Congreve, Love for LoveRabbits (says Mr. Lockley) are like human beings in many ways. One of theseis certainly their staunch ability to withstand disaster and to let the stream oftheir life carry them along, past reaches of terror and loss. They have a certainquality which it would not be accurate to describe as callousness2 or indifference3.
It is, rather, a blessedly circumscribed4 imagination and an intuitive feeling thatLife is Now. A foraging5 wild creature, intent above all upon survival, is as strongas the grass. Collectively, rabbits rest secure upon Frith's promise to El-ahrairah.
Hardly a full day had elapsed since Holly6 had come crawling in delirium7 to thefoot of Watership Down. Yet already he was near recovery, while the more light-hearted Bluebell8 seemed even less the worse for the dreadful catastrophe9 that hehad survived. Hazel and his companions had suffered extremes of grief andhorror during the telling of Holly's tale. Pipkin had cried and trembled piteouslyat the death of Scabious, and Acorn10 and Speedwell had been seized withconvulsive choking as Bluebell told of the poisonous gas that murderedunderground. Yet, as with primitive11 humans, the very strength and vividness oftheir sympathy brought with it a true release. Their feelings were not false orassumed. While the story was being told, they heard it without any of the reserveor detachment that the kindest of civilized12 humans retains as he reads hisnewspaper. To themselves, they seemed to struggle in the poisoned runs and toblaze with rage for poor Pimpernel in the ditch. This was their way of honoringthe dead. The story over, the demands of their own hard, rough lives began to re-assert themselves in their hearts, in their nerves, their blood and appetites.
Would that the dead were not dead! But there is grass that must be eaten, pelletsthat must be chewed, hraka that must be passed, holes that must be dug, sleepthat must be slept. Odysseus brings not one man to shore with him. Yet he sleepssound beside Calypso and when he wakes thinks only of Penelope.
Even before Holly had finished his story, Hazel had fallen to sniffing13 at hiswounded ear. He had not previously14 been able to get a good look at it, but nowthat he did, he realized that terror and fatigue15 had probably not been theprincipal causes of Holly's collapse16. He was badly wounded -- worse thanBuckthorn. He must have lost a lot of blood. His ear was in ribbons and there wasany amount of dirt in it. Hazel felt annoyed with Dandelion. As several of therabbits began to silflay, attracted by the mild June night and the full moon, heasked Blackberry to wait. Silver, who had been about to leave by the other run,returned and joined them.
"Dandelion and the other two seem to have cheered you up, all right," saidHazel to Holly. "It's a pity they didn't clean you up as well. That dirt's dangerous.""Well, you see--" began Bluebell, who had remained beside Holly.
"Don't make a joke," said Hazel. "You seem to think--""I wasn't going to," said Bluebell. "I was only going to say that I wanted toclean the captain's ear, but it's too tender to be touched.""He's quite right," said Holly. "I'm afraid I made them neglect it, but do as youthink best, Hazel, I'm feeling much better now."Hazel began on the ear himself. The blood had caked black and the task neededpatience. After a while the long, jagged wounds bled again as they slowly becameclean. Silver took over. Holly, bearing it as well as he could, growled18 and scuffled,and Silver cast about for something to occupy his attention.
"Hazel," he asked, "what was this idea you had -- about the mouse? You saidyou'd explain it later. How about trying it out on us now?""Well," said Hazel, "the idea is simply that in our situation we can't afford towaste anything that might do us good. We're in a strange place we don't knowmuch about and we need friends. Now, elil can't do us good, obviously, but thereare many creatures that aren't elil -- birds, mice, yonil and so on. Rabbits don'tusually have much to do with them, but their enemies are our enemies, for themost part. I think we ought to do all we can to make these creatures friendly. Itmight turn out to be well worth the trouble.""I can't say I fancy the idea myself," said Silver, wiping Holly's blood out of hisnose. "These small animals are more to be despised than relied upon, I reckon.
