He is strong and pain is worse to the strongincapacity is worse.
No one but death the redeemer will humble1 that head,The intrepid2 readiness, the terrible eyes.
Robinson Jeffers, Hurt HawksHuman beings say, "It never rains but it pours." This is not very apt, for itfrequently does rain without pouring. The rabbits' proverb is better expressed.
They say, "One cloud feels lonely"; and indeed it is true that the appearance of asingle cloud often means that the sky will soon be overcast5. However that may be,the very next day provided a dramatic second opportunity to put Hazel's idea intopractice.
It was early morning and the rabbits were beginning to silflay, coming up intoclear gray silence. The air was still chilly6. There was a good deal of dew and nowind. Five or six wild duck flew overhead in a swiftly moving V, intent on somefar-off destination. The sound made by their wings came down distinctly,diminishing as they went away southward. The silence returned. With the meltingof the last of the twilight7 there grew a kind of expectancy8 and tension, as though itwere thawing9 snow about to slide from a sloping roof. Then the whole down andall below it, earth and air, gave way to the sunrise. As a bull, with a slight butirresistible movement, tosses its head from the grasp of a man who is leaning overthe stall and idly holding its horn, so the sun entered the world in smooth,gigantic power. Nothing interrupted or obscured its coming. Without a sound, theleaves shone and the grass coruscated10 along the miles of the escarpment.
Outside the wood, Bigwig and Silver combed their ears, sniffed11 the air andhopped away, following their own long shadows to the grass of the gallop12. As theymoved over the short turf -- nibbling13, sitting up and looking round them -- theyapproached a little hollow, no more than three feet across. Before they reachedthe edge Bigwig, who was ahead of Silver, checked and crouched14, staring.
Although he could not see into the hollow, he knew that there was some creaturein it -- something fairly big. Peering through the blades of grass round his head,he could see the curve of a white back. Whatever the creature was, it was nearly asbig as himself. He waited, stock still, for some little time, but it did not move.
"What has a white back, Silver?" whispered Bigwig.
Silver considered. "A cat?""No cats here.""How do you know?"At that moment they both heard a low, breathy hissing15 from the hollow. Itlasted for a few moments. Then there was silence once more.
Bigwig and Silver had a good opinion of themselves. Apart from Holly16, theywere the only survivors17 of the Sandleford Owsla and they knew that theircomrades looked up to them. The encounter with the rats in the barn had been nojoke and had proved their worth. Bigwig, who was generous and honest, hadnever for a moment resented Hazel's courage on the night when his ownsuperstitious fear had got the better of him. But the idea of going back to theHoneycomb and reporting that he had glimpsed an unknown creature in thegrass and left it alone was more than he could swallow. He turned his head andlooked at Silver. Seeing that he was game, he took a final look at the strange whiteback and then went straight up to the edge of the hollow. Silver followed.
It was no cat. The creature in the hollow was a bird -- a big bird, nearly a footlong. Neither of them had ever seen a bird like it before. The white part of itsback, which they had glimpsed through the grass, was in fact only the shouldersand neck. The lower back was light gray and so were the wings, which tapered18 tolong, black-tipped primaries folded together over the tail. The head was very darkbrown -- almost black -- in such sharp contrast to the white neck that the birdlooked as though it were wearing a kind of hood19. The one dark red leg that theycould see ended in a webbed foot and three powerful, taloned20 toes. The beak21,hooked slightly downward at the end, was strong and sharp. As they stared, itopened, disclosing a red mouth and throat. The bird hissed22 savagely23 and tried tostrike, but still it did not move.
"It's hurt," said Bigwig.
"Yes, you can tell that," replied Silver. "But it's not wounded anywhere that Ican see. I'll go round--""Look out!" said Bigwig. "He'll have you!"Silver, as he started to move round the hollow, had come closer to the bird'shead. He jumped back just in time to avoid a quick, darting25 blow of the beak.
"That would have broken your foot," said Bigwig.
As they squatted26, looking at the bird -- for they both sensed intuitively that itwould not rise -- it suddenly burst into loud, raucous28 cries -- "Yark! Yark!
Yark!" -- a tremendous sound at close quarters -- that split the morning andcarried far across the down. Bigwig and Silver turned and ran.
