This episode is scripted by John Ruths, Leea Mäkelä, Chris Boyce, Liza and Newell Fisher. It includes both quoted and adapted text written by John and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. Propp's morphology, a structuralistic approach to folktales: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Propp

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, Leea Mäkelä and John Ruths and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. The Onezoom evolution site: http://www.onezoom.org/life Wikipedia entry for 'The Ancestor's Tale': https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ancestor's_Tale

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is recorded, scripted, narrated and edited by Newell Fisher. Link to 'Watership Down and Richard Adams Documentary': Channnel name: 'Stuart Robinson' URL: https://youtu.be/rnhJT_JE9g4

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is recorded by Newell Fisher and Sean Hagins and is scripted, narrated and edited by Newell Fisher. Link to ABC 1984 Radio Play: https://youtu.be/KShF_SwS-w8

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by John Ruths, Newell Fisher and Javier Ramos and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, Leea Mäkelä and Michele Grimm , with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. Link to the RPG 'The Warren': https://bullypulpitgames.com/games/the-warren/

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, John Ruths, Peter Strudwick, Peter White and Leea Mäkelä It is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. This is the link to Camping with Steve, as mentioned in the episode: https://youtube.com/c/thestevewallis

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There may be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Jamie Clubb and Newell Fisher and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher

This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher

This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher

This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths, and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher

73: Watership Down (1978) Section 14: Watership Down Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths This section covers from 40 minutes 30 to 42 minutes 20 and the equivalent chapter from the book is Chapter 18 This section of the film is, surely, its optimistic heart. After all the horror of the last few minutes, as Holly recalled his terrible journey to WD, we are, at last, going to arrive at the rabbits' destination. Somewhat dissonantly, our first shot from close to the foot of WD features the electricity pylons at its base, as the camera zooms out and left to reveal their line. Hazel, Bigwig and Fiver arrive at the foot of a pylon and Fiver says that is where they need to be as the camera cuts to a shot of the lone tree on the Down. And now, seemingly, we are at the foot of a pylon nearer to the Down and see the whole group as they set off across a final field towards the base of the scarp slope. They cross a fence and suddenly they are there. They pause. Hazel, looking up the scarp, checks with Fiver that he wants them to climb this, to which Fiver enthusiastically answers yes. And now the strings of the orchestra really kick in as we get a Hazel's eye-view up the steep slope. Patches of bare chalk visible among the grass. And then a shot of the group as they set off up the slope together. We see multiple shots of the rabbits running up the slope, with none of the hesitating trauma with which they do so in the book. Running through the long Downland grasses, we see Holly and Hazel, then Blackberry, Dandelion and Bigwig, then Dandelion and Bigwig again, as the going gets a little tougher. The brass music is building again among the strings as we see Holly and Hazel again. Then a tired Pipkin, who pauses, panting, before being urged on with a shouted encouragement by Hazel. We see Hazel looking back at Pipkin. Fiver, also tired, is with him. I think it is Silver passing them, with Holly behind. Having checked Pipkin is on the move again, Hazel continues. Dandelion and Blackberry bound ahead of the rest of the group. With a climactic flourish of brass instruments, the camera pans up the last part of the slope. Ever the practical rabbit, Blackberry continues straight on, but Dandelion the story-teller, Dandelion the bard, immediately turns around to see what they have achieved. It is a truly beautiful moment as we see Dandelion's joyful face, followed by a pan across the view of the southern English countryside from high up on the Down. As the group line up for the most famous shot of them on the Down, practical Blackberry arrives back to report that he has found a burrow under what he describes as a beech hanger, though we have only seen one tree. He says it has a Great Hall and no sign of death or disease. I'm sorry, what now? They have arrived at the top of this perfect location for a warren to find it already dug for them? And with a Great Hall? Seriously? As Blackberry delivers his... news, Pipkin joins them and the tableau is complete. The first rabbits of the Warren on Watership Down line up: Fiver, Hazel, Blackberry, Dandelion, Bigwig, Holly, Silver and Pipkin. The two small rabbits bookending the perfect symmetry of this picture. As we switch to a shot from behind the rabbits, showing them looking at the view, Dandelion exclaims that Frith on-the-hills made it all for them. Soberly, Hazel comments that Frith may have made it, but Fiver found it. It is a moment that slightly takes the mood down, but is also an important acknowledgement of what Fiver has achieved. For, without him, they would all probably be dead. They owe him everything.

72: Watership Down (1978) Section 13: Efrafa Scripted by Newell Fisher and John Ruths 72.2(1) Watership Down (1978) Section 13: Efrafa This section covers from 38 minutes 40 to 40 minutes 30 and the equivalent chapters from the book are Chapters 21 and 27. After Fiver has made his statement about how humans will never rest until they have spoiled the Earth, we learn the little Holly tells us about his journey to WD. He says he was trying to find them. That he wandered for days. He says that the "Efrafans" wouldn't let him go. That they ripped his ear. In the book, Holly's ear is ripped as he escapes from the enraged rabbits of the Warren of the Snares. Fortunately they are not very good fighters, so he is able to get away. Holly, who has been getting more animated, repeats that he tried to find them, as he collapses again. Bigwig repeats that word: Efrafans. He wonders what Holly is talking about and presses him for more. But Hazel says to let him rest. He can tell them more later. We see a closer shot of the traumatised Holly, his breathing distressed and heavy. He goes out of focus, as an eerie musical theme plays. We cross-fade and come into focus again, to see a dark and gloomy grey burrow. Several rabbits sit looking at a frightened rabbit between two others. In the next shot an angry looking rabbit glares at a crowded burrow full of rabbits, all quiet and docile. Spaced through the burrow are other equally angry looking rabbits, looking about them at the docile bunched together rabbits, daring them to step out of line. Then we see three holes underground. In front of each is a rabbit on guard. As three more rabbits arrive, one at each hole in turn, all 6 go up their assigned runs. All of the rabbits we have seen in this place had dark fur and blue eyes, with a kind of shadow under them. And then, as this scene fades, we hear a male voice. He states that a young doe has a request. An incredulous second male voice, deeper and more gravelly, says "A doe wants to see me?" The first voice says she says she represents a group. There is a pause. The second voice says "Your name?" A female voice says "Hyzenthlay Sir" There is a pause. The second voice tells Hyzenthlay to be Frank and that she is safe here...followed by the slightest laugh. Then the shot fades to black as the second voice says, harshly, "Get on with it!" Hyzenthlay hesitantly explains that several rabbits propose an expedition to start a new warren. Hyzenthlay's suggestion about a new warren is instantly, and strongly rejected. She persists, saying that the system is breaking down. The voice demands an explanation. Her blue eyes can now be seen in the half light. She explains that some Does can no longer produce litters. The warren is overcrowded. No sooner is an explanation demanded than she is shut down again. The voice says there will be no further discussion about it. She says they will go as far away as he likes. He repeats that what he said about no further discussion applies to where they are as well as well as anywhere else. Hyzenthlay starts to protest. A large rabbit appears to her right, looks briefly in the direction of the second voice, then glares at her, slightly opening his mouth to show his teeth. He, too, is in silhouette with those deep blue eyes. Hyzenthlay pauses....then just says "thank you Sir" before leaving quickly. The other rabbit moves threateningly towards her as she goes, glaring after her. Then looks into camera again as we hear the voice say "Campion". We can assume this was who the first voice belonged to. And then we see...the eye in close up. This is, of course, the damaged left eye of General Woundwort, though he has yet to be named. The white eye narrows as he adds "Have her watched" It goes out of focus as we cross fade to Holly, eyes closed. Breathing heavily. Still utterly traumatised. And we fade to black.

71: Watership Down (1978) Section 12: Captain Holly Script by Newell Fisher, with script-assistance by John Ruths This section covers 36 minutes 20 to 38 minutes 40 and the equivalent chapters from the book are Chapters 19-21. We are in the Lane leading away from Nuthanger Farm, following Hazel and Pipkin's farm expedition earlier. The camera pans right to show the lone tree on WD in the distance and zooms in on the ditch on the Eastern side of the lane. This ditch is where the events of the next two sections of the film will take place. Cut to the interior of the ditch, as the rabbits run past, heading away from the farm towards the Down. Bigwig, bringing up the rear, stops and turns back, listening. We start to hear an echoing cry of "Zorn!" the lapine word for destroyed or finished. The rest of the group are now with them. Bigwig moves towards the sound. Hazel asks if he can see what it is. Dandelion says he can hear it. Something big is approaching. And then Bigwig is struck dumb with terror as whatever it is calls out his name. The terrified Bigwig says it is the Black Rabbit of Inlé. Cut to a close up of the edge of the ditch. Two grey paws appear as the voice, clearly not supernatural, cries "All dead! All zorn!" A bedraggled and scratched grey rabbit appears and tumbles, at the end of his strength, into the ditch. It is Captain Holly of the Sandleford Owsla. Holly looks up and opens his eyes, recognising his old fellow Owsla member and repeating "I've found you!" in sheer relief. Holly says he remembers Fiver. How he was the one who saw "it" coming. We hear Dandelion ask what happened. We see trees tumbling in a spiral as Holly says the warren was destroyed. There is a rumbling sound building. We hear Silver ask how. In the background of the tumbling trees we could see a circle. That now becomes clearer. It is a view of the entrance of a burrow from underground. And then we see earth falling into the burrow, covering the view. Holly's voice says men came and filled in the burrows. We see another hole being filled. And another. Holly says they couldn't get out. There was a strange sound. A hissing. We hear the sound and see a terrified rabbit. In the dark of the filled in warren, his fur is blue and his eyes a deep red. And then we enter the realm of the surreal. Six disembodied rabbit heads move along converging burrow forms. pursued along every path by a yellow gas. They converge and press together, pressing upwards as the paths behind them are closed. Holly says "The air turned bad" We see six terrified heads pressed together in another blocked run. Holly says "Runs blocked with dead bodies" There is a building sound of voices echoing in despair. We see five heads desperately reaching upwards, the yellow gas all around them. The camera zooms in on one as its eyes close in pain. Holly repeats "Couldn't get out!" And now rabbits crushed into a narrowing run, some with their eyes closed, some pathetically still trying to press forward. As Holly says "Everything turned mad" we zoom in on a rabbit's eye closing. The closing rabbit eye cross-fades and becomes a rift in turf that rips open, revealing red earth underneath. Holly says "Warren, earth, roots, grass. All...pushed into the air" As he says this, we see pointed fence posts, two of them tipped with blood. Behind them we see red trees and purple rabbit corpses flung into the air, with a fiery sky behind. We see the green turf again. A human mechanical digger scrape into it, scoring a set of parallel red lines as it disappears into the background. The red lines move and swirl in a circle. More tumbling tree branches join them, as the camera pans down to rejoin the rabbits in the ditch. Dandelion says "Men have always hated us" Holly replies "No. They just destroyed the warren because we were in their way." Fiver, in close up, looks away and says "They'll never rest until they've spoiled the Earth"