What good can they do us? They can't dig for us, they can't get food for us, theycan't fight for us. They'd say they were friendly, no doubt, as long as we werehelping them; but that's where it would stop. I heard that mouse tonight -- 'Youwant 'im, 'e come.' You bet he will, as long as there's any grub or warmth going,but surely we're not going to have the warren overrun with mice and -- and stagbeetles, are we?""No, I didn't mean quite that," said Hazel. "I'm not suggesting we should goabout looking for field mice and inviting19 them to join us. They wouldn't thank usfor that, anyway. But that mouse tonight -- we saved his life--""You saved his life," said Blackberry.
"Well, his life was saved. He'll remember that.""But how's it going to help us?" asked Bluebell.
"To start with, he can tell us what he knows about the place--""What mice know. Not what rabbits need to know.""Well, I admit a mouse might or might not come in handy," said Hazel. "ButI'm sure a bird would, if we could only do enough for it. We can't fly, but some ofthem know the country for a long way round. They know a lot about the weather,too. All I'm saying is this. If anyone finds an animal or bird, that isn't an enemy,in need of help, for goodness' sake don't miss the opportunity. That would be likeleaving carrots to rot in the ground.""What do you think?" said Silver to Blackberry.
"I think it's a good idea, but real opportunities of the kind Hazel has in mindaren't likely to come very often.""I think that's about right," said Holly, wincing20 as Silver resumed licking. "Theidea's all right as far as it goes, but it won't come to a great deal in practice.""I'm ready to give it a try," said Silver. "I reckon it'll be worth it, just to seeBigwig telling bedtime stories to a mole21.""El-ahrairah did it once," said Bluebell, "and it worked. Do you remember?""No," said Hazel, "I don't know that story. Let's have it.""Let's silflay first," said Holly. "This ear's had all I can stand for the timebeing.""Well, at least it's clean now," said Hazel. "But I'm afraid it'll never be as goodas the other, you know. You'll have a ragged22 ear.""Never mind," said Holly. "I'm still one of the lucky ones."The full moon, well risen in a cloudless eastern sky, covered the high solitudewith its light. We are not conscious of daylight as that which displaces darkness.
Daylight, even when the sun is clear of clouds, seems to us simply the naturalcondition of the earth and air. When we think of the downs, we think of thedowns in daylight, as we think of a rabbit with its fur on. Stubbs may haveenvisaged the skeleton inside the horse, but most of us do not: and we do notusually envisage23 the downs without daylight, even though the light is not a part ofthe down itself as the hide is part of the horse itself. We take daylight for granted.
But moonlight is another matter. It is inconstant. The full moon wanes24 andreturns again. Clouds may obscure it to an extent to which they cannot obscuredaylight. Water is necessary to us, but a waterfall is not. Where it is to be found itis something extra, a beautiful ornament25. We need daylight and to that extent it isutilitarian, but moonlight we do not need. When it comes, it serves no necessity.
It transforms. It falls upon the banks and the grass, separating one long bladefrom another; turning a drift of brown, frosted leaves from a single heap toinnumerable flashing fragments; or glimmering26 lengthways along wet twigs27 asthough light itself were ductile28. Its long beams pour, white and sharp, betweenthe trunks of trees, their clarity fading as they recede29 into the powdery, mistydistance of beech30 woods at night. In moonlight, two acres of coarse bent31 grass,undulant and ankle deep, tumbled and rough as a horse's mane, appear like a bayof waves, all shadowy troughs and hollows. The growth is so thick and mattedthat even the wind does not move it, but it is the moonlight that seems to conferstillness upon it. We do not take moonlight for granted. It is like snow, or like thedew on a July morning. It does not reveal but changes what it covers. And its lowintensity -- so much lower than that of daylight -- makes us conscious that it issomething added to the down, to give it, for only a little time, a singular andmarvelous quality that we should admire while we can, for soon it will be goneagain.
As the rabbits came up by the hole inside the beech wood, a swift gust32 of windpassed through the leaves, checkering and dappling the ground beneath, stealingand giving light under the branches. They listened, but beyond the rustle33 of theleaves there came from the open down outside no sound except the monotonoustremolo of a grasshopper34 warbler, far off in the grass.