They collected themselves sufficiently29 to pull up short of the wood and make amore dignified30 approach to the bank. Hazel came to meet them in the grass.
There was no mistaking their wide eyes and dilated31 nostrils32.
"Elil?" asked Hazel.
"Well, I'm blessed if I know, to tell you the truth," replied Bigwig. "There's agreat bird out there, like nothing I've ever seen.""How big? As big as a pheasant?""Not quite so big," admitted Bigwig, "but bigger than a wood pigeon: and a lotfiercer.""Is that what cried?""Yes. It startled me, all right. We were actually beside it. But for some reasonor other it can't move.""Dying?""I don't think so.""I'll go and have a look at it," said Hazel.
"It's savage24. For goodness' sake be careful."Bigwig and Silver returned with Hazel. The three of them squatted outside thebird's reach as it looked sharply and desperately33 from one to the other. Hazelspoke in the hedgerow patois35.
"You hurt? You no fly?"The answer was a harsh gabbling which they all felt immediately to be exotic.
Wherever the bird came from, it was somewhere far away. The accent was strangeand guttural, the speech distorted. They could catch only a word here and there.
"Come keel -- kah! kah! -- you come keel -- yark! -- t'ink me finish -- me nofinish -- 'urt you damn plenty--" The dark brown head flickered36 from side to side.
Then, unexpectedly, the bird began to drive its beak into the ground. Theynoticed for the first time that the grass in front of it was torn and scored withlines. For some moments it stabbed here and there, then gave up, lifted its headand watched them again.
"I believe it's starving," said Hazel. "We'd better feed it. Bigwig, go and getsome worms or something, there's a good fellow.""Er -- what did you say, Hazel?""Worms.""Me dig for worms?""Didn't the Owsla teach -- oh, all right, I'll do it," said Hazel. "You and Silverwait here."After a few moments, however, Bigwig followed Hazel back to the ditch andbegan to join him in scratching at the dry ground. Worms are not plentiful37 on thedowns and there had been no rain for days. After a time Bigwig looked up.
"What about beetles39? Wood lice? Something like that?"They found some rotten sticks and carried them back. Hazel pushed oneforward cautiously.
"Insects."The bird split the stick three ways in as many seconds and snapped up the fewinsects inside. Soon there was a small pile of debris40 in the hollow as the rabbitsbrought anything from which it could get food. Bigwig found some horse dungalong the track, dug the worms out of it, overcame his disgust and carried themone by one. When Hazel praised him, he muttered something about "the firsttime any rabbit's done this and don't tell the blackbirds." At last, long after theyhad all grown weary, the bird stopped feeding and looked at Hazel.
"Finish eat." It paused. "Vat41 for you do?""You hurt?" said Hazel.
The bird looked crafty42. "No hurt. Plenty fight. Stay small time, den27 go.""You stay there you finish," said Hazel. "Bad place. Come homba, comekestrel.""Damn de lot. Fight plenty.""I bet it would, too," said Bigwig, looking with admiration43 at the two-inch beakand thick neck.
"We no want you finish," said Hazel. "You stay here you finish. We help youmaybe.""Piss off!""Come on," said Hazel immediately to the others. "Let it alone." He began tolollop back to the wood. "Let it try keeping the kestrels off for a bit.""What's the idea, Hazel?" said Silver. "That's a savage brute44. You can't make afriend out of that.""You may be right," said Hazel. "But what's the good of a blue tit or a robin3 tous? They don't fly any distance. We need a big bird.""But why do you want a bird so particularly?""I'll explain later," said Hazel. "I'd like Blackberry and Fiver to hear as well.
But let's go underground now. If you don't want to chew pellets, I do."During the afternoon Hazel organized more work on the warren. TheHoneycomb was as good as finished -- though rabbits are not methodical and arenever really certain when anything is finished -- and the surrounding burrowsand runs were taking shape. Quite early in the evening, however, he made his wayonce more to the hollow. The bird was still there. It looked weaker and less alert,but snapped feebly as Hazel came up.
"Still here?" said Hazel. "You fight hawk4?""No fight," answered the bird. "No fight, but vatch, vatch, alvays vatch. Ees nogood.""Hungry?"The bird made no reply.
