It was getting on toward moonset when they left the fields and entered the wood". I do have to question the timings here a little. In Chapter 30. A New Journey, Hazel decides to skirt Efrafa to get to the River Test Fu Inlé. This journey is described as happening 5 weeks after the departure from Sandleford, which implies a waning half moon. This makes sense. In Chapter 35 Captain Campion refers to "ni-Frith and fu-inlè Silflay" How would that work? Or is this just a lazy shorthand for Noon and Midnight? In Chapter 39 there is a reference to Bigwig swimming through the bridge fu inlè. The events of Bigwig's incursion into Efrafa have happened during the week after a waning Half Moon. This means that Moonrise has been moving from midnight to sunrise. Yet the escape from Efrafa took place at evening silflay. Is it feasible that it took 6 hours between the escape from Efrafa and Bigwig swimming under the bridge? This simply doesn't work. Adam’s mention of fu inlè here, according to the evidence, means that Bigwig swam under the bridge at approaching sunrise the following day...as it was growing dark. With great regret, I have to conclude that Richard Adams was using the phrase fu inlè, here, without really thinking it through.

An interview with John Ruths, the first other voice on the podcast

38: Chapter 38. The Thunder Breaks Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher This is one of the most military chapters in character in WD. The pre-chapter quote is spoken by Cassius in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. The chapter opens along the riverbank of the Test.  Hazel is nervous.  Kehaar is letting him know what we just heard in Chapter 37, namely the part about tonight being the night.   The weather is continuing to build.  We now cut to Efrafa. Hyzenthlay says that Nelthilta has been arrested.  Bigwig keeps his cool, telling Hyzenthlay to gather all the escaping does to his burrow and to stay quiet.   He soon encounters Captain Chervil. Bigwig's orders are to keep the mark underground. The paranoia of Efrafa is actually working in his favour and he's in a unique position!  Chervil's off to see the dreaded Council.  Anything Bigwig decides to do will seem legitimate.  Bigwig engages with Marjoram. At this point Bigwig commits to the escape happening there and then, as he issues orders that go directly against what he was ordered to do. He says that silflay is early, rather than cancelled. He immediately goes to link up with Hyzelthlay, who has wasted no time in gathering the does. He issues instructions to the hrair does to get moving and then does so himself. Bigwig then closes on Blackavar, slips in between him and the unsuspecting Bartsia, and then viciously attacks Bartsia. Bigwig takes his ragtag group and heads above ground. He feels that the weather is his and that it will aid him and go against Efrafa.   As he races away and leads the others, he can feel the first alert stampings but he sees no adversaries just yet.  We are now back in Efrafa at the interrogation of Nelthilta. Avens crashes in and tells everyone the news about Bigwig.  The chase is on as Avens leads the group out. We're now back with the escapees and doubt is growing in Bigwig.  One of the worst things possible happens with the appearance of Campion and a small patrol.  Soon after this Woundwort arrives along with others. Blackavar speaks up in a conciliatory way and addresses Bigwig as sir. Bigwig acknowledges Blackavar and simply waits for Woundwort's arrival.  No more running for Bigwig and, psychologically, this seems like a smart move.   Bigwig and Woundwort exchange words.  We get some of Bigwig's best dialogue here and Woundwort calls him a "dirty little beast."  Bigwig says one of the very best lines of the book:  " “Frith sees you!  You’re not fit to be called a rabbit!  May Frith blast you and your foul Owsla full of bullies!”  Seemingly, the storm reacts with a great "dazzling claw" of lightning.   It is then that Bigwig hears a voice.  "Your storm, Thlayli-rah.  Use it."  Things move quickly again. Kehaar attacks the Efrafans, seemingly out of nowhere. Soon we see more of our heroes.  Silver smartly has rabbits set up that will operate much like military checkpoints. Slowly the WD rabbits get the does moving while the Efrafans are readying themselves for an attack. Terrifyingly, it becomes obvious that Woundwort has improvised a plan to continue the pursuit under cover. Bigwig is needed closer to the boat.  The does are asking for him, as you might expect. He is the only leader from WD anyone in Efrafa has known. Hazel has the rope bitten, probably more than in half.  In the end, the appearance of Woundwort gets all the does into the boat more quickly than anything else could have!   And now Dandelion is separated from his comrades on the riverbank. As Woundwort is about to signal his attack, Bigwig cries "There it is!" referring to Kehaar.  This works, Dandelion dashes out with Dandelion speed, gets on the boat, the rope breaks, and this amphibious operation is underway!   Our heroes, now with a host of does, get away.  Bigwig sees the face of a defeated Woundwort as the little punt floats away and so closes Part III of WD.

37: Chapter 37. The Thunder Builds Up Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher This is the second of the thunder chapters and has a lot of back and forth setting changes, which keep the reader well informed and stimulate the building tension. The pre-chapter quote is from Uncle Remus.  It is spoken in Joel Chandler Harris's portrayal of African-American Vernacular English. The proverb, in standard American and British English, says "You can hide the fire, but what are you going to do with the smoke?" The quote is a clear reference to the secretive activities of Bigwig, the does, and eventually Blackavar who are also in the know.  Chapter 36 ends with Woundwort interrupting Bigwig just as the escape is about to begin.  Bigwig controls his emotions as he is asked many questions. The nature of these tell us that information is being brought to Woundwort.  Woundwort is starting to add things up. Bigwig was the rabbit who, albeit accidentally, got Mallow killed by a fox. He was recognised by Groundsel. The fact that Bigwig didn't mention this is clearly suspicious to Woundwort. Woundwort shares that he is aware of a band of rabbits on the far side of the Iron Road. He directly asks if Bigwig was with this group, forcing Bigwig to deny it. Then he is quizzed about the 'white bird' he was seen near, who was Kehaar, and simply says he's never been harmed by one of them before. As a parting shot, Woundwort asks about his meeting with Hyzenthlay ask him to keep an eye on her. It is intriguing to wonder if there is any chance that Woundwort might have put them all these pieces together eventually to guess their plan. Given the way he is fooled in the next chapter, it is easy to think not. This, for Bigwig, is a very dangerous moment but, overall, Bigwig gets through yet another social encounter in Efrafa.  At this point, he must feel somewhat emboldened. But the escape is over for now. He checks on Blackavar and deliberately knocks into one of the guards and even verbally dresses him down. The scene now moves to the little patrol-base like location where the rest of our heroes are, near the  river, and opens with Hazel.  Kehaar flies in and Hazel questions him about some important details that he's apparently repeated before.  Hazel is nervous.  What is certain is that the escape attempt is off for now and that their escape plan location at the railway arch, which is far nearer Efrafa, needs to change back to the river right away. We now cut back to Bigwig who is with Hyzenthlay. The signs of the stress he's been carrying is really starting to show and he's shaking. Hyzenthlay makes Bigwig even more nervous when she asks if it's possible to get away that evening.  She then relates that it's even possible that there could be a doe spy amongst the group she's spoken to.  If he lost his nerve and made a quick escape with just the ringleaders he would be seen as having failed, no matter what he had been through.  It is now the next morning and Bigwig's own common sense keeps him from panicking when he finds that Hyzenthlay is not there. It's quiet right now due to the building weather system overhead.  He hears Blackavar being brought up the run, who looks more pitiful than before if that's possible.  Chervil arrives and even he, as the mark's captain, seems subdued.  Nelthilta makes an unwise comment to him about a possible "surprise" coming up and that rabbits might be able to fly away.  Soon after they're outside, Bigwig plays a trick that El-ahrairah would really approve of.  Bigwig cleverly fools Chervil with a fake charm, consisting of a dance and a poem, while simultaneously giving Kehaar vital information about returning that night.     Some time later, Bigwig chances upon Blackavar. He uses this private moment to tell Blackavar the plan. This chapter reminds us just how intelligent and brave Bigwig can be under pressure. He goes to his burrow and sleeps.

36: Chapter 36. Approaching Thunder Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher The quotation at the start of the chapter is from a british music hall song, probably 19th Century in origin. This is a fairly short chapter but one in which a lot happens. This is the first of the three "thunder" chapters, in which the weather and the escape from Efrafa parallel one another.    Right in the beginning, Bigwig is woken up for duty by Avens.  A reminder of the structure in Efrafa and that the rabbits in the Owsla tend to follow this structure.  We learn, at least in moments of stress, that Bigwig talks in his sleep and mentioned Fiver by name. It is a tense moment but no more comes of it and the conversation between him and Avens quickly takes another tone.  The weather seems a more up to the moment topic. Unless the weather has actually turned bad, there's no sense in trying to deviate from Efrafan ways. Thundery weather is approaching but Chervil thinks it'll be some time before it breaks.  When Bigwig is together with both Avens and Chervil, Avens makes a somewhat backhanded comment about Bigwig having to be woken up.   Bigwig is then questioned about Hyzenthlay being in his burrow during the previous evening. During this conversation we also learn the Lapine word for a doe: Marli, as Hyzenthlay is described as the "Marli tharn", a term Adams translates, in this context, as meaning "forlorn maiden". Once he's outside, Bigwig immediately takes to looking at the terrain, routes to take, how to get Blackavar out, and he wonders if he is in a place where Kehaar can observe him.  Bigwig certainly has a presence of mind!  As it turns out, Kehaar is already on station and was ready to see Bigwig at the earliest possibility. Thick as thieves, they work their way towards one another.  This is like two Soldiers that know what to do and just immediately go about it as if it were rehearsed.   Bigwig and Kehaar have an effective exchange.  Bigwig can now relay instructions of their still developing plan and all of these modifications are Bigwig's. He tells Kehaar that they will escape at silflay that evening. Bigwig will lead the does to the archway on the Iron Road, where he wants to meet up with the WD rabbits. He also gives Kehaar clear instructions about attacking the sentries as soon as he sees Bigwig go back underground. This, we know, will be to rescue Blackavar. Soon, Chervil heads their way and Kehaar flies away.  Bigwig must once again play his espionage role.  He tells Chervil that, no, he's not afraid of birds like this and then cuffs Chervil as a part of his answer why.  An amazing thing for a rabbit to do to his Owsla Captain but this is Bigwig that we are talking about.   Chervil makes it clear that this little incident with the white bird will be reported and he leaves Bigwig and Avens to handle the Mark.  Bigwig is able to get over to Hyzenthlay and Thethuthinnang and provides updates, following up his instruction to Kehaar about attacking the sentries with one to them to run as soon as they see him bring Blackavar out, as the sentries will be running for cover.   He shows them the distant railway arch and reassures them of his ability to deal with Captain Campion, should they meet him.  The Mark go back inside and Blackavar is also taken underground.  Bigwig gets around the warren and once again shows his presence of mind by asking Chervil if it's okay to visit another Mark. He listens to officers of the Left Flank Mark and sees that, in this area, this group shares a larger single burrow.  He departs after hearing some stories, goes back to his burrow, and rests until it's time to silflay again.   Bigwig sees Hyzenthlay and Thethuthinnang go above ground, sees Blackavar, and also observes Kehaar flying. Everything is in place. And then, just as he's ready to start the escape, he hears a voice behind him. It is General Woundwort, who wants a word with him.

35: Chapter 35. Groping  Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher.  The pre-chapter quote is interesting and taken from a much longer Samuel Johnson quote that is really a prayer. Later on, Bigwig does hear from a supernatural voice that is either El-ahrairah or, possibly, Frith. This chapter opens with Bigwig and some on-the-job training being administered by Chervil and Avens. Even burying hraka is mandatory. Hraka is typically buried by rabbits being punished. You can always find those and this comment by Chervil gives you an idea of just what this place is like. From Avens he also hears an account, from an Efrafan point of view, of the escape of a group of "hlessil". We know these rabbits to have been Holly and his fellow emissaries. Avens also lets Bigwig know that the General is likely to want to take him out on Wide Patrol in person before too long. And good luck to him. He soon encounters Blackavar for the first time and we also see the word "Owslafa", a word meaning an elite section of an Owsla. Bigwig's logic tells him that this must be some scarred veteran which has earned him an escort. How wrong he is. The escort is simply because poor Blackavar is basically just a prisoner and no more. Blackberry had advised Bigwig to be on the lookout for any signs of disaffection and soon he encounters some of the insurgency, or discontented does, in this mark. We learn that Owsla members can have does whenever they like. It seems that issues of consent do not matter when it comes to the Owsla. Bigwig decides that if he escapes, Blackavar will come along. He notices that among a group of does, one of them has the attention of the others. She is reciting a very depressing poem about never being to be go outside, choosing a mate, or feeling the wind blow again. We are introduced to Hyzenthlay at last. The doe who explained Efrafa to Holly before he escaped. We learn, from Marjoram, what happened with Blackavar that got his ears all torn up as they are. Marjoram doesn't even seem to realise that Bigwig is a newcomer. This could work to his advantage. He also learns, from Captain Campion, that the Efrafans, indeed, do not like to go beyond the Iron Road and that he will be going on Wide Patrol as soon as his Mark are off Dawn and Evening silflay. Bigwig feigns enthusiasm. Soon Bigwig thinks about sharing some information with Hyzelthlay. He has her summoned to his burrow, on a pretext of wanting to mate with her. She's naturally hesitant to trust Bigwig. We soon learn that she has visions like Fiver's. It is because of this ability that she soon knows to trust Bigwig. Soon we learn that the violent escape attempt that earned Blackavar his punishment ties right in with Hyzenthlay and their recent attempts to leave Efrafa. The does who asked to leave Efrafa were split up between marks. But Hyzenthlay and Thethutinnang, the two main ringleaders, were kept together, which made little sense. But in Efrafa that doesn't matter, as long as the order was fulfilled. Bigwig and Hyzenthlay begin to plan their future escape. Hyzenthlay and Thethuthinnang will select the does who will escape, while Bigwig will focus on the actual mechanics of that escape. Bigwig explains that the best time for the escape to happen would be at sunset and that this should happen as soon as possible. He also tells Hyzenthlay about Kehaar. Their Mark is due to lose evening silflay in a couple of days time. This gives the plan far more urgency. Bigwig decides that they must therefore escape on the following evening. And that Blackavar will be coming with them. It's clear that Bigwig has serendipitously happened upon someone he can work with. Once Hyzenthlay departs, Bigwig manages to doze and has some menacing dreams before drifting off into a deep sleep. Vocab: Owslafa: An elite section of an Owsla, as opposed to simply the Captain, or captains. A term we only encounter in Efrafa. Thethuthinnang: Movement-of-leaves. A name for a doe.