"What a moon!" said Silver. "Let's enjoy it while it's here."As they went over the bank they met Speedwell and Hawkbit returning.
"Oh, Hazel," said Hawkbit, "we've been talking to another mouse. He'd heardabout the kestrel this evening and was very friendly. He told us about a place justthe other side of the wood where the grass has been cut short -- something to dowith horses, he said. 'You like a nice a grass? 'E very fine grass.' So we went there.
It's first-rate."The gallop35 turned out to be a good forty yards wide, mown to less than sixinches. Hazel, with a delightful36 sense of having been proved right by events, set towork on a patch of clover. They all munched37 for some time in silence.
"You're a clever chap, Hazel," said Holly at last "You and your mouse. Mindyou, we'd have found the place ourselves sooner or later, but not as soon as this."Hazel could have pressed his chin glands38 for satisfaction, but he repliedmerely, "We shan't need to go down the hill so much, after all." Then he added,"But, Holly, you smell of blood, you know. It may be dangerous, even here. Let'sgo back to the wood. It's such a beautiful night that we can sit near the holes tochew pellets and Bluebell can tell us his story."They found Strawberry and Buckthorn on the bank; and when everyone wascomfortably chewing, with ears laid flat, Bluebell began.
-<*>-"Dandelion was telling me last night about Cowslip's warren and how he toldthe story of the King's Lettuce39. That's what put me in mind of this tale, evenbefore Hazel explained his idea. I used to hear it from my grandfather and healways said that it happened after El-ahrairah had got his people out of themarshes of Kelfazin. They went to the meadows of Fenlo and there they dug theirholes. But Prince Rainbow had his eye on El-ahrairah; and he was determined41 tosee that he didn't get up to any more of his tricks.
"Now one evening, when El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle were sitting on a sunnybank, Prince Rainbow came through the meadows and with him was a rabbit thatEl-ahrairah had never seen before.
"'Good evening, El-ahrairah,' said Prince Rainbow. 'This is a greatimprovement on the marshes40 of Kelfazin. I see all your does are busy diggingholes along the bank. Have they dug a hole for you?'
"'Yes,' said El-ahrairah. 'This hole here belongs to Rabscuttle and myself. Weliked the look of this bank as soon as we saw it.'
"'A very nice bank,' said Prince Rainbow. 'But I am afraid I have to tell you, El-ahrairah, that I have strict orders from Lord Frith himself not to allow you toshare a hole with Rabscuttle.'
"'Not share a hole with Rabscuttle?' said El-ahrairah. 'Why ever not?'
"'El-ahrairah,' said Prince Rainbow, 'we know you and your tricks: andRabscuttle is nearly as slippery as you are. Both of you in one hole would bealtogether too much of a good thing. You would be stealing the clouds out of thesky before the moon had changed twice. No -- Rabscuttle must go and look afterthe holes at the other end of the warren. Let me introduce you. This is Hufsa. Iwant you to be his friend and look after him.'
"'Where does he come from?' asked El-ahrairah. 'I certainly haven't seen himbefore.'
"'He comes from another country,' said Prince Rainbow, 'but he is no differentfrom any other rabbit. I hope you will help him to settle down here. And while heis getting to know the place, I'm sure you will be glad to let him share your hole.'
"El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle felt desperately42 annoyed that they were not to beallowed to live together in their hole. But it was one of El-ahrairah's rules never tolet anyone see when he was angry and, besides, he felt sorry for Hufsa because hesupposed that he was feeling lonely and awkward, being far away from his ownpeople. So he welcomed him and promised to help him settle down. Hufsa wasperfectly friendly and seemed anxious to please everyone; and Rabscuttle moveddown to the other end of the warren.
"After a time, however, El-ahrairah began to find that something was alwaysgoing wrong with his plans. One night, in the spring, when he had taken some ofhis people to a cornfield to eat the green shoots, they found a man with a gunwalking about in the moonlight and were lucky to get away without trouble.