"Listen," said Hazel. "Rabbits not eat birds. Rabbits eat grass. We help you.""Vat for 'elp me?""Never mind. We make you safe. Big hole. Food too."The bird considered. "Legs fine. Ving no good. 'E bad.""Well, walk, then.""You 'urt me, I 'urt you like damn."Hazel turned away. The bird spoke34 again.
"Ees long vay?""No, not far.""Come, den."It got up with a good deal of difficulty, staggering on its strong blood-red legs.
Then it opened its wings high above its body and Hazel jumped back, startled bythe great, arching span. But at once it closed them again, grimacing46 with pain.
"Ving no good. I come."It followed Hazel docilely47 enough across the grass, but he was careful to keepout of its reach. Their arrival outside the wood caused something of a sensation,which Hazel cut short with a peremptory48 sharpness quite unlike his usualmanner.
"Come on, get busy," he said to Dandelion and Buckthorn. "This bird's hurtand we're going to shelter it until it's better. Ask Bigwig to show you how to get itsome food. It eats worms and insects. Try grasshoppers49, spiders -- anything.
Hawkbit! Acorn50! Yes, and you too, Fiver -- come out of that rapt trance, orwhatever you're in. We need an open, wide hole, broader than it's deep, with a flatfloor a little below the level of the entrance: by nightfall.""We've been digging all the afternoon, Hazel--""I know. I'll come and help you," said Hazel, "in just a little while. Only getstarted. The night's coming."The astonished rabbits obeyed him, grumbling51. Hazel's authority was put tosomething of a test, but held firm with the support of Bigwig. Although he had noidea what Hazel had in mind, Bigwig was fascinated by the strength and courageof the bird and had already accepted the idea of taking it in, without troublinghimself about the reason. He led the digging while Hazel explained to the bird, aswell as he could, how they lived, their ways of protecting themselves from theenemies and the kind of shelter they could provide. The amount of food therabbits produced was not very large, but once inside the wood the bird clearly feltsafer and was able to hobble about and do some foraging52 for itself.
By owl53 time Bigwig and his helpers had scratched out a kind of lobby inside theentrance to one of the runs leading down from the wood. They lined the floorwith beech54 twigs55 and leaves. As darkness began to fall, the bird was installed. Itwas still suspicious, but seemed to be in a good deal of pain. Evidently, since itcould not think of any better plan for itself, it was ready to try a rabbit hole tosave its life. From outside, they could see its dark head alert in the gloom, theblack eyes still watchful57. It was not asleep when they themselves finished a latesilflay and went underground.
Black-headed gulls58 are gregarious60. They live in colonies where they forage61 andfeed, chatter62 and fight all day long. Solitude63 and reticence64 are unnatural65 to them.
They move southward in the breeding season and at such times a wounded one isonly too likely to find itself deserted66. The gull59's savagery67 and suspicion had beendue partly to pain and partly to the unnerving knowledge that it had nocompanions and could not fly. By the following morning its natural instincts tomix with a flock and to talk were beginning to return. Bigwig made himself itscompanion. He would not hear of the gull going out to forage. Before ni-Frith therabbits had managed to produce as much as it could eat -- for a time, at all events-- and were able to sleep through the heat of the day. Bigwig, however, remainedwith the gull, making no secret of his admiration, talking and listening to it forseveral hours. At the evening feed he joined Hazel and Holly near the bank whereBluebell had told his story of El-ahrairah.
"How's the bird now?" asked Hazel.
"A good deal better, I think," replied Bigwig. "He's very tough, you know. Mygoodness, what a life he's had! You don't know what you're missing! I could sitand listen to him all day.""How was it hurt?""A cat jumped on him in a farmyard. He never heard it until the last moment.
It tore the muscle of one of his wings, but apparently69 he gave it something toremember before he made off. Then he got himself up here somehow or other andjust collapsed70. Think of standing71 up to a cat! I can see now that I haven't reallystarted yet. Why shouldn't a rabbit stand up to a cat? Let's just suppose that--""But what is this bird?" interrupted Holly.