34: Chapter 34. General Woundwort  Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher The opening quotation is by the Prussian military tactician Carl von Clausewitz. It refers to the importance of a strong leader in any military enterprise. Because that is exactly what Efrafa is really. For the first time, we join General Woundwort in the present. We learn, almost straight away, about how hard Woundwort's life has been. Having seen his mother killed by a weasel in front of him, his rescue by the schoolmaster results in his almost killing his cat, when it tries tormenting him. Soon Woundwort escapes from the hutch he is kept in, survives on his own in the wild with no apparent problems, then forces his way into a warren, taking it over and killing the former Chief Rabbit and another rival. He departs the warren that he took over and already recognizes that he needs a bigger, better place to grow his powerbase. Wouldwort basically founded Efrafa with pretty minimal experience. He turns out to be a leader to be both feared and looked up to. He believes in the strength of numbers, forcing those attempting to leave to come back, which is seemingly unusual in the world of rabbits. He is intelligent, cunning, determined, and recognises talent. He exploits all of these things and selects rabbits for the Council based on what they can do for the warren. And he's also created a tiered social system where the best rabbits will likely be motivated for some upward mobility. Good ideas continue to surface and this is how Wide Patrols come into being. You could say that loyalty and fear are his main two methods. But where loyalty ends, fear will also do the job. Really, Woundwort's and the Council's initial ideas worked well and helped lead them to where they are now. But Efrafa is now overcrowded, as a result of his obsession with strength in numbers. Individual freedoms are traded for security, as happens in human societies all the time. This does nothing good for morale among the rank and file, and especially the does, who don't really get the social benefits that the Owsla, Council, and Owslafa, or Council Police, benefit from. Additionally, the Owsla are not, now, enjoying their normal prestige and there is a shortage of rabbits who might fill in. This is primarily because the tiered social system of Efrafa is also breaking down. Lack of freedom tends not to produce people with initiative. Yet this is exactly the trait that is needed for new recruits capable of getting into the Owsla. To make things even worse, the getaway of the WD Party, and the recent death of an Owsla Captain, due to Bigwig's actions with a fox, have made things worse. Woundwort knows that there is a large band of rabbits out there but beyond the Iron Road. So, our heroes are now a big issue for Woundwort and he has very limited information on them. He's not used to this. And then a stranger arrives, who we know to be Bigwig. Interestingly, I think that, in all his dealings with Efrafa, he is referred to as Thlayli, his name in Lapine. To rabbits in the story, this distinction would not exist, but it is an interesting subtlety for the reader. We are now well into the chapter, and we ended the last one with Bigwig heading out, so his re-introduction to the reader in this way is nicely done. During this chapter we are told none of Bigwig's internal monologue, Only Woundwort's. Bigwig is allowed to remain a mystery for just this one chapter. The Efrafans are somewhat, almost comically, taken aback. Here comes this sizable buck with a few battle scars who WANTS to join Efrafa. Bigwig almost has the Efrafans over a barrel. Of course they're going to take him! What they don't know yet is that Thlayli is here to work from the inside and take away as many does as he can. He's not only a spy, but a spy on a mission! The chapter ends with Bigwig having just received his scratch to join him to the Near Hind Mark within the warren.

33: Chapter 33. The Great River This episode is scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher. The pre-chapter quote, from 'The Wind in the Willows', is all about a river as a living, moving thing, almost talking about it as if it's a living animal. Pipkin sees Hazel and states that his leg is dragging. We now see that what Hazel said earlier about his permanently wounded leg is holding true. It will never be what it once was. The WD rabbits find the river in a few paragraphs every bit as descriptive as something written by JRR Tolkien. References are made to arriving in an alien place, where you, the stranger, are of no importance. If Hazel earlier paid for not listening to Fiver, we see that this will never happen again. He confers with Fiver who gets him to settle down a bit. At this point, Hazel truly needs Fiver. They all also need Kehaar who is trying to get them to recognise a bridge. However, neither Hazel nor Fiver knows what a "pridge" is. Fiver has a great idea to get the rabbits moving along the bridge by acting in a way that will make them curious. A fish is seen and Fiver's description of this as a "water hawk" is fascinating. It's tough for the rabbits to move. They are very unfamiliar with these surroundings and even Bigwig moves hesitantly. Kehaar is putting a bit of pressure on Hazel to get this operation going. Hazel seems to agree with Kehaar's point though. The river becomes a major topic as Hazel discusses how they can all get away. Reconnaissance saves the day at Blackberry's suggestion. They find a wooden footbridge and then, the real discovery, a boat! Hazel is completely out of this. While the solution to their getaway is being solved in front of him, he's asking Kehaar if he can delay going by another day. Hazel is the leader but he's not the smartest or toughest etc. One of his talents is recognising the skills he does not have in others, and putting those to best use. In any case, Blackberry reacts to Bluebell's "water rabbit" comment with the phrases "Great golden Frith on a hill!" and "Great jumping Rabscuttle!" and gives Fiver a friendly cuff. This is his eureka moment. Blackberry is truly excited! Intelligence-wise, Blackberry and Fiver are in their own category. Once explained, the idea comes to light in the minds of the other rabbits. Hazel quickly identifies that their plan will now fulfill all three of the criteria that he spelled out to Blackberry back in Chapter 28. His words to the small group are really inspiring. There's no reason to wait and he verbally identifies Bigwig as "the leader now." Bigwig's reaction is him at his very best and bravest. In this chapter, Adams' has again shown us readers that Blackberry and Fiver are the smartest. He also shows us that Hazel and Bigwig are the bravest and possess the most leadership qualities. Hazel gives instructions to Bigwig and he accepts them. The tension of the Lost Paragraph is gone for now. The touching of Hazel's and Bigwig's noses reads like it has special significance. This is two leaders, one in charge and the other a subordinate, sharing their last moment together for the time being. Bigwig touching Hazel's nose is military in nature and is the equivalent of a salute, something certainly not lost on Richard Adams and his war service. Bigwig, without further delay, heads towards Efrafa... Next Episode: Many thanks, again, to John Ruths for basically saving this episode, as well as the next few. Next time, we meet General Woundwort in person...and a stranger arrives at Efrafa.

32: Chapter 32. Across the Iron Road The opening quote is another one in French. John Ruths has helped me out here. He says the translation is: "Spirit of rivalry and misunderstanding which more than once preserved the English army from defeat." The person quoted is General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, a French officer in the revolution and Napoleonic Wars. The backhanded compliment towards their historical enemy, the English, is both funny and interesting. Basically implying that an army where there is a little chaos and dissent can have an advantage. During the last chapter, Pipkin excused himself because he found the story of the Black Rabbit too frightening. Because he excused himself he was able to spot the Fox approaching them at the end of the Chapter. This chapter opens with an explanation of how rare encounters between rabbits and foxes are. The only hope a fox has is to sneak up on them downwind. So Pipkins spotting this fox is very lucky. Hazel also realises that Fiver probably used Pipkin's fear as an excuse to act as a sentry. Yet again his instincts preserve the group. Hazel sensibly observes the Fox, while planning what to do next. Suddenly a rabbit pushes past him out into the open. Fiver says it was Bigwig, who they then watch deliberately draw the fox away from the group by pretending to limp away from them. This was completely unnecessary and Hazel feels very angry. As Bigwig and the Fox disappear into undergrowth, they hear the squeal of a rabbit and immediately conclude that Bigwig has been killed by it. Suddenly he reappears and runs towards them fast. He is unharmed. A very angry Hazel begins to round on Bigwig before Fiver points out that the group are very stressed and need to get away. Hazel takes his advice. They cross the road into more open farmland beyond, where they make good progress. As soon as they stop, Hazel has a conversation with Bigwig. Hazel tells Bigwig how angry he is and asks him to explain himself. Bigwig says that he was feeling tense, though the source of his tension is kept from the reader for now, and felt he had to do something such as run a risk. And it worked. He explains the rabbit that cried out by saying that, as he made away from the fox, he bumped into a group of large rabbits, who tried to stop him going any further. As he broke free he heard squealing and concluded that the Fox must have got one of them. This is the death of Mallow, member of the Efrafan Owsla, that we learn about in chapter 37. For Bigwig had bumped into a wide Patrol. How much more luck are the rabbits of Watership Down going to have to rely on? First they narrowly avoid an encounter with a fox, then that same Fox saves them from an Efrafan Wide-Patrol that was tracking them. And that only happens because one of the group does something stupid. Maybe they ARE under the protection of Frith? Silver comes up to Bigwig and Hazel to say that he's realised are closer to Efrafa than he thought. They need to go. Hazel says he wants to skirt around Efrafa and cross the Iron Road. This next part of the journey takes place during a moonlit night, and Adams embellishes it's description with the sounds downland Birds that they Encounter during it. Eventually, as morning approaches, Silver thinks they are near the Iron Road. Here, rather than being at the top of a bank it is in a cutting. They cross it and rest in the field beyond where they are met by Kehaar. They are exhausted but he warns them that another Wide-Patrol is tracking them and they need to go immediately. Again, having aerial reconnaissance proves crucial for the group. They take cover among some trees. Kehaar says that they moved just in time, as the Wide Patrol turned back as it reached the Iron Road. He keeps watch as the rabbits sleep and the day grows hot. 32.3 Next Episode Next time the rabbits reach the River Test, where they have an idea...and Bigwig goes to Efrafa

31: Chapter 31. The Story of El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inlé The opening quotation, from the poem 'Prospice' by Robert Browning, is on the theme of almost looking forward to death as a way of facing it. The story opens with the fairly predictable premise of King Darzin learning of how he was fooled into giving away his lettuces by El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle. There is an escalation, starting with the capture of Rabscuttle by Darzin. The rescue of Rabscuttle provokes Darzin into all out war against El-ahrairah's people. Their attack on the burrows is easily repelled. So the conflict quickly settles into a siege. Eventually the siege drives El-ahrairah to such despair that he cries to Frith that he would drive a bargain with anyone just to save them. Even Death itself. El-ahrairah decides to go to the Black Rabbit and offer him his life in exchange for those of his people. He decides to take Rabscuttle with him as a Messenger. Their journey to the realm of the Black Rabbit is explained in mystical terms, has no one can know how it was undertaken. Eventually they came to a "high place" with no grass. At last they reach a burrow tunnelled into the rock itself. They are about to enter this tunnel, when they realise that what they thought was part of the rock is actually the Black Rabbit of Inlè. The Black Rabbit asks them what they are doing there, as they are alive. When El-ahrairah explains that he has come to trade his life for those of his people, the Black Rabbit replies that there are no bargains to be had with him. The Black Rabbit makes it clear that they are his guests and offers to "entertain" them. First El-ahrairah dices with death, or at least the rabbit equivalent, in a game of Bobstones. Of course, he loses. And the price of that loss is for the Owsla take away his tail and whiskers painfully. The next day they go to see the Black Rabbit again as if nothing has happened. He repeats that they are free to go at anytime. He says that if they are going to stay then they should both tell a story. Of course this becomes a competition, with El-ahrairah proposing the same stakes as before. Only this time he will pay with his ears. This time he is mutilated while in a deep sleep, and when he wakes his ears are gone. A weeping Rabscuttle begs for them to leave, but El-ahrairah again refuses, telling him to fetch two dock leaves switch to replace his ears. El-ahrairah realises that the Black Rabbits Owsla can only hurt him with his consent and has no power to make him leave. He comes across a place guarded by Owsla who try to turn him away with fear. They point out in particular nearby burrow in which is kept the "white-blindness", or myxomatosis. Without giving himself time to think, El-ahrairah jumps into that Burrow in an attempt to catch the disease, so he can take it back and infect King Darzin's troops. He begins to make his way out of the Warren and is met by the Black Rabbit who delivers the final blow by pointing out that the White Blindness is transmitted by fleas that live in rabbit's ears, which El-ahrairah no longer has. El-ahrairah is finally defeated and knows it. The Black Rabbit acknowledges the courage of El-ahrairah, as well as the fact that he is a nuisance, and sends his terrible Owsla to frighten away the troops of King Darzin. We are told that the journey of El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle back to their own Warren takes three months, yet the Warren that El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle arrive back at is larger than they remember. All the rabbits who fought King Darzin's troops are old and the young rabbits of the Warren know little of the fighting that took place and care even less. In fact some of them view it with contempt. El-ahrairah is joined by Lord Frith himself.Frith gives El-ahrairah a new tail, whiskers and ears lit by a little starlight. Just as Frith is about to reward Rabscuttle as well, the story is interrupted by Pipkin, who has spotted a fox.