Another time, after El-ahrairah had reconnoitered the way to a cabbage gardenand scratched a hole under the fence, he arrived the next morning to find itblocked with wire, and he began to suspect that his plans were leaking out topeople who were not intended to learn them.
"One day he determined to set a trap for Hufsa, to find out whether it was hewho was at the bottom of the trouble. He showed him a path across the fields andtold him that it led to a lonely barn full of swedes and turnips44: and he went on tosay that he and Rabscuttle meant to go there the next morning. In fact El-ahrairah had no such plans and took care not to say anything about the path orthe barn to anyone else. But next day, when he went cautiously along the path, hefound a wire set in the grass.
"This made El-ahrairah really angry, for any of his people might have beensnared and killed. Of course he did not suppose that Hufsa was setting wireshimself, or even that he had known that a wire was going to be set. But evidentlyHufsa was in touch with somebody who did not stick at setting a wire. In the end,El-ahrairah decided45 that probably Prince Rainbow was passing on Hufsa'sinformation to a farmer or a gamekeeper and not bothering himself about whathapppened as a result. His rabbits' lives were in danger because of Hufsa -- to saynothing of all the lettuces46 and cabbages they were missing. After this, El-ahrairahtried not to tell Hufsa anything at all. But it was difficult to prevent him fromhearing things because, as you all know, rabbits are very good at keeping secretsfrom other animals, but no good at keeping secrets from each other. Warren lifedoesn't make for secrecy47. He considered killing48 Hufsa. But he knew that if he did,Prince Rainbow would come and they would end in more trouble. He feltdecidedly uneasy even about keeping things from Hufsa, because he thought thatif Hufsa realized that they knew he was a spy, he would tell Prince Rainbow andPrince Rainbow would probably take him away and think of something worse.
"El-ahrairah thought and thought. He was still thinking the next evening,when Prince Rainbow paid one of his visits to the warren.
"'You are quite a reformed character these days, El-ahrairah,' said PrinceRainbow. 'If you are not careful, people will begin to trust you. Since I waspassing by, I thought I would just stop to thank you for your kindness in lookingafter Hufsa. He seems quite at home with you.'
"'Yes, he does, doesn't he?' said El-ahrairah. 'We grow in beauty side by side;we fill one hole with glee. But I always say to my people, "Put not your trust inprinces, nor in any--"'
"'Well, El-ahrairah,' said Prince Rainbow, interrupting him, 'I am sure I cantrust you. And to prove it, I have decided that I will grow a nice crop of carrots inthe field behind the hill. It is an excellent bit of ground and I am sure they will dowell. Especially as no one would dream of stealing them. In fact, you can comeand watch me plant them, if you like.'
"'I will,' said El-ahrairah. 'That will be delightful.'
"El-ahrairah, Rabscuttle, Hufsa and several other rabbits accompanied PrinceRainbow to the field behind the hill; and they helped him to sow it with long rowsof carrot seed. It was a light, dry sort of soil -- just the thing for carrots -- and thewhole business infuriated El-ahrairah, because he was certain that PrinceRainbow was doing it to tease him and to show that he felt sure that he hadclipped his claws at last.
"'That will do splendidly,' said Prince Rainbow when they had finished. 'Ofcourse, I know that no one would dream of stealing my carrots. But if they did --if they did steal them, El-ahrairah -- I should be very angry indeed. If King Darzinstole them, for instance, I feel sure that Lord Frith would take away his kingdomand give it to someone else.'
"El-ahrairah knew that Prince Rainbow meant that if he caught him stealingthe carrots he would either kill him or else banish49 him and put some other rabbitover his people: and the thought that the other rabbit would probably be Hufsamade him grind his teeth. But he said, 'Of course, of course. Very right andproper.' And Prince Rainbow went away.