70: Watership Down (1978) Section 11: Nuthanger Farm Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script-assistance by John Ruths. This section covers from 32 minutes 20 to 36 minutes 20 and the equivalent chapter from the book is Chapter 24. Nuthanger Farm. This section begins with the rabbits arriving at a traditional farm cart as the theme from the previous section ends. Cut to early the following morning and Hazel wakes up first, sniffing the air. He whispers for Pipkin and suggests they go and have a look around the farm. Pipkin is understandably reluctant. Hazel says he has a plan, but doesn't detail it. Cut to a panning shot of a working farm in 1960's Hampshire. As we hear a cockerel crowing, the camera zooms in on an elevated barn with a dog kennel in front of it. Cut to a close-up of a plough by the barn, with the stone toadstool shapes the barn rests upon visible. Hazel emerges from between the blades of the plough, sniffs and is followed by Pipkin, who says he can see a dog. They dodge behind the kennel under the barn. A tense musical theme plays as they reach the end of the barn. As Hazel and Fiver make their way across a yard, we hear a voice on a radio Pipkin points out that the humans are "up". Pipkin says he wants to go back, but Hazel says they will go just a little bit further. They dodge behind a wood-pile by the entrance to another barn, then look through a crack in the door where we see a rabbit hutch. Hazel goes straight in and we see the interior of the kind of timber-beamed British barn. Hazel reassures Pipkin it's safe and tells him to stand guard and let him know if he sees a cat. Cut to the interior of the rabbit hutch. Hazel introduces himself and Clover, the first doe to speak in the book, reciprocates. She asks where Hazel comes from, to which he responds with an ambiguous "far away" and immediately starts selling his lifestyle. We cut to Pipkin on the lookout then the Dog waking up, just as Hazel mentions lying in the sun. The juxtaposition seems deliberate. He asks if they ever get out, to which she replies that a human child sometimes takes them out on the grass. As Clover says this we see Pipkin startle. He has seen a cat. Hazel seems to be getting to his point, asking if they would like to join them. Clover is confused and asks how this would be possible. But we never get to hear Hazel's answer, as Pipkin arrives in a panic to let him know about the cat. He is forced to give a garbled version, backing away from the hutch rapidly, oddly jumping backwards onto a pile of hay without looking, before leaping in the direction of the barn door. Pipkin says he thinks the cat has smelt them to which Hazel replies he will get them away. Hazel tells Pipkin to follow him closely and run when he does. The camera zooms out to bring it into view, tail waving in readiness to pounce. As the cat hisses, Hazel begins to taunt it, saying how hungry it looks and how the rats must be getting too clever. The dog, now fully awake, begins to bark. In the book the cat has nothing to say at this point, but here it responds to the suggestion that it cannot run with a calm "You'll see" as it drums its claws on the ground in mock calm. As Hazel repeats his opinion on whether it can run, the cat screams and leaps. But the two rabbits are already gone, Hazel's insults having seemingly done their job of making it act hastily. The cat pursues them, making Hazel's calm planning look a little less safe. Pipkin accidentally runs into a dustbin. This startles the pursuing cat and brings a human girl to the door. We hear her say "What's all that then?" Then she sees the cat and says "Tab? Tab! Let 'un alone! Cruel thing!" Having reassured Lucy of its cuteness, Tab now sits in the lane cleaning herself as she watches the rapidly retreating Hazel and Pipkin running up a lane. With an ironic, and feline sounding, violin flourish, the camera fades to black.

69: Religion, Folklore and Seership in Watership Down Scripted by Mateus Ramos, Ronny M Worsey, Andrew Stevens, Leea Mäkelä and Newell Fisher The Rabbit Religion What kind of religion do the rabbits of WD have? Mateus Ramos 11/4/22: "The rabbits' religion draws from many sources. Some things look like ancient myths, like the Sun is the major god as in the Egyptian mythology and others, also El-Ahrairah is both a god and and a hero, like the demigods from Greek mythology such as Hercules, Perseus and Theseus; but also other heroes from other mythologies and religions like Gilgamesh, Moses and even Jesus. El-Ahrairah on the other hand is a different breed in the way that he's the main hero but is also a Trickster. So, long story short, at the same time Frith is Rah the Sun-God, Zeus, Helios, Odin, Alah, Jehovah and God El-Ahrairah is at the same time Gilgamesh, Hercules, Moses, Noah, Loki, Jesus and Adam And The Black Rabbit of Inlé is Thanatos, Hades, Satan and the Angel of Death" Andrew Stevens 19/6/22: “In "El-Ahrairah and Black Rabbit of Inlé", Adams draws on the Judeo-Christian tradition and pagan myths of suffering, maiming, sacrifice and rebirth of heroes, messiahs and gods, again starting with archetypes but quickly building on them. With his rabbits losing a long-running siege waged by King Darzin, El-ahrairah journeys to the warren of the Black Rabbit of Inlé and offers his life for his people’s salvation but learns that the Black Rabbit makes no such bargains. When Dandelion explains the nature of the Black Rabbit to his audience, it is easy to interpret the first view as him as a sort of rabbit devil, but the storytellers own understanding of him as a servant of Frith is more convincing. Rather than a Judeo-Christian Hell, his warren is more like Hades, a necessary place performing a role in the world with a steward ultimately answering to a higher power.” Ronny M Worsey 11/4/22: "Cowslip's Warren represents, to me, a closed community completely obsessed by religion. A cult, basically. You can't leave, you can't ask certain questions. Pictures on the wall are worshipped and everything is ritualised, even saying hello. There's also a patronising attitude to outsiders.” Rabbit Folklore Leea Mäkelä 11/5/22: "The stories of El-Ahrairah in the world of Prince Rainbow and King Darzin seem indeed to be part of same continuum - like it had been another, larger rabbit story going on in a different world than the Sandleford/Watership rabbits, but intertwined with it. El-Ahrairah seems to be the dominant character of rabbit folklore, attracting also motifs of stories that were originally stories of other rabbits. So who knows, if the Tale of Rowsby Woof was something that happened to (a) now un-named rabbit from Sandleford's owsla. It seems to me that especially in the first part of Tales from the Watership Down the stories are written to formulas that have been inspired by some theories on folklore.” Rabbit Seership We now move on to the subject of seership in WD, a theme that was much developed in both the 1999 TV series, particularly in series 3 as I recall, as well as in the role-playing game Bunnies and Burrows. Leea Mäkelä 22/6/22 "In the beginning of Watership Down Fiver is the weird kid, smaller than others and lacking in social skills so he needs Hazel as a mediator between him and others. He has extraordinary skill, that comes and goes in a way he can't control. TheWarren of the Snares is some kind of turning point in how others don't see what Fiver sees, and how he needs to learn to communicate in ways that also others understand. In 'Tales From Watership Down' he is already presented as a religious specialist of his community. It seems that it might be Silverweed, who sets the process moving in Fiver to come (to) better terms with his own special skills and learning to use them”

68: Watership Down (1978) Section 10: The Shining Wire Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths This section covers from 29:20 to 32:20. The equivalent Chapters from the book are 17 and 10. As a rising tense musical theme plays, we see Hazel and Fiver react instantly. Cut to Bigwig's face in extremis, with a straight black line running from his neck. The camera zooms out as we see Hazel join him. He recognises that Bigwig is in a snare but has no idea what to do about it. In desperation Hazel tries to chew at the wire. Fiver arrives and Hazel tells him to run and get the others. He says Bigwig will die. We see Fiver rushing back towards the warren crying out for Blackberry and Dandelion. Bigwig, who is gasping now, flips himself from left to right. We now see four rabbits running back with Fiver. Blackberry is straight on the case: closely examining the wire and saying they have to loosen it somehow. As Blackberry inspects the wire, Hazel asks if Cowslip is coming. Cowslip has said he won't come and told him to "stop talking about it" Hazel's shocked reaction to this is interrupted by Blackberry, who has located the peg and says they have to dig it out. Silver is instantly on the case, starting to dig it out. And now we see Bigwig convulsing. Silver says he can't get his teeth into it, so Blackberry tells Pipkin to go into the hole. He says the splinters are pricking him but carries on. As he says it's hard to breathe, we see Bigwig, barely drawing his last breaths. Pipkin comes out of the hole saying the peg is nearly through. Hazel tells Fiver to go in. Dandelion says he can't hear Bigwig breathing. Then Fiver says the peg is free. There is a close up of Bigwig, his eye opening as he makes a strangled sound. We see his point of view, as the silhouettes of all five other rabbits appear against a dark sky. This seems to be the last view of the dying. Bigwig is still. Blackberry calmly says he thinks Bigwig is "gone". Hazel, forgetting leadership for a moment, tragically nudges him as he says they have got him out and that he is free. Hazel's pleading with Bigwig grows more desperate. Dandelion says that its no use. Blackberry, ever practical, sadly asks how they will manage without Bigwig. And then comes acceptance, as Hazel leads the brief but effective rabbit funeral. Now Fiver has his moment. He is angry. Very angry. He sums up the extended story of how the Warren of the Snares became what it is that he tells in the book. With Fiver's words, the rest of the group look around them nervously. But then there is anger from them as well. But in their anger, all of them, except Hazel it seems, have missed Fiver's point. They want to drive the rabbits out of this warren. Fiver now drives that home with a shocking expletive in Lapine, calling them fools. The phrase he uses, "embleer Frith", means "stinking god". He says they will be helping themselves to a death trap. A "roof of bones". We hear another strangled sound. It is Bigwig! The group cluster around him until Hazel tells them to let him rest. Bigwig, clumsily removing the loose snare from around his neck, says he doesn't need to rest. Blackberry asks Fiver, who is clearly in charge temporarily, what they should do now. And his advice is instant. They need to leave this place right away. We see Watership Down in the distance for the first time since the opening titles. During this, an optimistic and anticipatory stringed musical theme plays as Fiver delivers a speech that appears far earlier in the book. But here his speech has been moved to this point in the story and this is very effective. Comparison with the book This shocking episode from the book transferred to the film very faithfully. The one major plot difference here between book and film is that there is no Strawberry here, running desperately away from his warren in fear for his life.