30: Part Three: Efrafa. Chapter 30 A New Journey    30.1 Burrowkeeping    From now on I will very strictly deal with one chapter per episode, especially during the events of Part Three.    30.2 Introduction to Part Three    Parts 1 and 3 of WD are basically not set on the Down at all.    The only part of Part 3 set on WD comes right at the start of its first chapter, with the departure of the Great Raid on Efrafa.    The Great Raid is, arguably, an antagonistic act of interference in another culture. On the other hand, Efrafa is, as it is described, blatantly a "failing state" in which its own citizens, in private, say that the system is breaking down.    On a similar vein, a while ago I started benefitting from the assistance of John Ruths, who is in the US military. It was he who emphasised to me just how much Richard Adam's military experience seems to have influenced the book.      The majority of being a soldier in an active war-zone seems to be not about fighting, but about staying concealed and safe until you are ready to do what you need to get done. In this sense, the life of a rabbit can be compared to life in an active war-zone. And there is no part of WD that is more military in character than Part Three.    30.3 Chapter 30. A New Journey    Adams succinctly describes the group that sets off for Efrafa as being the same as that which left Sandleford Warren 5 weeks earlier, minus Buckthorn and plus Bluebell.    The progress of this larger party on open downland is slower than Holly's small mission and Hazel uses the sensible tactic of dividing them into 3 separate groups.    Sometime before Ni-frith (or noon) they reach Caesar's Belt.    It is mentioned that Bigwig has seemed preoccupied during the morning. Bluebell has overheard him talking to Hazel Fiver and Blackberry, and it sounded as if he was being reassured. They are now likely to be within the range of Efrafan wide-patrols.    Hazel makes it clear that he has brought this many rabbits because not one member of a wide-patrol must make it back to Efrafa if they meet one. They are going to use Caesars Belt to avoid Efrafan wide-patrols and find somewhere near Efrafa to hide.   Silver says that this will not be easy and warns that wide-patrols that spot them may not make themselves known but just report back to Efrafa.    The group move along Caesars Belt for about half a mile to the west. There, before sunset, Kehaar meets them. Hazel makes it clear to Kehaar that they need him to find somewhere for them to hide.    Kehaar suggests crossing the river to the south of Efrafa, using a bridge, and Fiver comments that they should get there as quickly as possible. Hazel says they will travel at night, starting Fu-inlè, or after moonrise.    He decides some entertainment would be in order. A couple of light-hearted stories are suggested , but Bigwig interrupts. There is only one story he wants to hear. When it is pointed out to him that it might not be appropriate he reacted angrily towards Hazel, saying that if anyone has the right to choose the story that is told it is him.    After an awkward pause, Dandelion begins.    30.4 Next Episode    Next time we hear the story of El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inlè.

29: Death in Watership Down    This episode is dedicated to Elli    29.1 Burrowkeeping    The theme of this episode has kind of been dictated by events. Last Friday, one of our cats was killed on a road near where we live. So...on the principle that, if life gives you lemons, you should probably make lemonade, death in WD will now be the theme of this episode, as a tribute to our Elli cat.    29.2 The death-toll of the book    Death is an unavoidable part of WD. It even has a specific character dedicated to it. Yet there are very few direct references to deaths in the book. There is a brief reference to the possible death of Strawberry's mate Nildro-hain in Chapter 17. The Shining Wire. The named death-toll at Sandleford, and during Holly and Bluebell's terrible journey to WD, is Scabious, Celandine, Toadflax and Pimpernel. The escape of Holly's mission to Efrafa, in Chapter 27, leads to the death of Captain Charlock on the Iron Road. We only learn this from Hyzenthlay in Chapter 35. Then, in Chapter 32, during the expedition to Efrafa, Bigwig leads a fox onto an Efrafan wide-patrol. We later learn, from Woundwort in Chapter 37, that this lead to the death of Mallow. I think I am right in saying that the first direct contemporaneous reference to a death in WD is that of the doe Thrayonlosa at the beginning of Chapter 40. The Way Back. Even at the climax of the book, at the conclusion of the siege of WD, there is only a direct reference to the death of one Efrafan sentry at the start of Chapter 49. Hazel Comes Home. Though we should perhaps realistically conclude that Woundwort was also killed? And then there is, of course, the incredibly poignant death of the aged Hazel in the Epilogue.    This gives us a verifiable book death-toll of...10. Or 11 if you accept that Woundwort wasn't actually invulnerable. Please feel free to challenge my figures. So the named death-toll of the book is:    Nildro-hain  Scabious  Celandine  Toadflax  Pimpernel  Captain Charlock  Mallow  Thrayonlosa  An un-named Efrafan sentry of the Great Patrol  General Woundwort  Hazel    Of these, 5 are killed by humans or human activity. The others are killed by other rabbits, a fox, as a result of an injury and two by a dog. Only one dies of old-age.    29.3 The death-toll of the 1978 film    There is a video, on YouTube, of questionable taste, called "Watership Down (1978) Kill Count". It has to be said, though, that it is very accurate, and its total is a shocking...62 observable deaths. It misses the death of Mallow, giving a death-toll of 63...plus Woundwort, giving a final observable death-toll in the film of 64. However, the named death-toll of the 1978 film, despite its bloodthirsty nature, is a surprisingly low 3:    Violet  Blackavar  Hazel    29.3 The Black Rabbit of Inlè    The Black Rabbit of Inlè, who we will meet shortly in the book, is a fascinating mythological figure. Basically he (we have to assume his sex in historical context) is the rabbit Grim Reaper. Yet he is a bit subtler than that. In the 1978 film, Hazel seeks to make a deal with Frith, the rabbit Sun God, at the climax of the film, as he seeks to rescue the WD warren from the besieiging Efrafans. Frith responds to him directly in a very poignant moment. However, in the original book the words spoken by Frith are actually spoken by the Black Rabbit to El-ahrairah in one of the tales told by Dandelion a lot later in the story, and the Black Rabbit then takes the action necessary to save El-ahrairah's people. So he is not just an impartial taker of lives at their inevitable end. He can choose to take lives or to save them.    John Ruths identifies 4 attitudes towards death in WD.  First there is a kind of pragmatic callous attitude. Then there is death as a feature of fate. Then there is death as an utter pointless waste. Lastly, there is death as a noble act or sacrifice.     29.4 Next Episode    Next time, we begin Part Three of the book...and the Great Raid On Efrafa begins.

28: The Unscripted Meta Episode 28.1 Freeform episode, due to family circumstances 28.2 Ramble One The appeal of WD WD as a Special Interest (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) Creating a WD aesthetic 28.3 This podcast's audience as at 9/9/21 Audience numbers Country Gender Age 28.4 Next Episode One more in which I don't go through the book. Not sure what I'll be doing yet.

27: Chapter 29. Return and Departure and Review of Part 2.    27.1 Burrowkeeping    One bit of burrowkeeping: I have added the musical interludes to episodes 1 to 7, as I didn't start using them until episode 8.     27.2 Chapter 29. Return and Departure    The opening quotation is among the more obvious in the book, as Shakespeare's Henry the Fifth guilt-trips his troops into fighting alongside him.    The chapter opens with the eagerly anticipated return of Hazel to the Down. Just after sunrise Fiver arrives on the Down, followed by a limping Hazel. He is greeted back at the Warren with play fighting. He then has a conversation with Boxwood about how he is settling in. Hazel also talks to Strawberry, who has been very badly affected by his experiences in Efrafa.     Hazel, like a true leader, make sure he talks to all the rabbits before going underground.    Later Hazel calls a meeting in the Honeycomb, where he makes clear his intention to get more does from Efrafa. This is greeted with astonishment. When Bluebell asks how they're going to do this Hazel explains that he and Blackberry have a plan but they're not going to explain it in case anyone is caught and taken to Efrafa.    Although Hazel hopes to avoid fighting he is going to take enough rabbits to deal with any wide-patrols they may meet He confirms that they will not be going into Efrafa.    Holly interrupts and gives a comprehensive speech criticising Hazel's plan based on his experiences of Efrafa. This causes a buzz of conversation in the honeycomb and Hazel wait patiently for this to stop.    He then reminds them of the reality that they do not have enough does and they have this chance to put that right for good. Someone asks what Fiver thinks. He says that he is going and that Hazel is right. But if he gets any feelings that things aren't right he will speak up. Hazel promises that he will not ignore such warnings. Bigwig then speaks, saying that he is going and they will have Kehaar with them.    Hazel says that the hutch rabbits, and anyone who went to before, is not expected to come, though Silver says he will.    Little Pipkin in a confused speech confirms he is going. So now the strongest and the weakest have confirmed they are going. No one else has any excuse. Henry the Fifth indeed.    Blackberry, who Hazel thought was already in the meeting, then arrives to say that he has been talking to Kehaar, who has improved the plan considerably. Bluebell pipes up with his with his usual joking turn of phrase. But his reference to Bigwig being involved in the plan seems to annoy Hazel, who tells him to shut up. As we learn later, Bluebell has indeed accidentally guessed part of the plan which must have alarmed Hazel.    Hazel then goes to speak with Kehaar. He says he will help them to get the 'mudders' out of Efrafa, but he will then want to leave them to return to thec sea, though he will return in the autumn or winter.    Bigwig appears and Hazel confirms that they will set off at daybreak. Holly will be chief rabbit until they return and the farm rabbits, as well as Buckthorn and Strawberry, will remain with him on Watership Down. Anyone else who wants to can also stay.    27.3 Review of Part Two: On Watership Down    So ends Part Two of Watership Down, which began with the rabbits arrival at the foot of the down, and ends with most of them leaving a well-established warren on an expedition to ensure it has a future.    Three more rabbits, two of them does, have joined them from Nuthanger Farm. But this has nearly resulted in the chief rabbit losng his life.    We are well past the halfway point of the story, the rest of which is very much focused on Efrafa.     Some frightening times lie ahead.    27.4 Next Episode    As ever, thank you to John Ruths for his notes.    At the end of Part One of the book, I paused going through it for a couple of episodes and I now plan to do so again. 

26: Chapter 28. At the Foot of the Hill  26.1: Burrowkeeping  Rebecca Porter is proving a very effective correcter of detail. Her latest refers to my skepticism about Blackberry definitely being the rabbit with black tipped ears, which I completely missed, from Chapter 3:   “…Blackberry, the rabbit with tipped ears who’d been startled by Fiver the evening before…”  26.2 Kehaar and Black Headed gulls briefly revisited  Last week me and my wife travelled to Wiltshire to visit relatives. During the journey we stopped at a motorway service area that is close to Watership Down. There I clearly saw a black-headed gull with its head moulted white. Conclusion: The 1978 film got his appearance almost entirely wrong.  26.3  Chapter 28. At the Foot of the Hill  This chapter follows on immediately from Holly's account of Efrafa in the previous chapter.   Bigwig spots Blackberry, returning to the Down, who brings the news that Hazel is alive. It has taken them all evening to get Hazel to the ditch at the foot of the hill. Hazel couldn't go on any further, thus giving this chapter its title.  Bigwig immediately says he is going to see Hazel. Bigwig finds Fiver feeding by the ditch and they both spend the night crouched by Hazel.  The next morning Bigwig sees Kehaar nearby, who asks if they have taken out the "liddle black stones" from Hazel's wound. Kehaar's sense of smell and beak does its magic. Doctor Kehaar prescribes 2 or 3 days ditch-rest. He may well have just saved Hazel's life. Hazel stays at the foot of the hill for 3 days, with nurse Fiver licking his wounds and monitoring his recovery.  Their conversations there are what decide the course of the rest of the book. When Hazel says that none of them would be there if it weren't for him, Fiver talks of "another country" where we go when we dream, and when we die. Many rabbits think it is a pleasant place to be in, but Fiver disagrees. This is a far more classical view of the Underworld than the Judeo-Christian-Islamic idea of Heaven. When Hazel mentions Silverweed, the poet from the warren of the snares, Fiver responds by saying that the terrifying thing about him was that he knew he belonged in that other place. That the "ones in that country" got Silverweed. And that they don't give away their secrets for nothing.  The arrival of Holly and Blackberry ends this conversation. When he told of the messenger of Frith saving them, Fiver, for all his mysticism, was sure there was a natural explanation. Their discussion about the does makes it clear that, aside from the females being referred to as little more than livestock, in this world of talking rabbits there is no romance, even though rabbits do form enduring pairs. The warren clearly needs more.  Hazel says that he now knows what they need to do. But he can't yet see how to do it. They have to go back to Efrafa and get some does out.  Holly, unsurprisingly, thinks this plan is very ill-advised. Hazel agrees that it cannot be done by fighting. So they will have to use a trick. He outlines the three things this trick must acheive:    1) Get does out of Efrafa...obviously  2) Evade the pursuit of the Efrafan Owsla  3) Make the raiding party impossible to find. Beyond the reach of even a Wide Patrol  Devising this trick will be the job of Blackberry. Blackberry says he thinks he can see how to achieve the first goal, but not the other two yet. He wants to talk to Fiver about it.  Holly is not happy. He thinks Hazel is making a bad mistake that could get them all killed. He is very nearly correct about this. But Fiver responds. He agrees it ought to feel that way. But it somehow...doesn't. The scene is being rapidly set for the most exciting, and frightening, events of the book.  26.4 Next Episode  Thank you, once again, to John Ruths for his notes and to Rebecca Porter for her scrutiny. This is all very helpful.  Vocab:  Inlé: (additional definition to the one in episode 4) The Underworld or afterlife 