"One night, in the second moon after the planting, El-ahrairah and Rabscuttlewent to look at the carrots. No one had thinned them out and the tops were thickand green. El-ahrairah judged that most of the roots would be a little thinner thana forepaw. And it was while he was looking at them in the moonlight that his plancame to him. He had become so cautious about Hufsa -- and indeed no one everknew where Hufsa would be next -- that on the way back he and Rabscuttle madefor a hole in a lonely bank and went down it to talk together. And there El-ahrairah promised Rabscuttle not only that he would steal Prince Rainbow'scarrots, but also that between them they would see the back of Hufsa into thebargain. They came out of the hole and Rabscuttle went to the farm to steal someseed corn. El-ahrairah spent the rest of the night gathering50 slugs; and a nastybusiness it was.
"The next evening El-ahrairah went out early and after a little while foundYona the hedgehog pottering along the hedge.
"'Yona,' he said, "would you like a whole lot of nice, fat slugs?'
"'Yes, I would, El-ahrairah,' said Yona, 'but they're not so easily found. You'dknow that if you were a hedgehog.'
"'Well, here are some nice ones,' said El-ahrairah, 'and you can have them all.
But I can give you a great many more if you will do what I say and ask noquestions. Can you sing?'
"'Sing, El-ahrairah? No hedgehog can sing.'
"'Good,' said El-ahrairah. 'Excellent. But you will have to try if you want thoseslugs. Ah! There is an old, empty box, I see, that the farmer has left in the ditch.
Better and better. Now you listen to me.'
"Meanwhile, in the wood, Rabscuttle was talking to Hawock the pheasant.
"'Hawock,' he said, 'can you swim?'
"'I never go near water if I can avoid it, Rabscuttle,' said Hawock. 'I dislike itvery much. But I suppose if I had to, I could make shift to keep afloat for a littlewhile.'
"'Splendid,' said Rabscuttle. 'Now attend. I have a whole lot of corn -- and youknow how scarce it is at this time of year -- and you can have it all, if only you willdo a little swimming in the pond on the edge of the wood. Just let me explain aswe go down there.' And off they went through the wood.
"Fu Inlé, El-ahrairah strolled into his hole and found Hufsa chewing pellets.
'Ah, Hufsa, you're here,' he said. 'That's fine. I can't trust anyone else, but you'llcome with me, won't you? Just you and I -- no one else must know.'
"'Why, what's to be done, El-ahrairah?' asked Hufsa.
"'I've been looking at those carrots of Prince Rainbow's,' replied El-ahrairah. 'Ican't stand it any longer. They're the best I've ever seen. I'm determined to stealthem -- or most of them, anyway. Of course, if I took a lot of rabbits on anexpedition of this kind we'd soon be in trouble. Things would leak out and PrinceRainbow would be sure to get to hear. But if you and I go alone, no one will everknow who did it.'
"'I'll come,' said Hufsa. 'Let's go tomorrow night.' For he thought that thatwould give him time to tell Prince Rainbow.
"'No,' said El-ahrairah, 'I'm going now. At once.'
"He wondered whether Hufsa would try to turn him against this idea, butwhen he looked at him he could see that Hufsa was thinking that this would bethe end of El-ahrairah and that he himself would be made king of the rabbits.
"They set out together in the moonlight.
"They had gone a good way along the hedge when they came upon an old boxlying in the ditch. Sitting on top of the box was Yona the hedgehog. His prickleswere stuck all over with dog-rose petals51 and he was making an extraordinarysqueaking, grunting52 noise and waving his black paws. They stopped and looked athim.
"'Whatever are you doing, Yona?' asked Hufsa in astonishment53.
"'Singing to the moon,' answered Yona. 'All hedgehogs have to sing to themoon to make the slugs come. Surely you know that?
"'O Slug-a-Moon, O Slug-a-Moon,O grant thy faithful hedgehog's boon54!'
"'What a frightful55 noise!' said El-ahrairah and indeed it was. 'Let's get onquickly before he brings all the elil round us.' And on they went.
"After a time they drew near the pond on the edge of the wood. As theyapproached it they heard a squawking and splashing and then they saw Hawockthe pheasant scuttering about in the water, with his long tail feathers floating outbehind him.
"'Whatever has happened?' said Hufsa. 'Hawock, have you been shot?'