67: Watership Down (1978) Section 9: The Warren of the Snares Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths This section covers from 26 minutes 10 to 29 minutes 20 and the equivalent Chapters from the book are Chapters 13-14 and 16-17 Chapter 15 does not appear in the film. The dark subdued colours of the last scene are replaced with the orange and purple of the interior of this mysterious new warren. We see Silver coming down a run. He joins Dandelion further off down another run as the latter comments that the place seems to almost smell of...man. We see the group arrive in a large underground burrow. We see flayrah, or good quality food grown by humans, on the floor. And now Cowslip, with Denholm Elliot’s wonderfully offhand manner, expresses politely faked surprise at their arrival. I think it is Blackberry who comments on what a large warren this is, as the group look around them curiously. Cowslip brushes past this comment and invites them to help themselves to the flayrah. He says that "the man" leaves fresh roots daily. Or "throws it out" as Cowslip puts it. This is a large and significant contrast to the book, in which the food is left in a nearby pasture and carried back to the warren. The ever vigilant Hazel questions this mention of a man, but Cowslip, again, brushes past the question by saying, in his casual offhand manner, that there are plenty of empty burrows for the group to sleep in. Hazel's next question "Where are all the others?"  elicits an angry reaction from Cowslip. However, he immediately recovers and says they can eat all they like and will be left to themselves. There is no hint of the friendly hospitality of the book. Here the group will only receive catering. So now we cut to the other scene, besides Bigwig on the road, that I clearly remember being used to promote this film when it came out in 1978. And no wonder, as it is wonderfully shot. We see the group feeding from behind. And now, as the camera pulls back, As Pipkin speaks, the technique that makes this shot so special begins. First the group are framed by an entrance to the burrow. And now the camera tracks right to another entrance and now we are seeing the group from the side. The camera tracks right again, to another entrance. Our view of the group is now nearly from the front. The camera tracks right again. We arrive at the last entrance, with a frontal view of the group. The shot has lasted 30 seconds, a very long duration for a single shot in a cartoon, and is what must have been a very rare animated circular dolly shot. Cowslip appears again. He says some of the warren rabbits are gathering and suggesting stories. Silver suggests Hazel tells about their journey and how they came to the warren. After an awkward pause, Hazel suggests Dandelion tells a story of El-ahrairah. In the book, of course, this leads to Chapter 15. The Story of the King's Lettuce, but here Cowslip is not so polite. And here we lead straight into this film's equivalent of Chapter 16. Silverweed. Only here there is no Silverweed the poet. To save time, Cowslip merely refers to him as "one of our poets". And so Cowslip launches into a sumarised quotation of the poem from the book. As Cowslip reaches the clear reference to death we see a terrified and disgusted Fiver. And then Fiver is off with "I've had enough!" We see Fiver making his way towards a hedge-line followed by Hazel. Fiver has time to say he is going away to the hills, to which Hazel responds he will die. But Fiver says Hazel is closer to death than he is. Before anything else can be said, Bigwig arrives, again going around the edge of the hedge. He is instantly angry. With a promise to make sure everyone has had enough of Fiver, as in the book, Bigwig runs off...but through the hedge this time. And instantly there is a strangled cry...

66: Watership Down (1978) Section 8: The Rat-attack and the Stranger Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths This section covers from 21 minutes 20 to 26 minutes 10 and the equivalent Chapters from the book are Chapters 10-12 In the book there is a long section of the journey to WD that we only hear about in passing. This is the part from the departure from the Warren of the Snares to the arrival at the foot of WD. Part of the description of that journey, at the start of Chapter 18. Watership Down, describes how they were attacked by rats in an isolated barn near Ecchinswell. That episode is transplanted to earlier in the plot in the film and seems to occupy the part of their journey that, in the book, is taken up with the terrible overnight journey over Newtown Common. And instead of a barn, it takes place in an abandoned church. Following the shocking death of Violet, two more zooming shots of backgrounds establish the rabbits' journey continuing as the skies darken. Next we see the churchyard as Blackberry, Hazel and Bigwig discuss resting there. The exhausted rabbits enter the church. The next shot is an effective silent zoom out from above, during which the only human face in the film appears at the right. That of a statue. This implied threat is immediately punctuated by the simultaneous appearance of two rats at either side of shot, along with a sudden loud harsh squeaking. A group of 4 rats make their way down to the floor. One of them launches an attack at the sleeping Bigwig. And then, the rest of the rabbits having immediately woken up, the scene strangely descends into farce, with percussion based music to match. This episode is a strange replacement for the terrible journey across the Common. The only hint of the journey across the Common comes now, as rain and thunder sets in. This is where what must be one of the longest conversations in the whole film takes place. Pipkin wonders what is go on back home. Dandelion says to Hazel it can't go on like this. Silver agrees that things are getting worse and worse. He pointedly asks Hazel where they are going. Hazel reassures him that it won't be much longer then they can all rest. Silver asks how much longer. Pipkin says they never should have left. And then, shockingly, Blackberry, of all rabbits, asks what if Fiver was wrong. Pipkin says he wants to go back and find out. At this point Hazel intervenes and points out all they've been through, and Bigwig angrily makes the practical point that having injured an Owsla officer, a captain no less, they will probably be killed if they go back. Now Fiver makes his contribution, saying they must go on until they reach the hills and slipping into a fearful trance as he seems to sense the consequences of not doing so, consequences that are about to start playing out. The whites of his eyes become frighteningly prominent as he looks about him and hops in a circle in terror, saying those that go back will not be safe. Silver now makes a direct allegation towards Hazel that he does not know where they are going. In doing so he takes on the role of Acorn, Speedwell and Hawkbit in the book. Bigwig begins his angry intervention, but is rapidly interrupted by BlackBerry’s urgent stamping of an alarm. A strange rabbit has suddenly appeared and is standing a few yards away. Hazel and Bigwig address him. The stranger announces himself as Cowslip. He excuses himself as he hates the rain and lollops away with a curiously leisurely run to a nearby hole. Fiver immediately says they should have nothing to do with Cowslip or his warren. Blackberry says Cowslip seems friendly but wonders what they have to gain by asking them to join their warren. At this moment the authority of Hazel seems fairly undermined. Hazel follows the rest of the group to the Warren and urges Fiver to join him. Reluctantly,

65: Watership Down (1978) Section 7: The Road and the Beanfield Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths This section covers from 18 minutes 30 to 21 minutes 20 and the equivalent Chapters from the book are Chapters 10. The Road and the Common, 9. The Crow and the Beanfield and 11. Hard Going And so, having crossed the Enborne, the 8 rabbits head south. In the book this is where they find the beanfield and rest, after a frightening encounter with a crow. However the filmmakers decided that they should encounter the road first. As the theme plays, we see the rabbits heading towards a hedgerow, followed by a shot of them running among cows, almost playfully. They run through a gate and across a field towards the road. The camera zooms in on Fiver's troubled face for a moment. What is he sensing? And now we arrive at one of the scenes I clearly remember being most used to promote the film when it came out in 1978. Bigwig explains Hrududus and roads to Hazel in a matter-of-fact way that does not seem like showing off. And then Bigwig cannot resist showing off for a moment, which he does not do in the book, just sticking to the verge as a car passes. However, here, sitting out in the middle of the road, he sits calmly as a landrover with the registration MR767 drives west right past him. Luckily for Bigwig, the driver doesn't fancy an easy bit of rabbit killing that day. Neither, it seems, does the driver of a red sports car, registration WD 3231 C, who immediately speeds past in the opposite direction, causing Bigwig to panic and leap about the road in a circle, ending up on the other side. With a flourish of light music, he comes back out into the road to tell the others to cross it quickly. And now we see the Beanfield for the first time. Hazel says there is something up ahead and sniffs. The beanfield will give good sight and sound cover for them as they rest. Shouldn't this phrase be "sight and smell"? As we see a beautiful layered panning shot across the tops of the beans, we hear Blackberry say that Hazel is beginning to sound like a Chief. He uses the phrase 'Hazel-rah'. Bigwig's response is why I have counted chapter 11 of the book as being included in this section. For that is the chapter, from later on in the story, in which the Lost Paragraph is featured. But here there is no promise from Bigwig to stop fighting the day he calls Hazel a chief. The 8 rabbits are next seen at rest among the beans. But now a bee buzzes by. As it passes through the group, we see Violet, the only doe, seem to notice it and smell the air. She runs to the edge of the beans, where Fiver is, sleeping, significantly. For he exists on the margins in many ways. He notices her leave cover and seems immediately concerned. As he looks at her starting to feed on the white flowered plant she smelt, we see a shadow, as an alarming musical theme plays. The Hawk appears. We see the horror on Fiver's face. Then we see its it's talons close-up, then a violent moment of screeching...and blackness. In the next shot, we see the plant with a couple of small feathers floating in the air. The other rabbits join Fiver, who just looks on and says "Violet's gone". Her inclusion in the film, considering the nature of her departure, seems curiously disjointed to me. Hazel's only comment is "We'd better keep moving", which, though a moment of leadership, is telling. Violet, unlike Bigwig, gets no "My heart has joined the Thousand..." She just ends. And, with the sound of a sad clarinet, that is that. Was her rank too low to earn this accolade? Or just too female? Fiver hesitates for a moment. Then he leaves too. Comparison with the book This is the section of the film in which summary of the book becomes divergence from the book. And the death of Violet, while an effective cinematic moment, just seems a bit...odd?

64: Watership Down (1978) Section 6: In the Woods and The Crossing Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths This section covers from 14 minutes 10 to 18 minutes 30 and the equivalent Chapters from the book are Chapters 5. In the Woods, 7. The Lendri and the River and  8. The Crossing The camera pans left past a sparse bush to reveal the recent escapees from Sandleford at the edge of a wood. We see Hazel approach the edge of the wood and sniff the air. And now Bigwig steps up as advisor to say that they need to rest. This gives Hazel another leadership moment, as he points out they will be completely clear of the Owsla once they are through the wood. They can rest then. Bigwig looks up into the trees nervously, but follows Hazel and the rest follow him. There is a full moon, which allows for backgrounds with high contrast between light and dark. Thorns and sharp edges are emphasised as the camera's panning matches the music to emphasise what an alien environment this is for rabbits. We hear the screeching of an owl as we see Pipkin briefly halt out of breath more from fear than tiredness. A foot step is heard in the undergrowth. A fern leaf moves as if disturbed by an animal. A pair of eyes opens in a dark hollow behind Fiver. Seeing the eyes behind him, Fiver runs, joining the others under a bush. In the book this would probably be the point at which they pause to listen to The Story of the Blessing of El-ahrairah to lift their spirits. But there is no chance of that happening here. They look up to see an owl swooping overhead. A holly leaf falls. Then, suddenly, as Bigwig looks around, the face of a badger emerges from undergrowth. Bigwig exclaims "A Lendri! This way!" and they all follow him quickly away. As they make their way down a gradual slope, Violet says it had just killed as there was blood on its lips. The shot is held on this view of trees on a slope as the light, and tone of the music, become brighter and we hear the dawn chorus of birds. The sun is coming up and they have made it through the woods. The entire sequence in the woods has lasted only about one and a half minutes. And now the shot dissolves to a kingfisher on a branch, with the River Enborne behind it. They are on a patch of gravel on the river's edge with a discarded bottle. Fiver immediately says they must cross the river, earning him a rebuke from Bigwig, who wanders off to check their surroundings. Fiver addresses them all as he explains about needing to find a "high lonely place with dry soil". We cut to Bigwig, a short distance away, who sees the dog. He immediately warns the others by the river bank and says they all have to swim and those who can't will just have to "make out the best they can". There is more leadership from Hazel, who says that isn't good enough. And now we see what Blackberry noticed. A flat piece of wood by the river bank. In the book Fiver seems to understand the implications of the floating piece of wood, while Hazel remains clueless. But here it is Hazel who gets it straight away and tells Fiver to get on. Fiver immediately falls off and has to be comedically retrieved from under the water by Blackberry by his scruff. We see the dog arrive, sniffing, by the river bank. Hazel tells Bigwig and Silver to push the piece of wood out. With no more talking the whole group enter the river. The piece of wood spins around due to the panicking Pipkin moving around on it. Bigwig, warns him to stay still, and with Silver, gives the wood one final push into the bullrushes on the opposite bank Hazel praises Blackberry for finding the wood. With no boastfulness Blackberry accepts it was a good idea and suggests they bear it in mind for the future. And, as we build to the optimistic musical theme once again, they are off across country, without resting as they do in the book.