25.2 Chapter 26. Fiver Beyond Fiver slips into what might be called just a dream in which he follows the ghostly rabbit he saw disappear on WD into the landscape below. You can clearly see how this description inspired the sequence in the 1978 film. The similarity with that scene ends with the appearance of the disturbing human who gives Fiver all the clues he needs about where to find Hazel. He finds himself at the place where the notice board was that warned of the destruction of the Sandleford Warren. The black stick shapes on the board seem to chatter to Fiver of a memorial to Hazel-rah. But the man says he cannot get to Hazel to hang him up on the board. Because he's gone down the "bloody hole". Fiver wakes up to a shower of earth from the roof of his burrow having landed on him due to the hot weather. Blackberry has come to check on him. He was crying out Hazel's name in his sleep. Fiver asks if Blackberry knows exactly where Hazel was shot. Blackberry confirms he does and Fiver cuts short his objections to Hazel still being alive by saying they have to go and save Hazel right away. On reaching the site of Hazel's shooting, Fiver notices the dried trail of blood coming out of the culvert. He has found the Bloody Hole. And in that hole...is Hazel. Who is alive. 25.4: Chapter 27. 'You Can't Imagine it Unless You've been There' This chapter mainly consists of Holly speaking as he recounts the experiences of the expedition to the other warren to try to get some Does for the WD warren. Holly gives an excellent account of a seasoned Owsla officer's tracking across open country. Then they meet a hare, who can obviously communicate with them easily. As soon as the hare realises where they are going, he recommends they run away very fast. Three large Efrafan rabbits appear and one of them asks to see the expedition rabbits' "marks". And so they arrive at Efrafa. Efrafa is a big warren. The entire warren is designed to conceal its existence. As well as the Owsla, there is a Council, each member of which is responsible for things such as feeding, breeding and concealment. The Efrafan Owsla is terrifying and the chief of the warren is General Woundwort. Under him are multiple captains of the Owsla, rather than the usual single captain. Each of them responsible for a mark. Holly and his companions are then taken to see the Council. They meet General Woundwort, who has no interest in why they have travelled to Efrafa. He simply explains the rules under which they will live there. The expedition are told they will join the Right Flank Mark under Captain Bugloss. It occurs to him that Captain Bugloss is a bit overstretched in his role, so Holly decides to adopt the role of a messenger from the Council, just as his mark are going on silflay. The WD rabbits immediately escape. Just as Holly thinks they will have to turn and fight, they come to a steep bank, which they climb. This is a railway embankment. They fall down the other side of the embankment and then experience the passing of a train as a visitation from one of Lord Frith's messengers, which overwhelms Holly. It would be far more frightening than just a car. Next day Holly finds a tunnel under the track and they begin the journey north back to WD. It is a very difficult journey and only Silver makes it back in a healthy condition. But they meet no Efrafans. It takes a day and a night and they do not rest. They return to the news of Hazel's death, though this low point for them isn't quite as bad for us as readers, as we know that he is alive. Were it not for what we know as readers, this would truly be the lowest point in the story. 25.5 Next Episode Next time, Hazel returns to WD...and hatches a plan that will make the raid on Nuthanger Farm seem like a walk in the park. Vocab: Hyzenthlay: Shine-Dew-Fur (Fur that shines like the dew) Crixa: a crossroad between two human tracks. Owslafa: Efrafan Council Police

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23: Chapter 25. The Raid  23.1 Burrowkeeping   Returning to the Lost Paragraph, I have now found two places in the book where Bigwig calls Hazel 'Hazel-rah' before the ending, where, in an edition  with the Lost Paragraph, he does not. In the puffin edition, these occur on pages 225, at Nuthanger Farm, and 374, on the River Test. Thank you to Amber Rizzi for helping me find that second example.  This means that the manuscript that omits the Lost Paragraph was also edited in detail in order to ensure that Bigwig does use Hazel's title, more than once, before the end.   23.2 Chapter 25. The Raid  This chapter possibly represents the low point for the Warren on WD. And yet, within it, lie all the seeds of their future success.  The opening quotation relates to the coming of age of a leader and is taken from 'The King must Die' by Mary Renault.   Hazel and Pipkin don't get back to the Warren until it is nearly dark. Hazel has missed the news that Holly and the rest of the expedition had reached the other warren the previous evening, as reported by Kehaar. Fiver is less than impressed with him when he outlines his plan. The raid has to be put off as the rain settles in. Fiver talks to Hazel again about the Raid, asking him not to go. He agrees not to enter the farm itself.  The next day is dry. Bigwig and Hazel decide to go to the farm at sunset. As Hazel waits just outside the farm the raiding party sets off.  Bigwig meets a cat almost straight away. This is not the cat that chased Fiver and Pipkin. Bigwig and Dandelion attack it immediately, with Speedwell following up. They quickly find the shed with the hutch. Bigwig and Blackberry set about opening the hutch while the others keep watch.  In the hutch, the buck Boxwood speaks first, asking if that is Hazel who has come back to let them out. Blackberry sets about getting the hutch open. It is slow work. Blackberry suggests pushing the door from outside, which produces a twisting that wears the hinge off its final nail. The hutch is open.  In the yard outside the cat is still watching them, though it won't attack. Boxwood and Clover seem to understand the urgency of the need to get away, but Laurel and Haystack are a lot slower. The cat begins to circle them. The cat Hazel and Pipkin met also emerges.  And then the dog wakes up. It sees the rabbits and begins to bark.  Bigwig orders them all to run. Clover and Boxwood do, but the other two stay where they are. Hazel gives some of the party the job of getting Clover and Boxwood back to WD, while he and Dandelion will go and get the other two hutch rabbits.   Joining Hazel, Dandelion finds him taking to Haystack. An odd light becomes apparent. Adams' introduction of the car arriving at the farm, with its headlights on, is pure genius, as we experience it completely from a rabbit's point of view.  Hearing human voices, Hazel snaps out of it and tells them all to close their eyes and run. Dandelion and Haystack do so, but the buck Laurel has to be left behind.  The men are searching for them with the torch. Hazel creates a diversion so they can get away. They keep the torch on him. And he is shot.  Hazel manages to drag himself into a land-drain just in time to avoid being found. They all wait for Hazel just in case. Then Bigwig and Dandelion go looking for him. They see blood and obviously get very close to where he is. But Hazel is unconscious and they can't see him.  An advance party reaches the Down at first light. Fiver comes to meet them and is told what has happened by Blackberry. But he already knows. As they approached, he saw a rabbit following them, limping and blood-soaked, and then it disappeared.  Later that morning, the party who went to the other Warren return with no does. Of the four of them, only Silver is okay.  We have truly reached a low point in the story.  23.3 Next episode  Next time, Fiver has a vision...and we learn about the other Warren.

22: Chapter 24. Nuthanger Farm    22.2 Nuthanger Farm    This farm, which is a real farm, still with that name, lying just north of the foot of WD, is the setting of the main interactions between rabbits and humans in the book. Those interactions span the whole range of the relationship between our species and wild animals such as rabbits, from brutality to compassion. It is also the site of the main interactions between rabbits and the Elil who live with humans, namely cats and dogs. And, of course, it is, because of this, the source of the salvation of the rabbits of WD from the main peril they face from other rabbits during the climax of the story.    For those of you wanting to know the exact road Nuthanger Farm lies on, it is the one between Sydmonton and Kingsclere in Hampshire. Its name as it passes WD and Nuthanger Farm, seems to be 'Sydmonton Road'. Nuthanger Farm lies up the lane that heads north from this road to the north of WD.    22.3 Chapter 24. Nuthanger Farm    The opening quotation, which seems to be in late Middle English, is a reference to Robin Hood visiting Nottingham in secret, where he is recognised by a monk.    As this chapter opens Hazel feels the need for adventure. He seems to be feeling the need to prove himself to all the former Owsla members, and in particular the two, Holly and Silver, who are on the expedition.    This is uncharacteristic of Hazel and rather disappointing I think. His humility has been a hallmark of the strength of his leadership and here that fails, as he lapses into individualism.    His idea is initially to go to the farm where Kehaar saw the rabbits being kept in a box and to just scout it out. He decides not to go alone but to take one other rabbit. A rabbit who will do as he is told: Pipkin. The most vulnerable rabbit in the group.    They make their way down the scarp slope of the Down. Hazel feels supremely confident. He asks a rat for directions to the farm. The sky is growing lighter. They make their way along a lane heading north from the road, to the top of the low rise the farm stands upon.    Hazel takes in the smells as they reach the farm. among these are a lot of cat, less dog and definitely rabbit. They can see a dog kennel with a large black dog inside, tied up with a rope. They make their way through the farmyard, becoming more confident as there is no sign of a cat, and following the rabbit smell to a shed in which they find a rabbit-hutch.    Hazel tells Pipkin to guard their only exit then speaks with the rabbits in the hutch. There are four of them, both bucks and does. The buck he speaks to is called Boxwood. He and his doe, Haystack, are black and white Himalayan rabbits. The other two, the buck Laurel and doe Clover, are short-haired black Angoras. Hazel tells them that he wants them to join his warren and takes some time describing life in the wild. The doe Clover is particularly interested and asks several questions. But her speech, again, is just reported, not quoted. A doe has still not spoken directly in the book.    The hutch rabbits have heard bad things about living in the wild and are going to take some persuasion. Hazel decides to leave, but promises to return.    Just then Pipkin says that a cat has appeared outside in the yard. Hazel reassures Pipkin and tells him to follow before leaving the shed in plain view of the cat. He tells Pipkin not to run until the cat starts to attack then deliberately provokes it to do just that with insults. The cat pounces and they manage to outrun it back to the lane. Hazel says a rabbit can outrun a cat, but only if the cat attacks first.   Their adventure over, Pipkin asks what all this has been about and Hazel promises to tell him later on. They make their way back to WD slowly. 22.4 Next Episode    Thank you to John Ruths for his notes on this chapter, which were useful as always.    Next time, the rabbits of WD raid Nuthanger Farm, with horrific consequences. And the expedition returns empty handed.

21: Chapter 23. Kehaar  21.1 Burrowkeeping   A couple of mistakes from last week.  I got the Chapter number wrong. It was Chapter 22 not 21. I have corrected the episode title and notes. I also referred to Hazel as Holly a couple of times.  21.2 Chroicocephalus ridibundus or the Black-headed Gull  The back-headed gull is a small gull. They have red beaks, as opposed to the yellow/orange beaks of larger white-headed seagull species. The black head is actually dark brown and moults in winter, leaving a patch behind each eye.  Although Kehaar has been portrayed on film as keeping his black head throughout the story, there is actually a clear reference to his head moulting during the course of this chapter, leaving just a brown patch behind each eye.   Can these gulls moult prematurely if they don't get to mate? Or did Adam's make a mistake by having Kehaar moult prematurely?  21.3 The Doe-problem  the overriding challenge facing this Warren is about to rear its head: the absence of does.  The efforts of the rabbits of WD to get some does to join them has also been criticised as reducing female characters in the book to nothing more than breeders.  Solving the doe problem will drive the remaining plot of the book. The means by which the problem will largely be solved is about to enter the story.  21.4 Chapter 23. Kehaar  Bigwig and Silver are outside feeding when they come across a creature nearly as big as themselves. The creature, a bird, is obviously injured and is striking out at them with its bill in fear and anger.  Hazel tries to talk to it in the simple lingua franca used by all animals.  Its speech is very exotic and it obviously comes from a long way away. It is clearly starving.  Eventually they manage to find some rotten wood that will contain insects and take it to the bird.  Once the bird has finished eating they start to talk again. The bird denies it is hurt and swears at Hazel, who decides to leave it alone for a while. He returns to the bird early in the evening. It agrees to follow Hazel to the warren.   Bigwig learns that the gull was injured by a cat in a nearby farmyard but was able to stand up to it, before struggling up onto the Down. it lives with countless other birds of its kind in a place where...the earth stops.   On a more practical note, the gull is male (obviously) and is called 'Kehaar'  Hazel is keen to know if Kehaar will just leave once he is better. He explains why.  At this point the doe-problem is introduced for the first time. Hazel says he plans to "get hold of some does" and bring them to WD. He plans to have Kehaar look further afield for them.   Some days later, Kehaar has something to say to Hazel. He owes them his life. It’s is too late for him to breed now that year. He offers to look for "mudders" for the warren, as he puts it.  The next day Kehaar makes some practice flights, then, three days later, he sets out on a "perfect June morning".   'One afternoon' Kehaar returns. It is now July at the earliest. Kehaar has seen rabbits being kept in a "box" in a farm at the foot of the Down. He also flew south. There he saw a large "town of rabbits" with "Plenty mudders".  He estimates it would take about two days for a rabbit to get there.  The obvious answer is to go to the Warren and "get some does". Hazel suggests an expedition to the Warren.  Holly is an obvious choice. They also choose Silver, Buckthorn and Strawberry.  They set out early the following morning, with Kehaar flying ahead, to navigate for them and bring back news.  21.5 Next Episode   A big thank you to John Ruths, whose notes have really helped in the preparation of this complex episode.   In the next episode, while waiting for news, Hazel has an idea. I would argue that it is the low-point of his leadership. 

20: Chapter 22. The Story of the Trial of El-ahrairah     After the incredible heaviness of the previous chapter, a chapter about El-ahrairah being put of trial for his life comes as a bit of light relief.    It takes the theme of rabbits mentioning things one wonders how they would know about to the next extreme, with the story-teller displaying knowledge of the concept of a jury-trial.   The opening quotation from Congreve refers to Tyburn, a part of London that I believe is now Hyde Park Corner, where hangings used to take place in the 18th Century.     Adams opens with a section about the resilience of rabbits and how Holly and Bluebell are already nearly recovered from their ordeal.    This is balanced with the extreme reactions of the group as they had listened to their account of Sandleford's destruction. This ritual over, the rabbits return to practical matters.    Hazel inspects Holly's ripped ear and realises it is a lot worse than he had thought and he, then Silver, start licking the wounds.    Silver asks Hazel about his ideas for helping other animals, such as the mouse they saved from a kestrel. Hazel explains that non-rabbits who are not Elil could be a source of help and information. Bluebell mentions that El-ahrairah once enlisted the help of other animals and Hazel asks to hear the story.    One evening Prince Rainbow arrives with a rabbit El-ahrairah has never seen before, called Hufsa and El-ahrairah is told he must look after him.    After a while El-ahrairah notices his plans are going wrong, as if someone is leaking information. The following evening, Prince Rainbow asks El-ahrairah to help him plant a large crop of carrots nearby. Prince Rainbow makes it clear that if anyone were for steal these carrots, there would be dire consequences.     El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle have a secret meeting at which they decide they will not only steal the carrots but they will also get rid of Hufsa.    El-ahrairah meets Yona the hedgehog and offers him a load of slugs to eat if he will do something for him involving singing. Meanwhile Rabscuttle meets Hawock the pheasant and offers him a load of corn if he will do something for him involving swimming.  El-ahrairah goes to Hufsa and says he cannot resist stealing Prince Rainbow's carrots any longer. He asks Hufsa to help him alone.  As they make their way to the field, they come across Yona the hedgehog, who is standing on a box with petals stuck all over his prickles, making strange noises. When Hufsa asks him what he is doing, he replies that he is singing to the moon to make the slugs come.   Moving on, they come across Hawock the pheasant splashing about in a pond. When Hufsa asks him what he is doing, he replies that he is swimming in the full moonlight to make his tail grow long and his head stay colourful.   Moving on they come across a strange looking creature. It is a rabbit with a red tail and green ears. In its mouth it has a cigarette butt.  This is, of course, Rabscuttle in disguise. He says he is one of the messengers of Lord Frith, returning home to his golden palace, before disappearing as quickly as he came.    Arriving at the field of carrots they strip it bare and hide the carrots.    The next evening, Prince Rainbow arrives with two large dogs to arrest El-ahrairah.  Prince Rainbow asks if El-ahrairah seriously wants a trial. He says he would. The jury will be made up of Elil, rather than rabbits.    Predictably Hufsa is produced as the witness. El-ahrairah says he would like to question the witness. The reader can be forgiven for predicting what happens next.     What follows is Hufsa claiming to have seen a singing hedgehog, a swimming pheasant and a messenger of Frith. He pulls his trump-card, which is obviously the stolen carrots, which Rabscuttle has moved from where they were hidden.    And so the trial collapses.    20.3 Next episode     Next time, there is a new arrival on the Down. And a bit of swearing.