"'No, no,' replied Hawock. 'I always go swimming in the full moon. It makesmy tail grow longer and, besides, my head wouldn't stay red, white and greenwithout swimming. But you must know that, Hufsa, surely? Everyone knowsthat.'
"'The truth is, he doesn't like other animals to catch him at it,' whispered El-ahrairah. 'Let's go on.'
"A little further on they came to an old well by a big oak tree. The farmer hadfilled it up long ago, but the mouth looked very deep and black in the moonlight.
"'Let's have a rest,' said El-ahrairah, 'just for a short time.'
"As he spoke56, a most curious-looking creature came out of the grass. It lookedsomething like a rabbit, but even in the moonlight they could see that it had a redtail and long green ears. In its mouth it was carrying the end of one of the whitesticks that men burn. It was Rabscuttle, but not even Hufsa could recognize him.
He had found some sheep-dip powder at the farm and sat in it to make his tailred. His ears were festooned with trails of bryony and the white stick was makinghim feel ill.
"'Frith preserve us!' said El-ahrairah. 'What can it be? Let's only hope it isn'tone of the Thousand!' He leaped up, ready to run. 'Who are you?' he asked,trembling.
"Rabscuttle spat57 out the white stick.
"'So!' he said commandingly. 'So you have seen me, El-ahrairah! Many rabbitslive out their lives and die, but few see me. Few or none! I am one of the rabbitmessengers of Lord Frith, who go about the earth secretly by day and returnnightly to his golden palace! He is even now awaiting me on the other side of theworld and I must go to him swiftly, through the heart of the earth! Farewell, El-ahrairah!'
"The strange rabbit leaped over the edge of the well and disappeared into thedarkness below.
"'We have seen what we should not!' said El-ahrairah in an awe-stricken voice.
'How dreadful is this place! Let us go quickly!'
"They hurried on and presently they came to Prince Rainbow's field of carrots.
How many they stole I cannot say; but of course, as you know, El-ahrairah is agreat prince and no doubt he used powers unknown to you and me. But mygrandfather always said that before morning the field was stripped bare. Thecarrots were hidden down a deep hole in the bank beside the wood and El-ahrairah and Hufsa made their way home. El-ahrairah collected two or threefollowers and stayed underground with them all day, but Hufsa went out in theafternoon without saying where he was going.
"That evening, as El-ahrairah and his people began to silflay under a fine redsky, Prince Rainbow came over the fields. Behind him were two great black dogs.
"'El-ahrairah,' he said, 'you are under arrest.'
"'What for?' asked El-ahrairah.
"'You know very well what for,' said Prince Rainbow. 'Let me have no more ofyour tricks and insolence58, El-ahrairah. Where are the carrots?'
"'If I am under arrest,' said El-ahrairah, 'may I be told what for? It is not fair totell me I am under arrest and then to ask me questions.'
"'Come, come, El-ahrairah,' said Prince Rainbow, 'you are merely wasting time.
Tell me where the carrots are and I will only send you to the great North and notkill you.'
"'Prince Rainbow,' said El-ahrairah, 'for the third time, may I know for what Iam under arrest?'
"'Very well,' said Prince Rainbow, 'if this is the way you want to die, El-ahrairah, you shall have the full process of law. You are under arrest for stealingmy carrots. Are you seriously asking for a trial? I warn you that I have directevidence and it will go ill with you.'
"By this time all El-ahrairah's people were crowding round, as near as theydared for the dogs. Only Rabscuttle was nowhere to be seen. He had spent thewhole day moving the carrots to another secret hole and he was now hidingbecause he could not get his tail white again.
"'Yes, I would like a trial,' said El-ahrairah, 'and I would like to be judged by ajury of animals. For it is not right, Prince Rainbow, that you should both accuseme and be the judge as well.'
"'A jury of animals you shall have,' said Prince Rainbow. 'A jury of elil, El-ahrairah. For a jury of rabbits would refuse to convict you, in spite of theevidence.'
"To everyone's surprise, El-ahrairah immediately replied that he would becontent with a jury of elil: and Prince Rainbow said that he would bring them thatnight. El-ahrairah was sent down his hole and the dogs were put on guardoutside. None of his people was allowed to see him, although many tried.