63: Watership Down (1978) Section 5: The Departure Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths I have come across a review of a 2002 BBC Radio 4 radio play of WD from the long defunct site bitsnbobstones.watershipdown.org: http://bitsnbobstones.watershipdown.org/reviews/radio4.html Section 5: The Departure This section covers from 11  minutes 50 to 14 minutes 10  and the equivalent Chapters from the book are Chapters 3 and 4: Hazel’s Decision and The Departure. In the film the entire process of Hazel deciding to leave Sandleford happens off camera. In fact the only substantial survival from Chapter 3 is Bigwig’s announcement that he has resigned from the Owsla. It is night-time and we see silhouettes emerge from a grass bank. We begin with what is clearly Hazel and Fiver. Next is Blackberry, who is mistaken for Dandelion by Hazel at first. As the number reaches 18, we hear the voice of Silver, warning that Owsla member Toadflax followed him down the run. In the book Owsla member Silver arrives with Bigwig. Here he is a laconic sounding non-Owsla amalgam of Hawkbit, Acorn,  Speedwell and possibly Buckthorn. We see a watching rabbit in the foreground by a fence, who crouches low and frowns as the group departs. Is this Toadflax? The pace of the music increases as the group, now seemingly of 16 rabbits, rapidly make their way through the mist, past the noticeboard, which has identical wording to the book, but the letters are in red, not black and the name 'Such' is spelt without the T. The group, still seemingly of only 16 rabbits now, move past this to the left of camera. We see three more rabbits watching them from a fence-line. The watching rabbits are, of course, the Owsla . There is a group of 6 rabbits out in front of the escaping group. We see the Owsla in action. Hazel stops, looks back and shouts a warning to the others in close up. We see the Owsla cut off the rear group of 10 rabbits, which includes Does and kittens. Captain Holly appears clearly in the foreground. We clearly see that the escaping group of 7 is Hazel, Fiver, Pipkin, Blackberry Dandelion, Silver and Violet. And now we get a clear shot of the captured group of 10 rabbits, 7 adults and 3 kittens, being guarded by 5 angry looking Owsla members. This confirms that the group who initially try to leave Sandleford is 16 strong in the film, with 7 getting away, to be joined shortly by Bigwig. Making 8 in total. In the book the group who leave is 11 strong, so here we have lost Hawkbit, Acorn,  Speedwell  and Buckthorn. But gained Violet. The group are now halted by Bigwig, perched at the top of the ditch. Cannily, Hazel asks Bigwig if he is off duty and he reveals that he has left the Owsla. In the book he says he has left the Owsla in Chapter 3. Hazel's Decision. We see the point of view of an approaching rabbit. This is Captain Holly, who jumps into the ditch on his own to arrest the entire group. In the book, Holly arrives with two other Owsla members in order to arrest only Bigwig and Silver, as Owsla members who have abandoned their duty. Bigwig, still at the top of the ditch, stays silent. Holly, sensing the atmosphere, asserts his status as Captain of Owsla. Hazel bravely squares up to Holly and tells him to go or he will be killed. We see the shocked reaction of his companions. Holly attacks Hazel. Bigwig falls on Holly, knocking him on his back. In shock, Holly realises he doesn't have a chance now and leaves. Blackberry comments that Holly will be back soon with more Owsla, so Bigwig says he will go with them. They move on, following Bigwig away from Sandleford, as Hazel and Fiver pause for a second and exchange a glance. Briefly the uplifting end titles theme plays, but a lighter clarinet version, indicating that this is, overall, an optimistic moment in the story. But this will not last for long.

62: Watership Down (1978) Section 4: The Chief Rabbit Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths This section covers from 9 minutes 30 to 11  minutes 50  and the equivalent Chapter from the book is Chapter 2. The Chief Rabbit As the music dies away Hazel and Fiver approach a rabbit we immediately recognise as Bigwig. A shortened version of their first conversation from the book follows, in which we learn that Bigwig seems not to know Hazel well enough to immediately recognise him. In the background Blackberry and friends appear as they try to listen in on the conversation. Another change from the book is the interruption of Captain Holly, whose manner is very harsh compared to the way he acts in the book. After being easily persuaded to let them see the Chief, and telling them to wait, Bigwig dives down a hole and we hear his voice muffled saying: "Excuse me sir. These two outskirters have asked permission to see you. Is it alright if I bring them down?" He reappears in the hole and tells them to come with him. Hazel and Fiver go down the hole after him. And now we hear the Chief Rabbit's voice for the first time, echoing in his burrow, as the camera zooms in on the hole. We are being taken underground as viewers for the first time in the film and this is done very effectively using a detailed background painting that is used for zooming and panning. At first we see Hazel and Fiver from the side, with Bigwig nervously listening as they talk to the out of view Chief. And then we see him clearly. An effective portrayal of the rabbit version of an elder statesman. As soon as  he hears what Fiver has to say, he calmly turns his back on them, though still supposedly involved in the conversation. This action is accompanied by what I'm going to call an Oboe-based theme that seems to reduce the gravitas of the Chief by emphasising his ponderous physicality. Basically it emphasises how he is old and a little past it. Their conversation is, again, faithful to the book but truncated. The shot of the Chief's foot stretching that I have used as the image for this episode also seems to be a subtle expression of his power. The Chief of the film, as in the book, has already dismissed these two upstarts, but his intentions in the film are even less friendly. We see Bigwig, realising how this conversation is going, shaking his head and turning away as he realises how much trouble he may be in. We cut away briefly to a curious Blackberry being warned off listening at the entrance to the burrow by an angry Holly. In the book, the Threarah gives a lengthy explanation as to why leaving the warren is impossible. Here it is truncated. Fiver's panicked reaction causes him to have a kind of fit in the book. Here he just runs away crying "We can't wait". Then we see the subtle annoyance of Hazel at being mis-named 'Walnut' by the Chief again. As Hazel follows Fiver out, we get one of the bonus scenes of the film only hinted at in the book, as the clearly embarrassed Bigwig tries to creep away...but it is too late. The Chief wants a word, knowing full well that Bigwig is trying to creep away, and in the film we get to hear what he has to say to him, after he has to call him back a second time: "What was that all about? Your duty, as an officer, is to protect this burrow. Those two lunatics had better be watched" This is a good example of the difference in Owlsa culture in the Sandleford Warren between the book and film. In the book Hazel and Fiver are of no consequence, as mere outskirters. And they are free to leave for all the Chief cares. It is only the Owsla members who get into trouble. But here the two brothers are a security concern. This is our first clue that the Sandleford of the film is a little more Efrafa like than in the book. Hazel and Fiver are now in the sights of the Sandleford Owsla. What will the

61: Watership Down (1978) Section 3: The Notice Board Scripted by Newell Fisher, with assistance by John Ruths This section covers from 5 minutes 40 to 9 minutes 30. The equivalent Chapter from the book is Chapter 1. The Notice Board As the camera zooms out from the detailed rabbit we ended with last time, the shot dissolves to one in which a rabbit is represented in the way we will see throughout the film, in other words the fur is a single untextured colour. This is Hazel. He emerges cautiously. After a few seconds of checking for danger, he returns to the bank and, at last, we hear a rabbit speak, as he reassures Fiver that everything seems okay. Hazel suggests they try to find a Coltsfoot. This is a change from the Cowslip mentioned in the book. Fiver, rushing after Hazel, is startled by a bee, which is commented on by Blackberry and, from the voice, Silver, even though he seems to be further away and the rabbit with Blackberry looks more like Dandelion. Silver refers to Fiver as a runt, whereas in the book his comment is spoken by Blackberry, who is talking to Buckthorn, one of the three rabbits seemingly amalgamated into Silver here. In the book, Blackberry only refers to him as Fiver and explains his name. Fiver sniffs around looking for a coltsfoot and, as soon as he finds one, a large rabbit foot lands on it. There follows a more stilted version of the conversation with Toadflax from the book. Hazel makes it clear that he has had enough of the way things are going in this warren and has considered leaving. The two brothers arrive at a part of the pasture lower down the slope. And then Fiver enters a patch of long grass where he is startled by another bee. The sound of the bee is an excellent piece of dissonance in this until now briefly idyllic scene, as it scares him out of the other side of the long grass and straight onto a piece of ground that is muddy and covered in human boot-prints. An eerie harp and violin theme starts to play as Fiver's terrified eyes look slowly backwards and up. He turns his head and looks up at the looming noticeboard. And then he smells a discarded cigarette nearby. And suddenly, terrifyingly, he knows that something terrible is going to happen. As Fiver's fear builds, a subtle change comes over his fur, as the red of the sunset highlights some parts of it. The music is building ominously as this first genuinely frightening section of the film arrives and we enter Fiver's dream-state with him. And so we arrive at the famous shot of Fiver looking at the sun setting over the trees on the other side of a field, as what might have just been the light of sunset becomes something definitely a lot more sinister. The camera zooms in. The grass in the foreground actually moves out of shot faster than can be accounted for by the zoom, and then the starker outlines of trees replace the scene altogether and mutate. Fiver's vision of death seems to be a reference to the phrase "Like Trees in November" that Pipkin will later use to refer to the rabbits of the Warren of the Snares. This frightening winter tree now dissolves into a spiral that surrounds the setting sun as we return to reality. Hazel tries to reassure the trembling Fiver but his suggestion that they return to their burrow has the opposite effect. As soon as Fiver insists that something "very bad" is going to happen, Hazel seems far too easily convinced, bearing in mind that, moments before, he was telling Fiver he was being "silly" for suggesting they all have to leave the warren. And he immediately says they should go and see the Chief Rabbit. As a bed of quiet violin music plays they return to the scene of silflay where Fiver was first scared by a bee, where Fiver shouts that everyone needs to leave the warren. As Hazel and Fiver enter a wooded area, the whole group of silflaying rabbits gather and follow them. And, as the music bed fades away, we se