19: Chapter 21. ‘For El-ahrairah to Cry’  The chapter is the first in the book to open with two quotes.   Holly begins his account by saying what happened in the immediate aftermath of the group leaving Sandleford. The search was quickly called off.  The following day there were a lot of rumours about Fiver saying something bad was coming. On the next day he saw a group of men approach the Warren. They looked at all the holes.  The next day was very different. He noticed a hrududu in a lane near the Warren. A lot of men were getting out of it, as well as a boy with a gun.  The men carried long heavy objects into the field. After a while one of them started filling in the entrances of all the holes he could find.  He continues that another man fetched some things like lengths of bramble. One of these was attached to each of the long heavy objects. There was a hissing sound and the air started to "turn bad".  The heavy objects were clearly gas cannisters. The brambles were hoses.  The men put one of the hoses in each of the holes they had not blocked up.  After a while Holly saw a rabbit called Scabious come out of a hole the men had missed. The boy shot him.   Bluebell, who was underground, takes over the story.  He says the does seemed to be affected by the gas first. They tried to get out, apart from the ones with kittens, who started attacking anyone who came near them. The runs started to fill up with rabbits trying to claw and clamber over eachother to use ways out that no longer existed.  Bluebell explains how lucky he was in being able to escape. The gas wasn't working in the open run he was in and he managed to keep his senses and run back down to an old deep run called the "Slack Run". Terrible sounds were coming down shafts from above.   Bluebell found himself with another rabbit called Pimpernel, who knew the way out. Bluebell was terrified Pimpernel would die and block the run ahead. Eventually they smelled fresher air and emerged from a hole in the woods.  Holly takes up the story again.  Eventually the men took the hoses out of the holes and the boy put all the dead rabbits on a stick. This detail is too much for Holly, who stops for a moment.  Holly then describes what is clearly a JCB having come into the field and dug it up. In describing this it is clear that among the earth it dug up were the bodies of rabbits.  Holly was joined by Bluebell, Pimpernel and Toadflax, the Owsla member who bullied Fiver out of eating a cowslip in Chapter One.  All Holly could think about was finding Bigwig so he could apologise to him. During the night Toadflax died. The remaining three rabbits found the place where Hazel's group had crossed the Enbourne. He describes crossing the road and coming to the Common. Pimpernel was feverish and Holly was afraid he would die too.  They fell asleep, exhausted, and woke up the next day to find themselves surrounded by rabbits from the Warren of the Snares. As soon as Holly mentioned the names of the rabbits they were looking for, Cowslip ordered them torn to pieces.  Holly got his ear ripped badly in the fighting, but he and Bluebell got away quite easily. But Pimpernel was left behind and must have been killed.  Holly decided to take on Cowslip, who saved his skin by telling Holly where Hazel's group had headed. Holly's ripped ear was painful and Bluebell kept him going by joking with him the whole time. All he could think about was finding Bigwig to tell him he had been right to leave. When they reached the foot of WD and Bigwig was not there to greet him, his mind finally went.  It was a happy coincidence that Bigwig was, indeed, close by to hear him.  He closes by saying how grateful he is to be here with them all and tells Bigwig that the rabbit who tried to arrest him was another rabbit a long time ago.  19.3 Next Episode   The rabbits react to Holly's account, Hazel explains making friends with mice and Bluebell tells a story of El-ahrairah

18: Chapter 20.  A Honeycomb and a Mouse    18.1 Burrowkeeping    This week we look at Chapter 20, but first a brief look at a character in the book who has been changed perhaps more than any other in screen versions of the story.    18.2 Strawberry    Strawberry is the only rabbit who arrives at WD with the group who was not from Sandleford and his emotional journey in the book is fascinating.    He begins as a deceptive and weird member of the Warren of the Snares. Then he becomes a little mentioned member of the group as they arrive on WD.    As the story progresses, he becomes more and more impressive as a member of the group, eventually being indistinguishable from those who left Sandleford.    One of the many things that really annoys me about the 1999 TV series is the treatment of Strawberry as they arrive on the Down, which goes directly against what happens in the book. He is portrayed as a lazy decadent slob who wants nothing to do with digging the new warren, though he redeems himself later, his portrayal in the distinct third series being very different, both in appearance and attitude.    In the 2018 Netflix series Strawberry is changed to a female character.  I haven't mentioned the 1978 film yet. The reason for this is very simple. Strawberry is completely edited out of the story in the first screen version of WD.    To sum up, I think that Strawberry is a character who has been changed, to his detriment, in the screen portrayals of WD perhaps more than any other. Overall I think this is a shame for such a positive figure of redemption.    18.3 Chapter 20.  A Honeycomb and a Mouse    The opening quotation, from the oldest surviving written work in history, 'The Epic of Gilgamesh' simply emphasises that Holly has clearly been through a lot.    We are told first of the position Holly, or rather CAPTAIN Holly, held in the Sandleford Warren. We also now have a calm confirmation of Fiver's supernatural abilities.    It takes a long time to get Holly up the hill to the holes halfway Up the slope. He's in a bad way. Bigwig comments to Hazel that he won't forget how Hazel left the ditch ahead of him to see whatever it was that was approaching them.     The next day is also hot and Hazel takes the rabbits in small groups to the top to continue digging under the Beech Hanger. He asks Strawberry about the Great Burrow.    The new great Barrow is named the Honeycomb for reasons that still seem unclear to me. Hazel is content to allow Strawberry to direct its digging as he clearly knows what he's doing.    Suddenly there is a stamp of alarm as a kestrel has been spotted. Silver spots a field mouse trapped out in the open. Hazel suddenly decides to help it, going out in the open and telling it to run to their holes.    Dandelion arrives to report on Holly, who has had a bad night but is showing signs of recovery. Holly is in good spirits and curious for information. Hazel proudly tells him that the whole group who left Sandleford gave made it too the Down, though not without injury.    Strawberry joins them and calls Hazel 'Hazel-Rah', which surprises Holly. He says that everyone wants to sleep in the Honeycomb and they are curious to hear Holly's account of what has happened since they left Sandleford. Holly warns them that what he has to say will not be easy to hear.    Holly asks Silver to make it clear to the group that he is not going to try to dominate the group on any way and that he respects Hazel's leadership.   Bigwig says they are keen to hear what he has to say. Holly had assumed he would be speaking above ground and the Honeycomb is a big surprise to him.    Holly is just about to begin when Speedwell enters to say that the mouse would like to speak to Hazel. The mouse makes it clear that he would like to help them if he ever can, in return for helping him.    They rejoin the rest of the group...and Holly begins.    18.4 Next episode     Next time, we learn of the terrible fate of the Sandleford Warren.

17: Chapter 19. Fear in the Dark  17.1  Burrowkeeping   Last weeks episode was done a bit on the fly and was a bit more rough around the edges than usual, for which I apologise.  There was also another very annoying sound drop last week at 8:20, which I didn't notice until I published. The full phrase was: "The chapter opens on the evening of the following day after the group left the Warren of the Snares"  I am taking steps to ensure such sound drops don't happen again, starting with this episode.  Please also note that I have edited the podcast description to make it clear that this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for reading the original book, or watching one of the film versions of WD.  17.2 Chapter 19. Fear in the Dark  The opening quotation from Thomas Hardy speaks of a pale messenger who will soon be known.  The burrows and runs discovered by Hawkbit are rough but dry. Bigwig says that they suit a bunch of 'Hlessil' like them. The short summer night passes quickly and the rabbits sleep after dawn.  Upon waking Hazel goes outside to silflay. The mist is burning off the fields below and it is going to be a hot day. Blackberry joins him and they feed together.  Hazel comments that many of the group will probably have to sleep in the open as bucks, or male rabbits, don't dig Burrows, which begs the question that, if finding the Burrows they just slept in was so important, what kind of plan for their long-term future did Hazel have when he lead them to this place?  Blackberry cleverly connects the idea of rabbits doing un rabbit-like things to something that was already happening in their warren. This leads to a radical idea:  Buck rabbits don't dig burrows because does dig them as part of providing shelter for their litters. Blackberry's idea is to dig in a small wood, or beech hanger, he saw at the top of the slope. They both go to the top to check it out.  The beech hanger is unlike the woods they are used to. It is a lot more open and is a narrow belt of trees running away from the scarp slope towards the south.   They come to the north east corner of the hanger, where there is a bank. Fiver comments that Blackberry is right. This is ideal for digging. Although this shocks several of the group, several of them are soon digging, lead by Hazel and Pipkin.  Hazel suggests going back to the bottom of the hill to find some good grass. Bigwig, Dandelion and Speedwell join him. Once at the bottom of the hill, Hazel finds an old overgrown ditch to use for cover.  Bigwig comments on the different quality of the soil at the top of the hill and Hazel mentions the possibility of trying to copy the Great Burrow they saw at the Warren of the Snares.  The sun has set at the foot of the Down. Suddenly they hear a rabbit stamping an alarm followed by another. They both dash to the ditch. Speedwell and Dandelion join them fast.  They have both heard an animal approaching clumsily along the line of the hedge. They wonder what it could be. A cat? A stoat? They wait as darkness falls.  Suddenly they hear a strange unnatural wailing. Bigwig becomes convinced it is the Black Rabbit of Inlé.  Then they hear words, the first of which is 'Zorn', meaning destroyed. And then it calls out Bigwig's name.  Bigwig, now completely convinced it is the Black Rabbit, starts to make his way towards the voice, saying that you have to go when you are called, but Hazel pushes past him.  Hazel pulls himself out of the ditch and sees a rabbit underneath the hedge. His eyes are wide and one ear is ripped and bloody. He cries out as if wanting to be hunted down and killed.  It is Captain Holly of the Sandleford Owsla.  17.3 Next Episode   Next time Holly is looked after, work begins on a new Great Burrow and Hazel makes friends with a mouse.  Vocab:  Hlessi: a rabbit with no warren. Plural: Hlessil  Inlé: The Moon, as in 'Fu Inlé' (after moonrise), but also with a meaning associated with death. Zorn: destroyed

16: Part Two: On Watership Down. Chapter 18. Watership Down    16.1 Burrowkeeping     I am going to ask for some feedback on the notes. Are they useful? Or have you not looked at them?    Please let me know what you think. This can be a comment on the facebook page or an email to [email protected]. Or @thewatershipdo1 on Twitter.  And do remember you can get your voice on this podcast by leaving a voice message at https://anchor.fm/watershipdown/message.     16.2 Chalk Downland     You might be wondering why a high place would be called a "Down". The word originates from the Old English word "dūn" (doon) meaning "hill". I don't know how this relates to the word "dune" as in a sand-dune, if at all.    In the case of Watership Down the summit is 237 m (778 ft) above sea level and is one of the highest points in the county of Hampshire, on the Hampshire Downs in the South of England.     As the main setting of our story is about to switch to this very British geological setting, I think it best to just explain its nature a little.    On the high downs there are no streams at all, no cave-systems, no waterfalls and no natural ponds. This is because chalk is very porous and water is just absorbed through it, so there is no way for water to run off on the surface when there isn't an ice-age in progress. And no way for it to erode the soft chalk to create caves.    If you ever see a scene in any portrayal of WD set near the Warren, in which there is a stream, waterfall, cave-system or pond, that scene is displaying an ignorance of the basic geology of the very place the book is named after.    If you want excitement and drama in a portrayal of WD, look to the rabbits. Not the rocks.    16.3 Introduction to Part Two    What our heroes are about to do is going to have to become a lot more than just setting up a place where they can survive. If their new home is to have any prospect of succeeding, it will need to become something far more civilian in character: a sustainable community.    16.4 Chapter 18. Watership Down     The opening quote from William Blake is an effective reminder that the dream of a new home is about to become reality.    Hazel and his companions are sheltering beneath some trees at the foot of the "turf cliff" of the scarp-slope of Watership Down.    Since the Warren of the Snares, any doubts about their abilities have disappeared. This has been demonstrated by their working together during the rat attack.    As the sun gets lower in the sky, the rabbits emerge to feed.    Hazel suggests he go to the top to scout it out. He chooses Dandelion and Hawkbit to come with him, as they seem less tired.    He sees Dandelion up ahead, standing out clearly against the sky. Alarmed he rushes towards him.    At this point Dandelion says one of the phrases that seems most loved by fans of the 1978 film, in which it features prominently: "Come and look! You can see the whole world".  The ground they are on has become more level. They are at the top of the Down and it is immediately obvious that they will have clear view of the approach of any danger here. Fiver was right.    They realise Hawkbit is missing and wonder if he has turned back or come to harm.     They come across a little group of stunted trees surrounding a dry bank that is commonly found on downs and there they find Hawkbit, who has found some old rabbit holes there.    Hawkbit's discovery has probably saved lives and Hazel says to go and fetch the others straight away.    And so they all arrive safe on Watership Down.    16.5 Next episode     In the next episode the rabbits start to plan for their new home...and something terrifying approaches.    Vocab:  Tharn: paralysed by fear.