"Up and down the hedges and copses the news spread that El-ahrairah was ontrial for his life and that Prince Rainbow was going to bring him before a jury ofelil. Animals came crowding in. Fu Inlé, Prince Rainbow returned with the elil --two badgers59, two foxes, two stoats, an owl17 and a cat. El-ahrairah was brought upand placed between the dogs. The elil sat staring at him and their eyes glittered inthe moon. They licked their lips: and the dogs muttered that they had beenpromised the task of carrying out the sentence. There were a great many animals-- rabbits and others -- and every one of them felt sure that this time it was all upwith El-ahrairah.
"'Now,' said Prince Rainbow, 'let us begin. It will not take long. Where isHufsa?'
"Then Hufsa came out, bowing and bobbing his head, and he told the elil thatEl-ahrairah had come the night before, when he was quietly chewing pellets, andterrified him into going with him to steal Prince Rainbow's carrots. He hadwanted to refuse, but he had been too much frightened. The carrots were hiddenin a hole that he could show them. He had been forced to do what he did, but thenext day he had gone as quickly as possible to tell Prince Rainbow, whose loyalservant he was.
"'We will recover the carrots later,' said Prince Rainbow. 'Now, El-ahrairah,have you any evidence to call or anything to say? Make haste.'
"'I would like to ask the witness some questions,' said El-ahrairah; and the elilagreed that this was only fair.
"'Now, Hufsa,' said El-ahrairah, 'can we hear a little more about this journeythat you and I are supposed to have made? For really I can remember nothingabout it at all. You say we went out of the hole and set off in the night. Whathappened then?'
"'Why, El-ahrairah,' said Hufsa, 'you can't possibly have forgotten. We camealong by the ditch, and don't you remember that we saw a hedgehog sitting on abox singing a song to the moon?'
"'A hedgehog doing what?' said one of the badgers.
"'Singing a song to the moon,' said Hufsa eagerly. They do that, you know, tomake the slugs come. He had rose petals stuck all over him and he was waving hispaws and--'
"'Now, steady, steady,' said El-ahrairah kindly60, 'I wouldn't like you to sayanything you don't mean. Poor fellow,' he added to the jury, 'he really believesthese things he says, you know. He doesn't mean any harm, but--'
"'But he was,' shouted Hufsa. 'He was singing, "O Slug-a-Moon! O Slug-a-Moon! O grant--"'
"'What the hedgehog sang is not evidence,' said El-ahrairah. 'Really, one isinclined to wonder what is. Well, all right. We saw a hedgehog covered with roses,singing a song on a box. What happened then?'
"'Well,' said Hufsa, 'then we went on and came to the pond, where we saw apheasant.'
"'Pheasant, eh?' said one of the foxes. 'I wish I'd seen it. What was it doing?'
"'It was swimming round and round in the water,' said Hufsa.
"'Wounded, eh?' said the fox.
"'No, no,' said Hufsa. 'They all do that, to make their tails grow longer. I'msurprised you don't know.'
"'To make what?' said the fox.
"'To make their tails grow longer,' said Hufsa sulkily. 'He said so himself.'
"'You've only had this stuff for a very short time,' said El-ahrairah to the elil. 'Ittakes a bit of getting used to. Look at me. I've been forced to live with it for thelast two months, day in and day out. I've been as kind and understanding as I can,but apparently61 just to my own harm.'
"A silence fell. El-ahrairah, with an air of fatherly patience, turned back to thewitness.
"'My memory is so bad,' he said. 'Do go on.'
"'Well, El-ahrairah,' said Hufsa, 'you're pretending very cleverly, but even youwon't be able to say you've forgotten what happened next. A huge, terrifyingrabbit, with a red tail and green ears, came out of the grass. He had a white stickin his mouth and he plunged62 into the ground down a great hole. He told us hewas going through the middle of the earth to see Lord Frith on the other side.'
"This time not one of the elil said a word. They were staring at Hufsa andshaking their heads.