60: Watership Down (1978) Section 2: Opening Titles Scripted, narrated by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths. This section covers from 3:40 to 5:40 As the image of Frith melts away, it is replaced by a hazy rising Sun. There is movement from out of focus grass in the foreground and we zoom out to see more grass waving in the breeze, as well as a passing butterfly. We get the first view of Watership Down on film: the single large tree standing on the high Down. This is the vision of WD that was emulated in the TV series in the 90’s, even though, both in the book and in reality, the site actually lies at the north end of a long narrow “beech-hanger”. The camera lingers on the lone tree for a few seconds as a beautiful clarinet based theme plays. And now we are taken on a journey as the credits begin. The words “Nepenthe Productions Limited Presents” appear. The shot zooms out and right to include the Iron Tree, or pylon,at the foot of the Down. And then it dissolves and moves left and zooms out into a more distant view of the Down, as a flock of birds flies across. This is the view from the Warren of the Snares that we will see again after Bigwig survives. And now we dissolve to a zoom out of the approach to the Warren of the Snares, though in better weather than in the narrative, as the credits appear for Angela Morley, who saved the musical score, and Marcus Dodds, the musical director. Malcolm Williamson, who Morley had to take over from, is relegated to a credit for incidental music. The shot dissolves to a right pan across fields as the words ‘ “Bright Eyes composed by Mike Batt’ appear, followed quickly by ‘Sung by Art Garfunkel’. The camera zooms out and pans left to a graveyard and church tower. This is probably meant to be the churchyard at Newtown. We now dissolve to a zoom out of a hazy sky, as our view of their eventual destination becomes the mystery it is at first in the story. The Editor Terry Rawlings is credited at this point. And now there is another dissolve to a pan left as animation supervisor Philip Duncan is credited. Then the camera pulls back and pans right as we see a glint of sunlight from the window of a passing hrududu. Now we are entering woods. The shot dissolves to the River Enborne and animation director Tony Guy is credited. We can now hear a conversation that is taking place at the Sandleford Warren At first the words are indistinct. Then, as we dissolve to a shot panning right at Sandleford Warren itself, we hear the words. “...down along the edge of that wood, there. Enjoyed many a Game Pie from it, too” A Game Pie is one made from hunted wildlife. So the very first words spoken in the film, other than by Frith as narrator, are by a human referring to killing wildlife. We can also hear the sound of nails being hammered. These humans are up to something. The reference to enjoying hunting in the woods is replied to by the other human saying “Ah well. You can’t hold back progress. Shame though” The final credit comes up: “Written for the screen, Produced and Directed by Martin Rosen” The humans talking are giving us, as fellow humans, sufficient hints to realise that the wood being referred to may not be around for much longer. As the camera pans right to a shot of a setting sun, which I have used as the image for this episode, we hear: “Good Lord, it’s gone 8 and I told ‘Lizabeth we’d go into Newbury this evening.” The man continues: “Old Sun sets so late in Summer, it’s morning before evening...” and then his words become indistinct as we hear car doors slam and a hrududu driving away. As we hear his closing words, we cut to a rabbit’s eye, open and attentive. It blinks as the camera zooms out. Then it sniffs the air quietly. So far we are still in our, human, world. And this wild rabbit is just a dumb animal. But the camera is zooming out. And all that is about to change...

59: Watership Down (1978) Section 1: Prologue Scripted, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths This opening section covers from the start of the film to 3 minutes 40 and the equivalent Chapter from the book is Chapter 6.The story of the Blessing of El-ahrairah. The very first thing we experience in the film is a dramatic orchestral flourish, before we see anything. And then a strange object emerges out of the darkness. This is our first sight of Frith, the living Sun. We see Frith creating the stars. The camera shot then pans down to the initially blank “world”, onto which surreal stylised bushes and trees are dropped. We then see a collection of fairly bland looking animals drop out of the sky, though still covered with abstract designs El-ahrairah arrives last and on his own, bumping to the ground in a comedic fashion. All the animals are his friends and they all eat grass together. The music is light and airy, with a lot of what I think is clarinet playing. And then the fall from grace begins, as the rabbits multiply and eat all the grass right in front of the other animals. The other animals are seen to make a gesture towards the sky appealing to Frith, which does not happen in the book. Frith warns El-ahrairah to control his "people" or he will. But El-ahrairah is defiant, walking off in an arrogant comedic way. We see the "face" of Frith redden with anger as we are told of his decision to give each animal a "gift" by Frith extending a sunray towards the world. Briefly we see the more harmless gifts being given, at least from a rabbit perspective. But then the Elil are created, as harmless animals become brightly coloured harbingers of death for all rabbits. We are taken through the Eyes of a newly vicious cat to the well-known shot of rabbits at silflay being killed one by one and turning red. The music is now more staccato. El-ahrairah is afraid. He sees the "Black Rabbit of Death". In panic, El-ahrairah starts to dig as Frith approaches. Frith asks if he has seen El-ahrairah. He has not. So Frith offers to bless him instead if he will come out of his hole. El-ahrairah cannot as the Fox and the Weasel are coming. Frith will have to bless his bottom. Frith's sunbeam touches El-ahrairah's tail and, with a golden flash, it turns white. His back legs grow strong and powerful, his fur colour darkens and, finally, his round face is transformed into a thin sleek one. El-ahrairah speeds off across "the hill", as it is described, faster than any other creature in the world now. But soon he is in a wooded area, where Elil lurk behind every Bush, as Frith gives his familiar warning about all the world being his enemy, “Prince with a thousand enemies”. El-ahrairah demonstrates his skills. The shadows of Elil are seen to one side. But El-ahrairah is too fast for them now. As he darts in and out of his holes, Frith gives his promise that, as long as he is cunning and full of tricks, his people will never be destroyed. As Frith concludes, his mythical aspect melts and dissolves into the actual Sun, as the opening titles begin on Watership Down itself. Comparison with the Book In the original novel, this is just the first of several tales of El-ahrairah told by characters in the book during the course of the narrative, acting often as light-hearted interludes. Although this origin story is obviously the most important, it is very much told in this spirit, by Dandelion, in order to lift his companions’ spirits as they rest, terrified, in the woods just south of Sandleford at the dead of night, shortly after their departure. Here it is elevated to epic status. This opening established a convention for film portrayals of the story that subsequent versions have felt the need to emulate. The decision to use this story in this way was the first act of Revisionism in the world of WD. And possibly its most successful.

58: Introduction to the 1978 film Scripted, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher, with script-assistance by John Ruths Origin of a film Martin Rosen bought the rights by 1975 and production started that year. He hired Terry Rawlings as editor. The music for the film hit a major crisis after Malcolm Williamson, a prestigious composer, left the country with hardly anything written. Angela Morley took over, reluctantly, and developed the score in 2 weeks , both from his initial sketches and her own original work. Rabbit Voices So who were the actors who portrayed our rabbit friends...and enemies? Hazel is probably best known as being voiced by John Hurt the year before an alien attached itself to his face in the film ‘Alien’(1979). Fiver is portrayed by British comedy actor Richard Briars, while Bigwig is played by Michael Graham Cox. Briars is best known for his role in the 70's British sit-com 'The Good Life'. Cox is probably easiest spotted playing Captain Cleminson in 'A Bridge too Far' (1977). Captain Holly is played by John Bennett, who plays Dr. Ehrlich in 'The Pianist' (2002). Sir Ralph Richardson plays the Chief Rabbit of Sandleford. He played the Supreme Being in 'Time Bandits' (1981) Simon Cadell, plays Blackberry. He is best known for his role as Jeffrey Fairbrother in the British Sitcom 'Hi-de-hi'. Terence Rigby plays Silver. He plays General Bukharin in the Bond film 'Tomorrow never Dies' (1997). Roy Kinnear plays Pipkin. He played Henry Salt, father of Veruca Salt, in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). Richard O'Callaghan plays Dandelion. He is Lewis Boggs, the son of the factory owner played by Kenneth Williams in 'Carry on at your Convenience' (1971). Denholm Elliot plays Cowslip. You will recognise him as Dr. Marcus Brody from the Indiana Jones movies. Stage actor Lynn Farleigh plays the cat. She was Mrs Bennet's sister, Mrs Phillips, in the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. Marry Maddox plays Clover. She played Ms. Fossington-Gore in the UK TV adaptation of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ in 1985. Kehaar is played by Zero Mostel, the crazy haired Producer from Mel Brook's 'The Producers'(1967) Veteran film actor Harry Andrews plays Woundwort. The role I remember him best in is as Regimental Sergeant Major Wilson in 'The Hill' (1965) TV actor Hannah Gordon plays Hyzenthlay. She can be seen playing Ann Treves in 'The Elephant Man' (1980) Captain Campion is played by Nigel Hawthorn, who played the title role in 'The Madness of King George' in 1995. TV actor Clifton Jones plays Blackavar. His best known role is as David Kano in 'Space:1999'. He was one of two black actors in the cast. Vervain, and Chervil, are played by Derek Griffiths, the other black actor. He was mainly a UK comedy TV actor. You can spot him as Saladin in 'Up the Chastity Belt' (1971). Veteran Shakespearean actor Michael Hordern plays Frith and the narrator. Probably easiest seen as Sir George Hodge in 'Gandhi' (1982) Another veteran, Joss Ackland , plays The Black Rabbit...or is that El-ahrairah? He is the villain Chuck De Nomolos in 'Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey' (1991) Lucy, the human girl, is played by Michelle Price, who played a Girl pupil in 'Maria Marten', also known as 'The Girl in the Red Barn' (1980). Sights and Sounds Watership Down was produced in the time before computer animation, when making such a film involved a team of artists painting backgrounds, while another team drew then painted each frame of the characters' movements onto transparencies that were then photographed over the backgrounds. This is why animated films tended to be far shorter than live-action. WD Broke that rule at 90 minutes in length. The British Board of Film Classification seems to have assumed it was harmless, as it was an animation, without even watching it.