15: Bigwig's Character and the Lost Paragraph     15.1 Burrowkeeping     I made my favourite mistake yet last week, when I referred to 'The Warren of the Snares' as 'The Warren of the Swears'    That would make for a completely different story. One where they have to leave Cowslip's Warren because Fiver has an issue with all the bad language. Which is a bit rich for a rabbit who comes out with such potty-mouthed stuff as "embleer Frith".     15.2: Bigwig's Character and the Lost Paragraph revisited.    I have come to the view that the character the TV portrayals have got most wrong is Bigwig, though Michael Graham Cox's portrayal  of  him in the 1978 film got him just about right.  In the 1999 TV series he is portrayed by Stephen Mangan largely as a self-important buffoon, with his Owsla training becoming a running joke. His portrayal improves, though, in the very distinct third series.     The recent Netflix series made him far too aggressive in my view. It is the script that demands this aggression as it changes the whole tone of how he talks to Hazel and his attitude towards him is made far less supportive.      Yes Bigwig is capable of being overbearing and aggressive. But, like all good military types, that is not what he is all about. It is a nuance that I think is possibly sadly lost on a civilian population where such qualities are increasingly seen in a negative light. But in a world where you can be killed at any time, they can be essential.     And we need to always bear in mind, of course, that Adams drew heavily on his experience in the military to create the characters in WD. This is a major reason (or excuse?) for the sexism of the novel. He was simply drawing on his relevant experience of a very male world.    So...back to the Lost Paragraph. Could Bigwig's put down of Hazel be seen as the kind of harsh-but-necessary comment a Non commissioned officer might share with a commissioned officer? Though hopefully out of the hearing of the lower ranks.     I make this distinction as Hazel has only just gained responsibility for the group, whereas Bigwig has, arguably, been trained for such a role by experience. Or so he could he forgiven for thinking.    Or is what he says just bullying and unnecessary?    In either case, I agree with John that the tension it sets up is essential to the story. Though I have very much seen the other view expressed, that Bigwig's character is better without it. This is the Bigwig who just says "Splendid!" when he sees Hazel, possibly keeping his true thoughts to himself.    This Lost Paragraph really will not go away though. For good reason.    15.3 The Lost Paragraph analysed     It appears that the lost paragraph appeared in a minority of of the editions I have information on. So this becomes an exercise in chasing its presence rather than its absence, which actually makes this a bit simpler.    My provisional conclusion is this:  The version first sent to Rex Collings  in 1972 was missing the Lost Paragraph. Then, when Penguin became interested, they were sent a version that included it in 1973. This became the version that appeared in all their editions, both Puffin, their childrens’ division, and Penguin.  The Kestrel illustrated edition used the penguin version as its text, so the Lost Paragraph ended up in that edition, from 1976.  And the 1978 Martin Rosen film used the Penguin edition as their base text, which is why it appears in the film.  I would welcome any further information on this subject. In particular anything that blows my theory out of the water.  I will be posting images of my spreadsheet analysis to the Facebook page for scrutiny. Please note that green signifies the lost paragraph being present and red means it was absent.    15.4 Next episode     Next week I return to going through the book and we begin Part Two with perhaps the pivotal Chapter of the entire story.    A chapter with the title...Watership Down.

Episode 14: Originalism and Revisionism plus early reviews of the original book. One day I will finish going through the original book and will embark upon a discussion of the portrayals of the book on film and TV. At that point I am going to have to address the tension between the originalist approach to the story and the revisionist approach. Basically this is the tension between the view that the original book is Canon and should never be changed in any portrayal of it and the view that the original source material is there to be played with, changed and expanded. The 1978 film, at a running time of 102 minutes, obviously had to summarise the story heavily. This is surely forgiveable. However it did not just summarise the story. There were places where it changed it. Yet the 1978 film, and its telling of the story, is much loved by many in it's own right, independently of the original book. And this leads us to an awkward possibility that I am going to introduce into the debate at this point: When it comes to WD there are actually TWO originalist positions. One treats the original book as Canon in any analysis of subsequent versions. However another treats the 1978 film as Canon in any analysis of film or TV versions that came after it. In fact I'll go even further: The addition of a female character to those who leave Sandleford in the film was, perhaps, an implied criticism of the sexism of the original book. I'm going to introduce the idea that the 1978 film clearly has such a following, in it's own right, that it has earned a Canon status all of its own. I'm well aware that this may annoy devotees of the book. But it is so clearly the main reason for love of WD in so many of its devotees that it is, arguably, pointless to deny it this status. When it comes to analysing the 1978 film I do plan to fairly ruthlessly compare it to the original book, and will not hold back on criticising it from a Book originalist perspective. However, the 1978 film set up conventions, when it comes to telling the story on screen, that subsequent versions have felt the need to acknowledge, for example the opening of the story with a stylised version of the story of the Blessing of El-ahrairah. In any case, my analysis of film and TV versions of the book is going to throw up some surprising examples of much loved portrayals being ridiculously inaccurate, while far less admired versions get some very specific elements of the story surprisingly right. To this end, there will be a theme of 'Crimes against Watership Down'. Specific charges including abuse of geology and geography. Coming across Efrafa on the way to WD from Sandleford is an example of the latter, that I regret to say the 1978 film is guilty of. This would involve a ridiculous journey on the part of Captain Holly. As for geology...the 1999 tv series has too many offences to name. But they will be named. As an interesting aside, the portrayal of the stories of El-ahrairah in the Canadian TV series are worthy of credit as it is the only version that includes more than one of them. Let me sum the above up as follows: there is no version of WD, including the original book, that should be free from criticism or from praise. I will respect originalist perspectives completely. But I will also give a full and fair hearing to any revisionist portrayals of the story. 14.3: Early reviews of WD Courtesy of Ric Morris. A short 1974 review of WD from the Daily Mail. A longer 1974 review from the Liverpool Daily Post. A 1976 article, again from the Daily Mail, abourt the first audiobook of WD, read by Roy Dotrice, which was heavily abridged, and advance information on the 1978 film, that was being made at the time.

13: Chapter 17. The Shining Wire   13.1 Snares   Before I researched this episode, I vaguely assumed that the use of snares was now illegal in the UK. It isn't. And I am embarrassed not to have already realised this.   There is no excuse for using such a cruel and fundamentally lazy method as snaring.   There is a campaign to ban the use of snares in the UK that I fully support. They can be found at antisnaring.org.uk.   13.2 Chapter 17. The Shining Wire  Hazel is dreaming again. As Hazel wakes, he realises Fiver has gone. He wakes Bigwig.   They first look under the Yew tree, but he is not there. Following this, and passing through a hedge, they find Fiver feeding. Fiver suddenly announces that he is leaving for the hills.   Bigwig turns on Fiver and unleashes his temper on him, telling him he is going to turn the others against him. Then he dashes back through a gap in the hedge.   Instantly there is the sound of something dreadful happening. Bigwig is caught in a snare. Hazel desperately asks Bigwig what they should do. He just manages to reply that it is useless to bite the wire. They need to dig the peg out. Hazel tells Fiver to run and get the others.   Blackberry joins them first, followed by the others. Hazel asks Pipkin if Cowslip is coming. Pipkin responds that Cowslip told Fiver to stop talking about it.   Blackberry has worked out to dig out the peg. Hazel starts digging, followed by Silver then Buckthorn.   Blackberry suggests sending the smaller rabbits in to bite through the peg. Pipkin starts, followed by Fiver. Despite cutting their noses on splinters, they split the peg.   Bigwig lies still. Hazel realises he has to get them away quickly. He utters the famous line about his heart joining the Thousand "for my friend stopped running today".   Hazel asks Pipkin to say more about what Cowslip said. The rabbits of the Warren had ignored Fiver, then, when he went up to Cowslip, he had struck Fiver, scratching him.   Suddenly Bigwig's voice rings out. He is alive and very angry. Silver says they should drive the rabbits from the Warren and take it for themselves. Several of the group agree.   Fiver shout out a shocking Lapine phrase. He lays out what has been happening and they listen in silence. The Warren is snared every day. The local farmer realised he could farm these rabbits for their meat and pelts.   They became big and healthy. But also strange in their ways. There was one rule: never ask where anyone is, unless in a poem or song. And any actual mention of the snares could provoke violence.   If they take over this Warren they will just be living in a place of death. Bigwig, still recovering, asks Fiver what they should do. Fiver replies that they should leave.   Hazel adds that they should go to the hills.   Suddenly Speedwell spots a rabbit coming towards them from the Warren, running headlong. It is Strawberry. He begs them to take him with them.   They leave.  13.3 Part One of Watership Down   So ends Part One of the book, which has taken us from one warren Fiver warned the group they had to leave to another where the same happened again.   The Warren of the Snares, to give it its proper name, possibly confirms the supernatural nature of the world in which this book is set even more. The imagery of Hazel's dreams and Fiver's comments on this Warren remind me a little of the influence of Cthulu in H.P. Lovecraft's 'The Call of Cthulu'.   The challenges our travellers have faced so far have severely tested their cohesion as a group, but they have come through these united. They have lost no one. In fact their group has grown by one.   They are heading, at last, for the hills to the south. One of which is called, it may not surprise you to learn, Watership Down.  13 4 Next Episode   I am going to pause from going through the book for one, maybe two, episodes, so that I can discuss wider subjects around the book and its portrayals. Vocab: Silf: Outside (as in 'silflay')

12: Chapters 15-16. The Story of the King's Lettuce and Silverweed     12.1: Burrowkeeping    There is a petition against building on Sandleford Park, the site of the Sandleford Warren in WD. Petition link:     https://www.change.org/p/secretary-of-state-for-housing-communities-and-local-government-sandleford-watership-down-faces-developer-threat-to-ancient-woodlands-protected-animals?recruiter=890837112&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition    12.2 Chapter 15. The Story of the King's Lettuce     The story opens with El-ahrairah and his people having already gone too far and being forced to live in the Marshes of Kelfazin. We are introduced to Prince Rainbow. He checks that they remain in the marshes regularly. El-ahrairah asks if they can be released if he can steal the lettuces from the garden of King Darzin. Prince Rainbow agrees that, if El-ahrairah succeeds, his people will be allowed to multiply across the world and will never be able to be kept out of a vegetable garden ever again.    Yona the Hedgehog overhears all that has been said and goes to tell King Darzin. El-ahrairah goes to inspect the garden with his Captain of Owsla, Rabscuttle. When Prince Rainbow later mocks him for not yet having the lettuces, he informs him that they are going to be delivered. They plot what to do. Rabscuttle hides himself in a garden where King Darzin's children are taken to play. When the children arrive the next day he joins them.  Rabscuttle is able to make friends with some of the many children and all the adults assume he belongs to someone else. When the children go back to the city, Rabscuttle goes with them. Then he goes to the store-room where the food is kept and spoils it. When the King and some of his people try eating some of it next day, it makes them ill. Rabscuttle keeps doing this to any food that is brought in for five days. Then he goes back to El-ahrairah.     El-ahrairah disguises himself and goes to King Darzin, who is so ill he is desperate to he cured. He examines the King, then the store-room, then the lettuces in the secure garden and declares that it is the lettuces themselves that are the problem. He says that the lettuces need to be got rid of. Yona arrives with the Captain of the guard who says that the followers of El-ahrairah are planning to attack. So the King has a better idea: to take a thousand of the lettuces to the Marsh of Kelfazin to poison the rabbits.    Prince Rainbow sees that El-ahrairah has succeeded and is as good as his word. The rabbits are set free and multiply all over the world, never being kept out of another vegetable garden.     12.3: Chapter 16. Silverweed     As Dandelion finishes his story the reaction of their hosts is not what they expect. Cowslip says that they don't really tell the old stories of El-ahrairah. Buckthorn comments that rabbits will always need tricks, but an unfamiliar rabbit disagrees. Cowslip introduces this rabbit as Silverweed, a poet. To Fiver Silverweed smells of dying things.    The poem Silverweed recites has four stanzas.     In the first one, he describes the wind and asks it where it is going. The second stanza describes a stream in the same way. The third autumn leaves. The last stanza speaks of Frith. The speaker is ready to give their life for him.    Fiver has reacted to the poem with fascination and terror. Suddenly he forces his way out of the Great Burrow violently. Hazel and Bigwig follow Fiver, who turns to them and says he felt himself like a cloud drifting towards Silverweed, that the roof of the Great Burrow is actually covered by a mist. He finishes with saying that something can be true and yet still be "folly", or a serious mistake. Fiver is forced to return to the burrow they slept in the previous night.    12.4 Next Episode     In the next episode we finally learn the horrific secret of Cowslip's Warren. At what cost will this knowledge come?