"'They're all mad, you know,' whispered one of the stoats, 'nasty little beasts.
They'll say anything when they're cornered. But this one is the worst I've everheard. How much longer have we got to stay here? I'm hungry.'
"Now El-ahrairah had known beforehand that while elil detest63 all rabbits, theywould dislike most the one who looked the biggest fool. That was why he hadagreed to a jury of elil. A jury of rabbits might have tried, to get to the bottom ofHufsa's story; but not the elil, for they hated and despised the witness and wantedto be off hunting as soon as they could.
"'So it comes to this,' said El-ahrairah. 'We saw a hedgehog covered with roses,singing a song: and then we saw a perfectly43 healthy pheasant swimming roundand round the pond: and then we saw a rabbit with a red tail, green ears and awhite stick, and he jumped straight down a deep well. Is that right?'
"'Yes,' said Hufsa.
"'And then we stole the carrots?'
"'Yes.'
"'Were they purple with green spots?'
"'Were what purple with green spots?'
"'The carrots.'
"'Well, you know they weren't, El-ahrairah. They were the ordinary color.
They're down the hole!' shouted Hufsa desperately. 'Down the hole! Go and look!'
"The court adjourned64 while Hufsa led Prince Rainbow to the hole. They foundno carrots and returned.
"'I've been underground all day,' said El-ahrairah, 'and I can prove it. I oughtto have been asleep, but it's very difficult when m'learned friend -- well, nevermind. I simply mean that obviously I couldn't have been out moving carrots oranything else. If there ever were any carrots,' he added. 'But I've nothing more tosay.'
"'Prince Rainbow,' said the cat, 'I hate all rabbits. But I don't see how we canpossibly say that it's been proved that that rabbit took your carrots. The witness isobviously out of his mind -- mad as the mist and snow -- and the prisoner willhave to be released.' They all agreed.
"'You had better go quickly,' said Prince Rainbow to El-ahrairah. 'Go downyour hole, El-ahrairah, before I hurt you myself.'
"'I will, my lord,' said El-ahrairah. 'But may I beg you to remove that rabbit yousent among us, for he troubles us with his foolishness?'
"So Hufsa went away with Prince Rainbow and El-ahrairah's people were leftin peace, apart from indigestion brought on by eating too many carrots. But it wasa long time before Rabscuttle could get his tail white again, so my grandfatheralways said."
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1
clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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callousness
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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circumscribed
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| adj.[医]局限的：受限制或限于有限空间的v.在…周围划线( circumscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；划定…范围；限制；限定 | |
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5
foraging
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| v.搜寻（食物），尤指动物觅（食）( forage的现在分词 )；（尤指用手）搜寻（东西） | |
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holly
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| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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bluebell
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| n.风铃草 | |
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catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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acorn
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| n.橡实，橡子 | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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13
sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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wincing
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的现在分词 ) | |
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mole
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| n.胎块；痣；克分子 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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envisage
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| v.想象，设想，展望，正视 | |
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wanes
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| v.衰落( wane的第三人称单数 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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ductile
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| adj.易延展的，柔软的 | |
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recede
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| vi.退(去)，渐渐远去；向后倾斜，缩进 | |
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beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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grasshopper
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| n.蚱蜢，蝗虫，蚂蚱 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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munched
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| v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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glands
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| n.腺( gland的名词复数 ) | |
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lettuce
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| n.莴苣；生菜 | |
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marshes
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| n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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turnips
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| 芜青( turnip的名词复数 )； 芜菁块根； 芜菁甘蓝块根； 怀表 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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lettuces
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| n.莴苣，生菜（ lettuce的名词复数 ）；生菜叶 | |
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47
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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48
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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banish
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| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
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50
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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51
petals
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| n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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52
grunting
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| 咕哝的，呼噜的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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56
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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57
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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58
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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badgers
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| n.獾( badger的名词复数 )；獾皮；（大写）獾州人（美国威斯康星州人的别称）；毛鼻袋熊 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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62
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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detest
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| vt.痛恨，憎恶 | |
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adjourned
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| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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