57: Watership Down and the Classics Written by Andrew Stevens Full references: Richard Adam’s biographical note in the Puffin edition of Watership Down describes him as having “more than a passing acquaintance with the giants of English literature”(1)… ...The three great epics...Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid do seem to feature throughout the novel, as does the wider Greek Epic cycle...There are...scholarly works on structural similarities and narrative technique between the poems and the novel, Chapter 2 of Dr Hannah Parry’s 2016 thesis “The Aeneid with Rabbits: Children's Fantasy as Modern Epic”(2) is one fine example.... Chapter 1 opens with a quote from Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, the story of the Greek king’s...homecoming after the sack of Troy...the destruction of a former home also matches how Aeneas tells his story to Queen Dido in Virgil’s Aeneid (3). ...the available evidence strongly suggests that the English translation of the Agamemnon excerpt is Adams’ own (4). ...The Warren of the Snares has been likened to the Lotus Eaters from the Odyssey (5) ...The Anabasis has been described by Michael Flower as the “master-plot” of the escape story in Western literature (6)... ...A parallel exists between the Anabasis and Watership Down... army vanguard reaches the summit of Mount Theces...They cry out “Thalatta! Thalatta!” “The Sea! The Sea”... (7), an event alone that has inspired entire scholarly works on its cultural significance (8). When Dandelion...cries out “You can see the whole world” (9), this is their Thalatta moment. Classical culture and history combine in the character of Bigwig...Before the battle, some sources state that the Persians invited the Greeks to lay down their arms and have their lives spared. They are said to have replied simply “Molon labe – come and get them” (10)...when Bigwig invites his Russian Warship of an opponent to “silflay hraka, u embleer rah”(11), his humour is crude, perfect and feels very Spartan. It is easy to draw a comparison of Hazel...and Bigwig...to Odysseus and Ajax in the Little Iliad...Bigwig’s contempt for the idea of Hazel being superior to him in Chapter 11 (12), shows his view at this point that a strong rabbit could never answer to a weaker one. At the novels’ climax, we learn in his explosive, revelatory statement of “My Chief Rabbit has told me to defend this run …”(13) that, unlike Ajax, Bigwig has accepted his and his rah’s positions... A final note on Classics in Watership Down is the title of Chapter 48 (14). Dea ex Machina means “Goddess out of the Machine”... 1 WD p.479 2 Parry, pp.33-53 3 Parry, p.39 4 Bridgman, pp.161-2 5 Parry, pp.40-2 6 Flower, p.47 7 Anab. 4.7.11 8 Rood, 2004 9 WD, p.134 10 Cartledge, p.142 11 WD p.451 12 WD, p.68 13 WD p.454 14 WD, p.458 Primary sources Adams, Richard (1972) Watership Down, Puffin Books, Harmondsworth Xenophon Anabasis in Waterfield, R. (trans.) (2005) The Expedition of Cyrus, Oxford, Oxford Worlds’ Classics Secondary sources Bridgman, J. (1990) The Writing, Publication and Literary Context of Watership Down. PhD Thesis, University College London, London https://www.proquest.com/docview/1924932476/3D1CFE091B584D0APQ/4 Cartledge, P. (2006) Thermopylae – The Battle that Changed the World, London, Macmillan Flower, M.A (2012) Xenophon’s Anabasis or The Expedition of Cyrus, Oxford, Oxford University Press Parry, H (2016) The Aeneid with Rabbits: Children's Fantasy as Modern Epic. PhD Thesis, Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand https://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/handle/10063/5222 Rood, T. (2004) The Sea! The Sea! The Shout of the Ten Thousand in the Modern Imagination, London, Duckworth Overlook Further Reading Hardwick, L. (2003) Reception Studies: New Surveys in the Classics, Greece & Rome, New Surveys in the Classics, no. 33, Oxford, Oxford University Press Andrew Stevens, March 2022

56: Owsla Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher. What is an Owsla? Without an Owsla, the ONLY structure in a warren would be the Chief Rabbit. Hazel became Chief Rabbit simply based on his personality. Woundwort got to be a Chief by killing the previous one, so by a hostile takeover.  Who knows how Cowslip got to be a Chief but one might guess it was simply because he was the most 'in charge'. The Chief can't do everything. And here is how the Owlsa is born. It'll be made up of rabbits who are strong enough, maybe big enough, maybe fast enough, and very likely brave enough to do what needs to be done. Adam's mentions, in his footnotes, that a good storyteller might find a place in an Owsla in some warrens. And definitely a seer such as Fiver. Anytime a group of rabbits form, an Owsla would probably more or less work themselves out. The four Owsla's of WD in order.   Sandleford's Owsla The Sandleford Owsla seems to be one that tolerates petty privileges for Owsla members. And this is what gives Hazel the notion of leaving even before Fiver's premonition. It also seems to help drive Bigwig away, an Owsla member. And, for that matter, Silver. But this Owsla is nowhere near as bad as that of  Efrafa. This changes in the 1978 film. When Captain Holly catches the group trying to leave Sandleford, it is worth paying attention to what he actually says. In the book, Holly is only concerned with the Owsla members Bigwig and Silver. He doesn't seem to be concerned with the rest of the group at all. But in the 1978 film the actions of the Owsla are far harsher. The group that tries to leave is larger than in the novel, seemingly including does and maybe even some kittens, and most of them are immediately rounded up. Captain Holly then intercepts the remaining bucks and tells them they are ALL under arrest. This is at 13:20. So the Sandleford Owsla of the film seems to be far more like that of Efrafa. The Warren of the Snares Owsla It seems that an ad hoc posse-like Owsla can be raised fairly effectively when needed in this warren, as in when Holly's party, escaping from Sandleford, have the bad luck to bump into them. It is this Owsla that is the only one in the book that kills a rabbit from Sandleford: the already sick Pimpernel. This is a warren where leadership and discipline has ceased to matter a long time ago and even their most dangerous actions are more motivated by their mass suicidal-delusion than any desire for self-protection. WD's Owsla Bigwig was the Chief of a "very free and easy Owsla" at the end of WD. The Owsla formed pretty early, with Bigwig as the charter member.  Silver and Buckthorn were the next members. In "Tales from WD" Hazel comments, at one point, "We're all in the Owsla, really". By the end of the novel we see that the elderly chief, Hazel-rah, has a sentry outside his burrow. This may indicate that the WD Owsla has become a little more formalised. Efrafa's Owsla This is the only Owsla in the book with more than one Captain, each in charge of a Mark, or wide-patrols. The implication of the name of the chief rabbit, GENERAL Woundwort, seems to be that he is also the head of the Owsla. Efrafa has another structure that is unique in the book: the Council and their 'Owslafa' or 'Council Police'. The Council take on some of the Chief Rabbit's roles. The differences between the two security bodies are that the Owslafa is mostly concerned with internal security.  The Owsla is mainly concerned with their own rabbits within each of the four marks. So an Owslafa member would never have to worry about going on Wide Patrol. On the other hand, a member of the Owsla would not be given prisoner escort duty. The council is not a representative body of each mark. In fact you could say it is more of a Civil Service. Conclusion The Owslas of WD run a spectrum of formality, from least to most formal, as follows:  Snares Watership Down Sandleford Efrafa

55: Does Scripted by Newell Fisher. The does of WD in order of appearance: Nildro-hain : Song of the blackbird Clover: A hutch-doe. The first doe to speak directly in the book Haystack: a hutch-doe Hyzenthlay: Fur-shining-like-dew Thethuthinnang: Movement of Leaves Nelthilta Thrayonlosa Vilthuril A summary of the plot of the novel from a purely female perspective: Watership Down: The Does' Tale Nildro-hain, along with her mate, meets the leader of a group of buck Hlessil. The next day, she dies in a snare. A few days later, the hutch-does Clover and Haystack, and their mates, are visited by two bucks at Nuthanger Farm. Meanwhile, in Efrafa, Hyzenthlay meets a buck who has attempted to act as an emissary from another warren, only to be told he cannot leave. Three nights later, several bucks return to Nuthanger Farm. They free the hutch-rabbits. But their leader is shot. Later that day, a group of bucks arrive back from an expedition in an awful state. Then a buck arrives with the good news that the chief is alive but wounded. The chief returns to WD a few days later. He outlines his plan to rescue does from Efrafa. The next day, all of the bucks bar four leave. A few days later, in Efrafa, the young doe Nelthilta speaks to her mark captain. She asks if some does could be allowed to go on wide-patrol, knowing it will never happen. Hyzenthlay, Thethuthinang, Nelthilta and another doe are interrupted by a large Owlsa officer with a strange  fur cap on his head. He seems to know something about Hyzenthlay, who has never met him before. The buck tells her his real reason for being in Efrafa. He knows the bucks who escaped a few days earlier and is there to help does to escape. He asks her to pick the does who will escape herself. The next day thunder is approaching. That evening the escape does not go ahead. At morning Silflay Nelthilta is unable to resist making unwise remarks to the Mark Captain. Later Nelthilta is arrested. Hyzenthlay wakes the buck up to warn him and her tells her to gather the does immediately. The escape begins! The escaping does are told that the bird will help them soon. And then they see the chief approaching from the railway arch. Then the promised bird attacks! The does are guided by friends of the buck to a river and onto a wooden object. The buck says this is the promised trick. And suddenly, miraculously, the Chief is...gone. There is a scraping sound and darkness. Thrayonlosa is struck hard in the back. Then it is light again. Then, some time later there is a jolt. Hyzenthlay and the other efrafans are told to jump off the wooden object and swim, finding themselves in a tunnel filled with water, before ending up back on land. During the night, Thrayonlosa dies. The group set off north to their new home on WD. One of the efrafans is taken by a fox without warning. Then an efrafan wide-patrol appears. The rest of the group arrive This is enough to put the wide-patrol off causing any trouble and they leave. They arrive at their new home. Clover is pregnant. One evening there is a blind-panic. The efrafans have found them and there is a large group of bucks nearby! Everyone gets underground and holes start to be filled in. A short time later a small buck has a kind of fit. This seems to give the chief an idea. Soon the terrifying chief of Efrafa breaks through into the run, where there is a vicious fight between him and the concealed buck. And then, suddenly, it is over. The efrafan chief is gone. The chief arrives back having ridden in a hrududu. Amazed, Hyzenthlay recalls her vision in Efrafa.   Six weeks later, Vilthuril has taken the small buck as her mate. Both her and Hyzenthlay have had litters, while Clover's kittens are already in training for the owsla, courtesy of the buck who got the efrafans out of their old warren. All is well on Watership Down.