11: Chapter 14. 'Like Trees in November'     11.1 Housekeeping: Correction of the week: There was a brief sound drop while discussing the opening quote of the chapter last episode.     11.2 Chapter 14. 'Like Trees in November': This is a phrase that needs explaining to anyone who lives in a different climate. In the UK, particularly in southern England where the book is set, the year is very much divided into two equal halves. At the beginning of May the leaves come out on deciduous trees. Then, after Halloween, at the end of October, the leaves fall from the trees.  The quote that gives this chapter its name is based on something Pipkin says.     The chapter opens with a quotation from the Earl of Chesterfield about learning to "read the room" as we might say now.    As Hazel arrives back in the Great Burrow he notices Strawberry talking to Cowslip about his reaction to the 'shape'. He asks Blackberry to join him outside. Cowslip interrupts and invites them to share in food that seems to be available in the Great Burrow. Hazel insists his group would prefer to go above ground to feed. Cowslip laughs. This is utterly alien to rabbits. Is there something a bit too...human about these rabbits? And what would be causing that? Hazel explains the 'shapes' to Blackberry and asks Pipkin what he thinks, which leads to the line that names this chapter. Hazel responds that he is right about how sad they all seem. As if they have something on their minds. Blackberry brings up the fact that they nowhere near fill the warren. The three of them go below ground and find an empty burrow to sleep in.  The following morning we are told of the smells from outside that tell Hazel what time of day it is. But there is another smell as well. A smell of burning. A smell of a cigarette, or "white stick" as the rabbits call them. A man has been walking about outside the Warren. There is the sound of a rabbit stamping underground and singing the word 'Flayrah', meaning good quality food. Basically anything better than grass. It is Strawberry, who tells Hazel that the man has been and now there is good food outside. One of the Warren rabbits explains that the man leaves it out in the field. Hazel comments that, with food so freely available, the Warren should be full of rabbits.     Hazel meets Pipkin, who says he hasn't seen Fiver in a while. He sees Fiver sitting under a Yew tree. He asks if he is going to help with the food. Fiver says he won't have anything to do with it. He says they are acting like dogs with sticks. Hazel says even Fiver can be wrong about something. But Fiver asks him why the man puts out food for the rabbits. It turns out that Fiver has been outside all night.    When evening arrives Hazel goes exploring with Bigwig. They come across a rabbit hole where there are signs of commotion. Leaves have been thrown up in the air and at the centre of this is a patch of bare earth. They discuss Cowslip's unwillingness to answer any questions, in particular on where anyone is.  Finding Fiver still under the Yew tree, Bigwig bullies him into coming below ground. The Great Burrow is crowded with plenty of food. Cowslip approaches Hazel and says it has been suggested that one of his group might like to tell a story. Blackberry suggests that Hazel tell of their journey before they arrived at this warren. This does not seem to be received very well, judging by the silence, so he suggests that Dandelion tell a story of El-ahrairah. Hazel suggests the story of the King's Lettuce. Cowslip says they will enjoy that. So Dandelion begins.     11.3 Next time: The story of El-ahrairah and the King's Lettuce...and some welcome relief from whatever is going on in this warren. How will their hosts respond to the story? And how will Fiver react to that?    Vocab:   Silflay: The verb for going above ground to feed. particularly on grass.   Sayn: Is   Lay: groundswell   Narn: nice   Marli: mother   Flayrah: Good food, such as fruit and vegetables. 

10: Chapter 13. Hospitality     10.1 Housekeeping     Slip up of last episode: I referred once to being a "fact of WD" rather than a fan. Jeremy Downing from Ohio has been going through his collection of editions of WD in search of the lost paragraph. I will be feeding back with the results once I have crunched the information. No sermon this week. I'm sorry if I laid on the politics a bit thick last week, but I felt it necessary to emphasise the complete contrast between the ways I will analyse the two dangerous warrens in WD.     10.2 Chapter 13. Hospitality     Opening quote from Tennyson's 'The Lotus Eaters' about a land you never want to leave.    As the group follow Cowslip they have their first sight of his Warren. The holes are all large and plain to see. The rabbits that greet them are 'sleek and unusually large'. They greet Hazel with a dancing motion of the head and front legs that the group finds bizarre.     They tell the group that Cowslip is in the 'Great Burrow'. Hazel is so curious to see it he forgets to decide properly who should go in what order. Suddenly he finds himself in a huge underground open space, exposed on three sides. There are more rabbits than his group has in the burrow. Adam's describes how his senses are able to tell so much about the space in the dark.    Hazel is unsure how to introduce his group. He speaks plainly, as the last of his group arrive, commenting what a large warren this must be. This seems to strike the wrong note. The two groups mingle and get to know each other. But Fiver keeps himself apart from proceedings.    Hazel finds himself between a couple. He asks the buck if Cowslip is Chief Rabbit. The buck responds by asking Hazel if he is Chief of his group. Hazel's response only, arguably, makes sense if the lost paragraph at the end of Chapter 11 is included, as he seems worried how Bigwig and Silver will react.    The buck tells Hazel that they don't need to worry about the things a Chief is meant to worry about, such a dealing with Elil or supervising digging. Elil stay away from this Warren. A homba (fox) that came near the previous winter had been shot by the "man who comes through the fields"     As for digging, there is no need. The buck says no one has dug there in his lifetime. A lot of Burrows are lying empty. The buck ends by saying that Hazel's group will be happy living there. But he doesn't sound very happy.     Hazel tries asking where the man...but he is interrupted by the buck introducing himself as Strawberry and his partner as Nildro-hain. She is the first female rabbit to be named in WD, though she still has yet to speak. Her good looks are commented upon by Hazel, but she is not given a voice.     One day I will do an episode on sexism in WD. However it is worth noting the convention of does in WD only being known by their names in Lapine.     They begin a tour of the Warren, ending up in a pit. One curved wall is formed from bricks, laid by humans. Strawberry says this is the outer wall of an old well.     Another wall is flat. Hazel notices stones have been pushed into the surface of this wall at regular intervals. He asks what they are for. Strawberry explains that this is a "shape" and that it is meant to be El-ahrairah. This makes absolutely no sense to Hazel, for whom the very concept is meaningless.     Hazel starts to ask where are...but is interrupted again by Strawberry. Hazel realises that any question that includes the word "where" is interrupted. He puts this to the test by deliberately asking another such question. Strawberry immediately shouts into a burrow to ask if the occupant is going to join them in the Great Burrow.   As they move on, after no response, Hazel checks the soil at the entrance of this burrow. It is very obviously unoccupied. 10.3 Next episode Next time, Hazel's group learn more about this strange Warren, which Fiver doesn't want to stay in at all. Even at night. Vocab: Homba : Fox  Nildro : Song? Hain : Blackbird?

9: Introduction to Cowslip’s Warren and Chapter 12. The Stranger in the Field     9.1 Housekeeping     Correction from last episode: I said Hazel was with Fiver, rather than Pipkin, as he came through the Common, while I was going through Chapter 11.     The Lost Paragraph: Further information from Maxine Tubb re. first edition not having the paragraph. Please let me know any information you have on years and country of printing as well as hard or softback. And whether your copy has the "Splendid" line from Bigwig or the put down of Hazel as chief. This is at the end of Chapter 11.     9.2 Introduction to Cowslip's Warren     The main danger rabbits face in this book, arguably, comes not from the Elil, but from other rabbits. While Efrafa is the far greater threat, Cowslip's Warren is, arguably, the far more disturbing, I think, and here's why. When I come to discuss Efrafa, the parallels I will be drawing will be purely political.  I will be drawing extensive comparisons with the works of George Orwell.    When it comes to Cowslip's Warren the comparisons I will draw will be from the works of H.P. Lovecraft and Joseph Conrad. For me, Cowslip's Warren could be seen as a manifestation of religion, or, at the very least, philosophy, at it's very most destructive and abusive. But that isn't the world this book is set in. WD is set in a world in which the supernatural very much DOES exist.   And that is where the events of the last 6 chapters of Part one of WD get seriously disturbing.   It is made very clear in the text that the thing that truly horrifies Fiver about this warren is that its guiding inspiration, the poet Silverweed, has knowledge of...something that Fiver knows to be true.   In this supernatural shadow-world, there are very clearly horrors that should not even be contemplated, as in Lovecraft's works.  Efrafa might be horrendous, as a Warren, but at least its guiding philosophy is about staying alive. Not so in the place our heroes are about to visit. Welcome to the Heart of Darkness...with long ears...     9.3 Chapter 12. The Stranger in the Field     The opening quote, from R M. Lockley's book about rabbits, hints that the group may be able to find a place in an established warren. This is followed by an extended general description of the relief of coming through hard times, using some human examples. Adams really lays on the optimism thick.   We are told then of the relief of the travelers now they are out of the Common. They rest, feed and play in the Sun.     They notice the roof of a farm some way off. Not close enough to worry about. There also seems to be no hint of Elil...which is a bit unusual. But maybe they are just used to there being more of them about.     By mid day (ni-Frith) they have dug a few scrapes. Fiver keeps himself separate. The sky clouds over and there is a smell of rain. This seems like foreshadowing. Suddenly Fiver stamps a warning, which seems appropriate. He has seen another rabbit, who is watching them.     The other rabbit is very big and healthy looking, but seems unaggressive and even gentle in his manner. The rabbit comes towards them and Hazel notices a strange smell that suggests good feeding and easy living. Yet he seems melancholy.     The rabbit introduces himself as Cowslip. He says there are plenty of empty burrows at his Warren, while the scrapes Hazel's group have dug are actually facing into the usual wind.     Cowslip leaves and the rain begins.     Hazel asks Blackberry's advice. On balance, he advises they should go to Cowslip's Warren. Bigwig agrees. Only Fiver disagrees. He says they should have nothing to do with Cowslip's Warren and leave at once. Silver says they should all go to the Warren together, in answer to a question from Hazel. They make their way towards Cowslip's Warren.     9.4 Next Episode     In the next episode the group arrive at Cowslip's Warren. Will Fiver be reassured by what he finds? Just what kind of place is it?

8: Chapters 10 and 11: The Road and the Common and Hard Going     8.1 Housekeeping:     I referred briefly to Speedwell waking up Acorn It was Hawkbit waking up Speedwell only.   Bigwig's phrase "u embleer rah" suggests a more complex meaning of "u", possibly meaning "you" as well as "the" depending on context.     Interesting discussion of the book in the latest episode of the 'Read it twice' podcast on spotify. Episode 2.    There is now a link in the description if you would like to leave a voice message for possible use in the podcast. The link is https://anchor.fm/watershipdown/message    8.2 Chapter 10. The Road and the Common.     Opening quote from the Pilgrim's Progress introduces the idea of resistance to going any further as dangers seem to increase.     The rabbits stay in the beanfield for most of the day. Suddenly there is the sound of a gunshot. The rabbits scatter. It takes a while for them to gather again and they set off across a pasture.     Hazel sees a hrududu on the other side of a hedge. Bigwig and Hazel go ahead to the road and Bigwig explains they are harmless as long as you leave them alone. Except at night when they have bright lights. A dead hedgehog proves the point. The road referred to is the B4640 between Newtown and Newtown Common.      By moonrise they reach Newtown Common, which is an alien environment to them. Hawkbit approaches Hazel. He says they have gone far enough and need to stop. Speedwell and Acorn back him up. They think things are just getting worse the further they go. They want to go back. Hazel points out this is impossible as they wounded an Owsla officer.     Fiver wants to talk to Hazel, while Bigwig has a go at the three rebellious rabbits. The Downs are mentioned for the first time in the book. They are 4 miles away. Fiver suddenly says that is where they need to go and he explains why very well. He says there is a mist between them and the hills that they will have to go through. A mist that feels like being deceived.    8.3 Chapter 11. Hard Going and The Lost Paragraph.     The opening quote, from the Mort d'Arthur hints at coming through a hard journey through difficult terrain to better country.     Hawkbit, after being threatened by Bigwig, has asked who is Chief Rabbit, which was followed by Bigwig biting him. BlackBerry asks who is Chief Rabbit. Hazel says he doesn't know, though Bigwig is the strongest. This is a key moment for Hazel as he promises them he will get them to better country by sunrise.      It is nearly dawn and we learn of Hazel's feelings of self-doubt, as they are not clear of this difficult terrain. He can now see the ridge of the Downs clearly ahead. They seem closer. Suddenly Blackberry exclaims, from up ahead, that "He's done it". They have come out of the other side of the Common.     They see Silver and Bigwig ahead of them.     At this point the text varies depending on which edition of the book you read. This is the place of the Lost Paragraph I mentioned previously. Thank you to Ric Morris for this information. Full notes will be posted on the Facebook page.    In my 1978 copy Blackberry calls Hazel 'Hazel-Rah' (Chief) and Bigwig reacts by saying the day he calls Hazel that will be the day he stops fighting. However, in many/most editions of the book this incident is omitted. Bigwig just says "Splendid Hazel!" and the whole tension of the issue of leadership is avoided.  In any case, the chapter ends with the rabbits entering the thick grass of a meadow as the sun rises.     8.4 Next Episode     The next episode covers the beginning of the last 6 chapters of the end of Part One of the book. These chapters cover that metaphorical mist that Fiver spoke of in trance when he first saw the distant Watership Down.     Vocab:   Embleer: Stinking (missed in last episode)  Hrududu: a car or other human vehicle Yona: Hedgehog

7.1 Introduction   Another shout out to Will Fuller for his recommendation on the WD Fans Facebook group. We’re planning an episode in June on the two most recent audiobooks. Thanks also to Ric Morris who has been providing me with a LOT of material for future podcasts. Including information on...THE LOST PARAGRAPH. More on this when I cover Chapter 11.   There may be times I pair chapters together. This was nearly one example, but it makes sense to pair the following chapter with the one after that. Besides, this chapter has a particular feature that merits a bit more time: the largest example of Lapine in the book.  7.2 Chapter 9   The Sun rises as the rabbits rest. They must be exhausted and the lack of cover is not enough to prevent several from sleeping. Hazel is aware they are not safe, but where is there to go? He scouts out the country uphill and detects another smell that is dominating everything. He decides to check it out on his own.  There are signs of insecurity here due to Bigwigs presence in the group. An insight into the realities of leadership? He sees what he does not realise is a crow. It is hunting a mole along the ground. Hazel is unaware of the risk this might pose. The smell gets stronger. It is a field of broad beans. Rabbits cannot eat them, but their smell and height will provide cover.   Getting back to the others, Hazel explains his plan and they get the other rabbits up to get to the bean-field. They still do not move as a group but straggle widely. These touches demonstrate that we are still dealing with rabbits with rabbit instincts.   Suddenly there is a screaming sound. Fiver and Pipkin have been attacked by the crow! It is aiming at their eyes, as crows do. Hazel rushes towards them, just to distract it, followed by Bigwig then Silver. The crow actively stands up to Silver, who hesitates. This is the first active contact with Elil in the book. Bigwig actually attacks the crow and tells the others to get in behind it. But it has already had enough.  Bigwig goes to Pipkin as he utters the poem I will discuss in the next section. Hazel notices Pipkin is clearly wounded in a front paw. They enter the bean-field. It is clearly going to be a safe place and they gather in a hollow. Safe at last. Hazel offers to look at Pipkin's paw and sees a thorn sticking out of his foot. Hazel manages to get it out.  Speedwell sees the size of it and jokes that they could have used it to make another notice board to scare Fiver with, or a weapon to use against the Lendri (Badger). How does he know what a notice-board is? Would rabbits need a word for this? Hazel tells Pipkin to lick the wound better and sleep.  7.3 Lapine grammar and THAT poem   If Lapine were an actual language, this poem would give us vital clues. I am speaking as a monolingual English speaker, so input from any linguists or bilingual listeners would be welcome. Word order in Lapine appears to coincide mostly with English. A little too convenient? However this poem does  contain an example of changed word order. The reversal of the noun 'hraka' and the following verb does vary from English word order.   Vocab:   Hoi: Hey!   u: the   m' : a possibly contracted and inflected version of 'we'?   saion: a possibly contracted and inflected version of 'meet them' (sai... - ...on)?   ulé: 'even' (as in "even when we") OR 'stop'. Possibly slang. Possibly a single word for a concept that would only need a word for rabbits, given the importance of feeding in the open and flight to such animals.   hraka: droppings as in rabbit excrement   vair: pass, as in pass droppings. Possibly a verb meaning to defecate, distinguishing the noun for excrement from the verb, as opposed to words such as 'poo'. Is this conflation unique to English?   7.4   Next episode: Chapters 10 and 11. The rabbits face more new dangers...and there is dissent about whether they should even have left their old warren at all.