54: The one after they finished the book Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher Well...we did it. We went through the entire 1972 novel in detail, taking just short of a year. About half way through that year, having started out never having podcasted ever before, I hit one of the largest crises of my adult-life, and this podcast was only able to remain weekly as a result of John Ruth's extensive assistance with the script. And when I say "extensive", I mean that he has written most of the words you have heard me say on the podcast since episode 33: The Great River. I really cannot express my gratitude to John enough and hope to become more active in scripting from this point forward. He probably needs a rest!   This, effectively, is the first episode of Season 2 of this podcast.  So...what happens now? I plan to pause for 4 episodes now we  have finished the book. Then the 1978 film version: approximately 20 episodes. After that the sequel 'Tales from WD', published in 1996: about 20 episodes. After that an analysis of the 1999 TV series: about 40 episodes. After that I plan to look at the 2018 Netflix version. And then there is the graphic novel that comes out later this year. It may well be that this podcast, ultimately, has a limited shelf-life as an ongoing current podcast, rather than an archive. If so...so  be it. Is WD an allegory? (John Ruths)   "The simple answer is, no, it is not. In an allegory, the characters, places, and even events represent hidden meaning with moral or political significance.  Animal Farm is a great example of a political allegory--specifically, the Russian Revolution.     However, in WD the characters are more archetypal and many of them are personifications.  We get characters that represent basic character types: Hazel:  I'd say that Hazel is leadership personified.  Now, our Hazel does not necessarily have all of the typical leader tropes.  He's not the biggest or the strongest.  He's not even the smartest!  Hazel is smart, and he starts off as a rabbit who would have likely ended up in the Sandleford Warren Owsla.  Fiver:  The seer and visionary.  Without his initial vision, there would not have been a reason for our small band to leave Sandleford in the first place.  Most likely, most of them would have stopped running. They continue and they continue to pay off for our group of rabbits that eventually grow into a successful warren.  Fiver is also highly intuitive but Richard Adams makes it a point to make another rabbit that we'll discuss even smarter.   Bigwig:  Strength personified.  He represents brute strength and I'd also say tenacity.  Bigwig is not only the best fighter in Watership Down, he's really the best fighter in the entire novel.  He demonstrates his strength on many occasions in the book and he has a never-give-up attitude.  Dandelion:  Dandelion is two things and I've always found charm in this.  Of course, we know that Dandelion is the fastest rabbit so represents speed personified.  But he's also the bard of our band of rabbits.  Without a written language, rabbits pass their history and beliefs onto future generations via stories.  Bluebell:  Well, Bluebell is the other rabbit who can spin a good story.  But we also know that Bluebell is also the jokester of our rabbits.  In this way, he also represents a fairly archetypal character type and that is the jester. Blackberry:  Intelligence personified.  He's clearly the smartest and can conceptualize things that no other rabbit can.   Kehaar:  Not so much archetypal but maybe more of a character trope, Kehaar represents the exotic and knowledgeable foreigner.   Once again, just some thoughts on if the novel could be considered an allegory.  No, but it does have some ingredients that real allegories often have.  It is easy to see how someone can incorrectly classify it in this way."

53: Epilogue Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher. Adams speaks to us directly as readers in the opening sentence.  It has a similar effect as when an actor breaks the 'fourth wall' and speaks directly to the camera.  "The wise Mr. Lockley" is referenced and we learn that wild rabbits don't live very long.  Hazel did as it turns out.  We don't even get to know how long he lived and the narrative is better for it. Might we venture a guess that the meaning of a "tidy few" here could be around five years? The ambiguity certainly implies 'hrair', or any number above 4.   WD prospered and so did the warren that he envisioned that Groundsel started out leading.  He was the "first Chief Rabbit" and this implies that he is no more.  We then hear about Woundwort.  He's never seen again and even high (and low) flying Kehaar never sees him, and doesn't want to anyway! This is where we hear the last quote from Kehaar in the book . It is good to know he came back.  It is overwhelmingly likely that the farm dog killed Woundwort.  However, because of his legendary status in Efrafa, why should a former Efrafan such as Groundsel NOT think that he's still out there?  In WD, he becomes a bogeyman of sorts.   We know that, as a warren, Watership Down did quite well. We don't know how long Fiver lived, or Bigwig, or really anyone else.  If Hazel had a mate at this point, she was not in the burrow so I'd guess this probably means that he lived alone.  That probably means that Hyzenthlay has also left the world of the living some time before this. We're now with Hazel during a cool and windy March morning when a rabbit comes to see him.  Hazel had been dreaming about the smell of rain and elder bloom.  Well, it is springtime after all but rain does represent cleansing and renewal.  Elder bloom can be medicinal but that may be a stretch here.   Hazel wakes to find a rabbit lying quietly beside him, who seems to have shown himself in.  The on-duty sentry should really have notified Hazel, however, he does not really mind.  Adams is telling us some things here.  The Chief Rabbit of WD has a sentry just like the Threarah did at Sandleford and Hazel still acts with the kind of humility that endeared all of us to him many chapters ago.   Hazel does another humble thing by initiating the conversation.  In the limited light of Hazel's burrow, we learn that there is a slight silver light coming from this rabbit's ears. Hazel, realising instantly the significance,  wisely addresses this rabbit as "lord" and knows that it is El-ahrairah. El-ahrairah coming to get you in person must be a rare honour. They pass by the sentry who does not see Hazel's visitor. As they get above ground, other members of the warren are out at morning silflay.  In one of the most moving moments in the book, Hazel realises that he'll no longer be needing his body so he simply leaves it behind.  Hazel was clearly dying but death comes to him in an easy way. If this is the Black Rabbit, it is his gentler face. Departing his body, Hazel's soul feels powerful and an energy flows from him that even passes into the rabbits that are out feeding.  El-ahrairah tell him not to worry about the others and that they'll be fine, like thousands like them.  He invites Hazel to come with him, so he can show him what he means. The chapter, and book, closes with Hazel and El-ahrairah running away from the warren on WD through the woods.  Primroses are beginning to bloom and this contrasts with the primroses that were ending at the very beginning of the book.  Adams neatly used primroses as bookends.  "The primroses were over" at the beginning marks the season at that point, but the fact that they were "over" is not an encouraging mataphor, as the Sandleford warren soon will be as well. This ending, where primroses are blooming, is a positive and upbeat contrast to Hazel's death.  And so the 1972 Novel, Watership Down, ends.

52: Chapter 50. And Last Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher. Dedicated to the people of Ukraine and of Russia. The Lost Paragraph resolved Before going through this week’s chapter, I need to apologise for completely missing a crucial moment in Chapter 49 last week, especially given all the time I spent on the Lost Paragraph in episodes 7 to 10, 15 and 23. The last words of Chapter 49, spoken by Bigwig, are: "And if he’ll believe you, Hazel-rah, then I will.” In editions of the book that include the Lost Paragraph, this is the moment Bigwig fulfills his statement at the end of Chapter 11. Chapter 50. And Last We are told it is now six weeks later. The Efrafans who were trapped when they were defeated stayed and joined WD.  This happened largely due to Hazel's civility and determination.  Fiver seems to have a sense of detachment that seems permanent.  This seems sad in a way but it is possibly how Fiver was eventually meant to be. Bigwig mentions the price that Fiver has also paid for the warren's victory over Efrafa. We know that he has a doe, Vilthuril, who he is devoted to. Hyzenthlay has a litter who are out silflaying but who Hyzenthlay's buck is is not mentioned.  We know by reading ‘Tales From Watership Down’ that her buck is Hazel, however, we're not told this here.  The conversation turns to General Woundwort. Groundsel, the former Efrafan, now a member of WD, says that Woundwort is not dead and has likely founded a new warren someplace else. Silver, whom we know is a very tough fighter but also speaks with wisdom, is about to strongly debate Groundsel's assertions.  However, Hazel prevents this, as an argument, even an amicable one, will really do no good at this point. We next learn that Campion is now the 'rah' of the Woundwort-free Efrafa and this makes sense.  Hazel has the idea of Groundsel taking some rabbits out of the soon-to-be slightly overcrowded WD, combining them with some rabbits from Efrafa, and starting a new warren geographically between the two warrens. Kehaar will be able to help. The mere mention of our favorite gull has Silver mention that someone at the warren will be happy to see him.  We of course know that this is Bigwig and now the story turns to him as he is training members of Clover's litter.  These young rabbits are more interested in hearing about his experiences and we can understand that. We now hear a bit about changes to the warren in the form of a "winter burrow" and how the roof of the Honeycomb will eventually be healed by the combination of nature and the passage of time.  An idea forms for the rabbits to go over to the evening side of the wood. They soon come upon Vilthuril and her (and Fiver's) litter of four rabbits.  They are listening to their mother tell a story.  This story sounds like it is about El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle but we readers recognise it as being strongly interlaced with WD's own story. In particular the encounter with the Warren of the Snares. The young litter see Hazel-rah and more or less mob him in a good-natured way.  After all, he's also their uncle!  And then one of these young rabbits, young Threar, has a vision of a man approaching the Down on a horse.  This of course proves to be true.  Vilthuril announces that this is because of "Fiver's blood" and this makes sense.  The chapter concludes with Hazel proposing that it's time for all to get back underground again.  Fiver is seen not far away towards one of the holes and soon all the rabbits are underground for the evening. And, all too soon, the main interactive narrative of the characters of the novel ‘Watership Down’ is suddenly over.  Adams describes dusk and the coming of the autumn night sky, with the constellations seen in Britain at that time of year. We have now heard all but three of our lapine, and avine, friends, speak for the last time in the novel. The chapter ends with the hopeful words "Underground, the story continued”.

51: Chapter 49. Hazel Comes Home The Watership Down Podcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/468458781496287/?ref=share This episode is scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher. The pre-chapter quote is military in nature and is surely about the First World War.  But it can really apply to any armed conflict. It's clear that the two folks that the poem is about have survived their war.  To have been "lucky devils" not everyone made it.  It's clearly a reference to Hazel and Bigwig.  They 'made it' and no one in the warren had come as close to death as they each had.       A "fusil" is an old flintlock rifle.  So, typically, a fusilier is a rifleman and riflemen are infantrymen, even to this day.  The chapter opens with some general comments about Woundwort...pun intended.  We'll never know if Wouldwort 'made it' or not.  The dog certainly got more resistance than he'd likely bargained for.  Reading this passage closely, I have also realised that I missed another death in Episode 29, on death in WD, as the dog kills another Efrafan, beside the sentry it killed straight away and, presumably, Woundwort.  Before it leaves the Down it finds an Efrafan who was injured by glass on the way to WD and kills him.  You could surmise that Woundwort either made it or was wounded (almost a pun!) badly enough to have died somewhere a distance away.  When Woundwort is no longer there to lead, the Efrafans basically fall apart. Most of the Efrafans manage to get away.  This effort is led by Campion who seems to be the 'Holly of Efrafa.'  He's the only reason why any of the Efrafans made it back and the going was not easy.  Rabbits basically disappear unaccounted for on the way back to Efrafa.  Unsurprisingly, this includes the dreaded Vervain.  All in all, only seven or eight rabbits make it back; a bit under one-third of the number that left Efrafa. Some stay at WD and they immediately, and smartly, surrender.  Having successfully made it back to the warren after leading the farm dog there, Blackberry and Dandelion tell their version of events and let everyone else know what happened at Nuthanger Farm.  Being very loyal to Hazel, Pipkin wants to immediately head towards the farm and Fiver goes with him.  They soon see Hazel.  Naturally, Fiver stays with him while Pipkin goes back to WD to spread the happy news.   Hazel makes it back and immediately starts to gather information in order to size things up.  Once again, we see that Hazel possesses a kind of prudence that is a part of the way he leads.  He goes to see a very wounded Bigwig.  While Bigwig is hurt very badly, he does show enough humor to imitate Kehaar while asking if Woundwort "is finish".  Richard Adams is letting us know that he'll be okay. Bigwig gets up and moves into the now "devastated Honeycomb" and aren't those words hard to bear?  The warren succeeded brilliantly and has not only survived but defeated Efrafa.  But even winning has its price.  It serves as a kind of 'great hall' for this warren.  So, it naturally stings a bit to hear about it being effectively destroyed as a sheltered large underground space. The image used for this episode is supposed to reflect that devastation.    Hazel and Bigwig continue to talk and the latter gets caught up on the result of the second and final 'raid' on Nuthanger Farm.  He also learns how Hazel got back.  Hyzenthlay is nearby, hears this, and is suddenly reminded that she saw this in a very Fiver-like vision while she was still an Efrafan. At the time a rabbit in a hrududu made no sense to her. Now it does.   We're very near the end of this book now.  Just a chapter and the epilogue away from the end.  Any closure that takes place can simply be enjoyed by the reader. It's also somewhat bittersweet as the end of the story is just around the next bend in the run.

50: Chapter 48. Dea ex Machina This episode is scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher. This is the only Chapter in WD written from a human perspective. The phrase "Deus ex Machina" means "the god in the machine" In a story, it signifies a highly unlikely event that resolves an issue, saves someone and provides a happy conclusion. However...this chapter is called DEA ex Machina, meaning the "Goddess in the Machine". When we read the beginning of the chapter and we see the name "Lucy", we know that she must be the "Dea ex Machina". The pre-chapter quote is from the poem, Fern Hill by Dylan Thomas. It is about an idyllic childhood spent on a farm. It is such a childhood that, arguably, saves Hazel. We begin with Lucy, the farm girl from Nuthanger.  It's early and she's just waking up.  When we hear about the possibility of a dog barking, we can link it to when the farm dog was alerted and broke away as he tore off after Dandelion.  Lucy hears a "sharp sound" and it's a squealing.  This gets Lucy up to see what the source of the sound is.  Thinking it's most likely a rat, Lucy sees that it's actually a rabbit! Lucy has a brief confrontation with Tab, one of the farm's resident cats.  She takes hold of the rabbit that we know to be our very own Hazel. Just as with the adults at the farm, it's interesting how Adams lays out how she speaks English, reflecting her Hampshire accent. Hazel in her arms, Lucy encounters her father.  He explains in his own way that to keep a wild rabbit in a hutch is a death sentence.  Her father also defends what the farm cat was doing; and in reality, he's quite right.  Her father asks Lucy to hand over Hazel.  We the reader know what this means. Lucy cries.  She knows her father is right but she's understandably upset.  Lucy wins out. She wants to show the rabbit to the visiting doctor.  Lucy goes upstairs, temporarily places Hazel in a drawer, gets some "cloze" on, and will soon meet the doctor.   The dog is back, spotted coming up the lane by the doctor, and we now know that it is a Black Labrador.  He's clearly been in a fight.  If nothing else, we know that General Woundwort did fight back, given the dog's leg bite and scratched nose.  We also learn, in passing, that the dog's name is Bob. The doctor, whose name interestingly is Adams, sees Lucy's mother first and thinks he'll have time to look at Hazel. Hazel is given an impromptu physical exam.  While Adams is a fan of providing us with multiple points of view, we don't get Hazel's thoughts at all. In this one chapter he is portrayed as humans see him: a dumb animal.  The doctor acknowledges his wounded leg which he received right there at the farm, a recent cat scratch, and reinforces for Lucy that this rabbit cannot live in a hutch.   The doctor makes an offer.  Lucy can go with him on his next house call and Hazel can be dropped off in a location along the way. Luckily for him, Hazel is dropped off on the single track road that lies to the west of WD, on the ridge between it and Hare Warren Down. The just dropped off Hazel seems to have gone temporarily tharn but comes to himself after about half a minute and quickly gets away.  As he departs, the doctor confirms his leg wound.  Of course, we readers already know this.  As Hazel is never named in this chapter, it simply confirms again who this rabbit is.   The doctor states "he could perfectly well live for years" and that seems quite hopeful.  This 'rabbit' has certainly earned this in our eyes. And it will prove to be the case so even the doctor's observation is foreshadowing in a good way. Funnily enough the chapter ends with the Doctor making a reference to the song "Born and Bred in a Briar Patch" from the 1946 Disney movie "Song of the South". And so our brief foray into the human world ends. 

49: Chapter 47. The Sky Suspended This episode is scripted by John Ruths, Andrew Stevens and Newell Fisher The pre-chapter quote is from Lark Rise to Candleford, by Flora Thompson. It seems to clearly reference Bigwig and what's going on between him and General Woundwort.  The chapter begins where we left off at the end of Chapter 45 at Nuthanger Farm and starts with Dandelion's leap when Hazel stamped his alarm. Leaving Hazel's fate behind us, we commence the rapid return to the Down. Dandelion is not only the fastest rabbit on WD, but he is also not inclined to panic and go tharn. Soon this rabbit and dog pair get up to where Blackberry is waiting, who attempts to draw the dog. Swift and driven Dandelion has now caught up!  The two intrepid rabbits work as a team to continue to draw the dog.  We're now back in the warren on Watership Down where we find a wounded but determined Bigwig who is unwilling to let Holly take his place. Woundwort is attempting to bargain with Bigwig and he actually offers him the Efrafan Mark of his choice. DoesWoundwort truly mean this?  Bigwig's response is surely the best line in lapine in the entire book. Woundwort leaps forward towards Bigwig again, using his seemingly relentless strength and weight as they bite at one another.  Slipping further back, nearly into the burrow he is defending, Bigwig lets loose of his hold on Woundwort, lowers his head, and pushes as hard as he can. Woundwort bites Bigwig's back but the blood that has been filling his nostrils from Bigwig's earlier blows means that he cannot breathe properly while holding a bite so he has to let go.  In his delerium Bigwig thinks he hears Fiver speaking to him as he did at the Warren of the Snares.  Bigwig then actually squeals "The wire!" aloud before springing back to life only to find that Woundwort has gone. Woundwort has backed out of his fight with Bigwig and attempts to send Vervain in to "finish" off Bigwig. Vervain shows up again from dealing with Bigwig.  But it's not to report that Bigwig has been killed. Woundwort calls him a coward. Then he and Woundwort realise that Bigwig is up once again, has moved up within the run he is defending, and is immediately below them. He is in an awful state, his fur-cap matted with blood and one ear half-severed and hanging limply...but he is ready to fight again. When Bigwig says “My Chief Rabbit has told me to defend this run and until he says otherwise I shall stay here” it only worsens things for Woundwort and Vervain.  They had thought that Bigwig was, surely, the chief. And with this new information they both assume that Bigwig's Chief must be even bigger and stronger.     And now Fiver wakes up from the seeming trance he was in. Woundwort sarcastically orders Vervain to kill him and leaves. But then Fiver states that he is sorry for the deaths of the Efrafans. This is too much for even a sadist like Vervain to take, who is usually comfortable mocking those he is about to kill. He is mesmerised by Fiver's demeanour and flees above ground in terror. As Woundwort loses control over his rabbits they are also shocked by his appearance. And then the dog appears. Only Woundwort stands his ground. Woundwort’s stand against the dog is a truly fitting climax for this monstrous, remorseless, magnificent rabbit. Woundwort bellows the last words that anyone hears him say. A "raging, squealing cry": “Come back, you fools! Dogs aren’t dangerous! Come back and fight!” This chapter contains three climactic moments, any of which would be a crowning glory for the novel: The strongest rabbit Bigwig's declaration of loyalty to his chief, weak yet wise Fiver's calm expression of sadness for the deaths of the Efrafans and the horrific fulfillment of Hazel's calm, yet deadly effective, leadership, make up a trio of truly mythic moments that are a perfect reflection of the rule of three.   The novel has truly reached its denouement.

48: Chapter 46. Bigwig Stands His Ground Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher John's notes for this episode were dedicated to Samantha the wonder dog, who he lost just before writing them. I dedicated Episode 45 to her memory. Rest in Peace Samantha The pre-chapter quote is one of Richard Adams' finest selections. It was spoken by the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo and is a brutal summary of the bottom-line of war. Having just left Hazel in distress at Nuthanger Farm, we're now back at the siege on Watership Down.  The chapter opens with a conversation between General Woundwort and Groundsel. The hole straight down into the Honeycomb  is already dug and is ready to collapse at its base.  He will drop into the Honeycomb with three other rabbits. Another will stay at the newly dug entrance and send more in once the first wave are clear. Then they will reopen a run and the rest will pile in that way with Campion. Without stopping to listen, Woundwort goes in!  Very soon, Woundwort is followed by Vervain and the seemingly dim Thunder, who discovers a rabbit that he believes is dead.  It's clear that this is Fiver.  Immediately they suss out the layout: the tree-roots at the eastern end and the filled in bays at the western end. Two pairs are put to work opening up runs at both ends, especially as they have detected movement behind one of the filled in bays.  The point of view switches to Bigwig.  We've also gone back in time a few moments.  Bigwig and Holly discuss that this warren, unlike Sandleford, was not dug to be defended.  This gives Bigwig an idea; to essentially get dug in so that he can use himself as a single blocking force. He also knows that his only chance against Woundwort is to hurt him straight away. Bigwig gets dug in to the floor of the run and, there being nothing for it, they leave Fiver in place.  He has told his companions to make some noise behind their blocked run to make sure the Efrafans attack that one. And it has worked. Back to the Efrafans now. As Woundwort makes his way through the loose soil, a rabbit, who we know MUST be Bigwig, emerges from the floor of the run and bites Woundwort hard in the pit of one of his forelegs.  Woundwort reacts very quickly and strikes himself, raking the rabbit across the back and haunch. However, Woundwort's wound goes to a muscle group and proves to be a critical one.  Bigwig's sudden rearing up, his attack, and the loose soil behind him Woundwort all combine. Woundwort is unable to use his weight and is thrown backward.  He reactively attacks but this misses.  Most likely, this has never happened to him before.   Woundwort stands up and realizes the extent of his wound.  He'll not be able to put his full weight on his front legs and using his weight against his past opponents was a key advantage.  Having taken advantage of surprise, Bigwig has taken away what may be Woundwort's biggest advantage in a fight.  Bigwig now announces his presence with his famous line about impressing Woundwort.  Woundwort now knows who bit him.  He threatens death to Bigwig and announces that he knows that the "white bird" is not here.  As Woundwort moves, Bigwig notes that on the side where he bit the paw is dragging.  Bigwig strikes at Woundwort's side, however, no attack on the General can happen without a counterattack.  This happens and Bigwig's right ear is bitten and torn.  Letting loose of the ear, Woundwort's wounded leg gives way as he tries to rear up and Bigwig gets in a couple more blows across his face.   So far, it seems like Bigwig has gotten the best of things. Bigwig is bleeding from two places but Woundwort also has wounds and one of these won't let him stand up straight.   And then Bigwig realises that he can see Woundwort's outline. The fight has taken place in complete darkness upto now. But the sun is now rising.