6.1 Chapter 8: The Crossing  A shorter episode this time. Possibly pushed my luck with 3 chapters at one go.   There is a possibility of an episode in the near future in which I discuss the two most recent audiobooks of WD with another fan of the book, comparing Ralph Cosham’s interpretation with that of Peter Capaldi.  On to Chapter 8:  Opens with the first biblical quotation, from the Acts of the Apostles, which basically gives the game away as to what happens in this chapter.  This is the first chapter in which all three of this group of rabbits advantages come in to play. First there is the basic advantage of physical strength, as characterised by Bigwig. Then there are the psychic abilities of Fiver, which have started the whole adventure. And lastly there is rationalism and the ability to innovate, as demonstrated best by Blackberry.  Hazel, as leader, is properly tested for the first time, as he has to reconcile the input of all three.  The scene is described in Adam’s usual brilliant way, making clear that the rabbits are taking in some of the details. Then they move upstream to feed.  Hazel asks Fiver why they need to cross the river, rather than just move along it. His explanation might be a mixture of actual knowledge of landscape and a more mystical sense of the kind of place they need to find. In any case, it amounts to needing to cross so the ground will start to rise again to a high lonely place with dry soil.  However Fiver and Pipkin are too tired to swim yet and must rest.  Bigwig comes along and asks if they are ready to move on. Hazel says no firmly and Blackberry diffuses tension by suggesting Bigwig swim the river to scout out the other side.  As soon as Bigwig has gone he’s back with the news there’s a dog loose in the wood, trailing its chain.   Bigwig’s approach is for those who can to swim and the others to manage as best they can. They hear the dog yelp nearby.  Hazel rejects this and says he will stay with those who cannot swim. Bigwig loses his temper. Not through fear though, Hazel notices. Simply because he cannot see another way.   This is where the innovation of Blackberry comes in. He has found a piece of wood on the bank and understands that it can be used to float Fiver and Pipkin across to the other side. He is clearly extremely intelligent for a rabbit, as none of the others even understand what he is going on about.   Except Fiver. Again, is this also intelligence or something else?  As soon a Fiver gets it the plan comes into play. Bigwig and Silver push the piece of wood out, once Pipkin has been made to get on it as well. When the two small rabbits rotate on the wood, the sight makes no sense to most of them. But Blackberry asks Hazel to take the lead. As soon as he does, the rest of them start across.  Pushing the little raft is obviously not easy for Bigwig, but he understands what he needs to do once he can see it will work.  They all reach the other side safely and make for a hedgerow. Fiver makes it clear to Blackberry that he knows he saved him and Pipkin. Blackberry comments that it was a good idea that they should bear in mind for the future. He doesn’t seem boastful. Just objective. And his idea to bear it in mind will prove crucial later in the book.  Next episode: The rabbits make their way across new open countryside. What will they find?  Vocab:  Embleer: Stinking     

5.1: Housekeeping re. Blackberry and Dandelion and the first conversation: I didn't actually say it. Also must say "geek" less. First shout outs to Nati Plavin and Will Fuller. Thank you for your lovely comments. Also a comment, from Nathan Holec that the podcast is a bit quiet. I only record it on my smartphone, so I can believe that. The working title for WD was 'Hazel and Fiver' apparently. There seem to be two Facebook groups called 'Watership Down Fans'. I will be posting on, both. Editorial decisions: I will be dealing with versions of WD in chronological order. This means the 1978 film before the sequel 'Tales from Watership Down' (1996). Then the 1999 TV series. I have also decided that my site visits will follow the numerical order on the map at the start of the book. Today I will cover 3 chapters. Two short and one long, sandwiched between the other two.  5.2 6. In The Woods   Opening quote about rabbits leaving a Warren to find somewhere else to settle. It's nearly moonset when they leave the fields and enter the woods. Indicates how slowly they are travelling? Hazel is still nervous of the Owsla, even though they are further from the Warren than any of them have ever been. Why so little apparent urgency? They are following a brook and arrive at the woods. Hazel decides to go straight into the woods. Again we are told his internal monologue. The spookiness of the woods at night, for rabbits, is well described. First mention of rabbit mythology. More on this later. Bigwig says they need to rest, so Hazel asks Dandelion to tell them a story.  5.3 6. The Story of the Blessing of El-ahrairah   This will be very familiar to anyone who has seen the original film version as it opens the film, but not the book. A stylised version has become a convention for film versions. It gives us a first view of how rabbits see their place in the world and is quite Judeo-Christian in tone. First we learn of how Frith (God) made the world. It starts out as a Garden of Eden, where no animal eats another. Explanation of the word El-ahrairah. Elil-Hrair-Rah (Enemies-Thousand-Prince). El-ahrairah angers Frith with the original sin of breeding too much. Frith decides not to destroy El-ahrairah because he needs his tricks in the world. Instead he calls a meeting of all animals and gives each a "gift". Some of those gifts make animals into the Elil, the animals who will, from now on, try to hunt and kill rabbits. El-ahrairah is warned what Frith has done as he is on his way to the meeting. This frightens him and he starts to dig a hole. When Frith arrives he can only see El-ahrairah's bottom. He knows it is him. This defines the gift he is given: strong hind legs for running and stamping on the ground to warn other rabbits, and the flashing white tail of a running rabbit. As soon as he receives his gift he leaves the hole and runs away, the fastest creature on Earth. The chapter ends with the very familiar speech from Frith that makes the place of rabbits in the world very clear.   5.4 7. The Lendri and the River  Translation of quote at start: “As for moral courage, it is very rare, he said, to find that kind found at 2 o'clock in the morning; that is to say, courage in the face of the unexpected.” ― Napoléon Bonaparte  As the story ends they become aware of a badger, which can be dangerous. Bigwig takes the lead and they leave. They find themselves at the bank of the River Enborne. Fiver says they will have to cross the river, which Bigwig finds ridiculous. Hazel thinks that if fiver says they should cross the river, it might be dangerous not to, then realises that it is morning and that, on the other side of the river, are open fields.  5.5 Next Episode: Chapter 8. The Crossing. Which should give a clue what happens next.  Vocab:   El-ahrairah: The Prince with a thousand enemies (Elil-Hrair-Rah). Frith: God. Also the Sun.  Lendri: Badger  Tharn: a state of paralysis in rabbits brought on by fear.

4.1 Introduction and opening comments. Intro subject: This podcast and copyright. Corrections and clarifications: Swallowing phrases still noticeable. Example from last episode: Fiver's HAVING a nightmare. Blackberry and Dandelion and the first conversation in the book. I let the film influence me. 4.2 Introduction to Chapter 4 The chapter starts with an explanation of "fu Inlé" ("after moonrise") as indicating how rabbits have no sense of punctuality. Adam's comparison of the way the rabbits gather with "primitive people" is a bit awkward to modern ears. However, the description of the right time to begin something being a communal venture is beautifully described, as it applies to birds, and is very true, in many animals including people. Adam's treatment of Does in the book also needs mentioning. He was inspired by R.M. Lockley's 'The Private Life of the Rabbit'. Yet, apparently, Lockley made it clear that Does will often leave a warren to start a new one. So why is it only Bucks that leave the Sandleford Warren? 4.3 The leaving party in order. First arrivals: Hazel: Group leader (Already introduced) Fiver: his brother. The main protagonist of the reason for leaving (Already introduced) Pipkin ("Hlao" in Lapine): Small, like Fiver, but without his psychic abilities. 4.4 Second arrivals Hawkbit: A less than intelligent rabbit that Hazel spent some time with during the snow a while before. Dandelion: Has persuaded Hawkbit to join. Later he plays a crucial role as the story-teller. 4.5 Third arrivals Blackberry: Already introduced. A highly intelligent rabbit who MAY have been the rabbit talking to Buckthorn, not Dandelion, in Chapter One. Buckthorn: The only named rabbit in the opening conversation of the book. A tough rabbit who is a candidate for the Owsla. Speedwell and Acorn: Described as "typical outskirters - thin-looking six-monthers" who Hazel does not recognise. 4.6 Fourth arrivals Bigwig: Already introduced. The physically strongest rabbit in the group...we later learn. Silver: Over 12 months old. Grey fur with patches of white. A new member of the Owsla and nephew of the Threarah. The arrival of these two gives another chance for us to learn of Hazel's leadership qualities. The group of rabbits that leaves the Sandleford Warren. 11 male rabbits (Bucks) and no females (Does): Hazel Fiver Pipkin Hawkbit Dandelion Blackberry Buckthorn Speedwell Acorn Bigwig Silver 4.7 The fight Having established the group that leave, we proceed to the first act of violence in the book. Three members of the Owsla arrive, including Captain Holly (the leader of the Owsla). Bigwig confronts him and is informed that he, and Silver, are under arrest. Is the implication that the rest of the rabbits could have just left with no problems? If so, this is just a case of a highly militarised warren in which anyone outside the Owsla is treated like dirt? Bears comparison with human societies. What is the Owsla FOR? Bigwig attacks Holly as soon as he has finished making his accusations. Buckthorn and Dandelion join in. The two Owsla run away. Holly remains, clearly ready for more fighting. But it is Hazel, uninvolved in the violence, who calmly tells him, twice, to go or he will be killed. Holly leaves, after making empty threats. A wounded Dandelion says they should leave immediately, as the whole Owsla will be after them soon. He is backed up by Fiver. Hazel says they should leave right away and follow the stream to keep together. Bigwig tries to offer advice, but Hazel points out there isn't time. They leave. 4.8 Next episode Next time: the journey begins. And the rabbits learn just how scary things can get. Vocab: Hlao: Any small dip in the grass where moisture might collect.

3.1 Chapter 2: The Chief Rabbit Hazel is woken by Fiver having a nightmare. Fiver's nightmare contains some serious call forwards for the rest of the book involving Hazel. Especially relating to the two rivers. The idea that the whole warren would leave on his say so is totally unrealistic unless his reputation has spread. But it seems it hasn't. Even Hazel, who trusts his abilities, says so at first. They go to see the chief rabbit, the Threarah. Introduction to Bigwig (Thlayli), the 3rd main character. While Fiver is the wise archetype, Bigwig is the strong archetype, with Hazel as the balancing leader between the two. Bigwig clearly knows Hazel and trusts him even though it could get him in trouble. The Threarah is introduced positively. Although now old, he has, in the past, been a highly effective leader and has earned his respected position. However there is no chance of his taking Fiver's warning seriously, even if the whole Warren leaving eas realistic. And he points out convincing reasons why it is not. His inability to get names right indicates failing senses possibly, depending on how well he can be expected to know individual rabbits, though he claims to have known Hazel's mother. He very much fits the aging statesman archetype. Past his best though with an undiminished sense of self importance. Hazel argues Fiver's case as well as he can, but Fiver can't follow up as well, because he can't articulate the feelings he gets. The Threarah points out his well things are going at the moment. The whole Warren leaving just isn't realistic. Fiver loses the plot and that puts paid to the conversation. As they leave, Bigwig is called into the Chief's burrow to be given a hard time for letting them in in the first place. Or "getting his head bitten off". Vocab: Ni Frith : Noon Thlayli : Fur head Threarah : Lord Rowan Tree Rah: Lord/Chief/Prince 3.2 3: Hazel's Decision Is it though? It seems to be Bigwig who first mentions the idea of leaving. Hazel and Fiver are talking to Blackberry, who later proves to be very intelligent and has tipped ears, and Dandelion, both neighbours of theirs. Hazel reveals he's never even been near the Chief Rabbit before. Suddenly Bigwig arrives and says he's left the Owsla. He was obviously already discontented, and says he trusts things like Fiver has been saying. Later in the book he seems to contradict this though. As soon as Bigwig mentions leaving, Hazel comes to his decision. Bigwig says he'll come too. At this point we are intruced to Hazel's thoughts, as we often are in the book. He is nervous of a mend of the Owsla dominating things. Blackberry also says he'll come along because he clearly isn't happy there anyway. Bigwig says he'll talk to a couple in the Owsla who might also want to come along. Hazel says they must leave tonight and to meet there again fu Inlé. There is some urgency if Owsla might leave, as the Chief and Captain Holly wont like that. Vobab: Frithrah: Basically 'God almighty' fu Inlé: After moonrise