"Well, I can't quite make out," answered Bigwig. "But if I understand himproperly -- and I'm not at all sure that I do -- he says that where he comes fromthere are thousands of his kind -- more than we can possibly imagine. Their flocksmake the whole air white and in the breeding season their nests are like leaves ina wood -- so he says.""But where? I've never seen one, even.""He says," said Bigwig, looking very straight at Holly, "he says that a long wayfrom here the earth stops and there isn't any more.""Well, obviously it stops somewhere. What is there beyond?""Water.""A river, you mean?""No," said Bigwig, "not a river. He says there's a vast place of water, going onand on. You can't see to the other side. There isn't another side. At least there is,because he's been there. Oh, I don't know -- I must admit I can't altogetherunderstand it.""Was it telling you that it's been outside the world and come back again? Thatmust be untrue.""I don't know," said Bigwig, "but I'm sure he's not lying. This water,apparently, moves all the time and keeps breaking against the earth: and when hecan't hear that, he misses it. That's his name -- Kehaar. It's the noise the watermakes."The others were impressed in spite of themselves.
"Well, why's it here?" asked Hazel.
"He shouldn't be. He ought to have been off to this Big Water place a long timeago, to breed. Apparently a lot of them come away in winter, because it gets socold and wild. Then they go back in summer. But he's been hurt once already thisspring. It was nothing much, but it held him up. He rested and hung around arookery for a bit. Then he got stronger and left them, and he was coming alongwhen he stopped in the farmyard and met this foul72 cat.""So when it's better it'll go on again?" said Hazel.
"Yes.""We've been wasting our time, then.""Why, Hazel, what is it you have in mind?""Go and get Blackberry and Fiver: we'd better have Silver, too. Then I'llexplain."The quiet of the evening silflay, when the western sun shone straight along theridge, the grass tussocks threw shadows twice as long as themselves and the coolair smelled of thyme and dog roses, was something which they had all come toenjoy even more than former evenings in the meadows of Sandleford. Althoughthey could not know it, the down was more lonely than it had been for hundredsof years. There were no sheep, and villagers from Kingsclere and Sydmonton nolonger had any occasion to walk over the hills, either for business or for pleasure.
In the fields of Sandleford the rabbits had seen men almost every day. Here, sincetheir arrival, they had seen one, and him on a horse. Looking round the littlegroup that gathered on the grass, Hazel saw that all of them -- even Holly -- werelooking stronger, sleeker73 and in better shape than when they had first come to thedown. Whatever might lie ahead, at least he could feel that he had not failed themso far.
"We're doing well here," he began, "or so it seems to me. We're certainly not abunch of hlessil any more. But all the same, there's something on my mind. I'msurprised, as a matter of fact, that I should be the first one of us to start thinkingabout it. Unless we can find the answer, then this warren's as good as finished, inspite of all we've done.""Why, how can that be, Hazel?" said Bigwig.
"Do you remember Nildro-hain?" asked Hazel.
"She stopped running. Poor Strawberry.""I know. And we have no does -- not one -- and no does means no kittens andin a few years no warren."It may seem incredible that the rabbits had given no thought to so vital amatter. But men have made the same mistake more than once -- left the wholebusiness out of account, or been content to trust to luck and the fortune of war.
Rabbits live close to death and when death comes closer than usual, thinkingabout survival leaves little room for anything else. But now, in the eveningsunshine on the friendly, empty down, with a good burrow45 at his back and thegrass turning to pellets in his belly74, Hazel knew that he was lonely for a doe. Theothers were silent and he could tell that his words had sunk in.
The rabbits grazed or lay basking75 in the sun. A lark76 went twittering up into thebrighter sunshine above, soared and sang and came slowly down, ending with asideways, spread-wing glide77 and a wagtail's run through the grass. The sundipped lower. At last Blackberry said, "What's to be done? Set out again?""I hope not," said Hazel. "It all depends. What I'd like to do is get hold of somedoes and bring them here.""Where from?""Another warren.""But are there any on these hills? How do we find out? The wind never bringsthe least smell of rabbits.""I'll tell you how," said Hazel "The bird. The bird will go and search for us.""Hazel-rah," cried Blackberry, "what a marvelous idea! That bird could find outin a day what we couldn't discover for ourselves in a thousand! But are youcertain it can be persuaded to do it? Surely as soon as it gets better if it'll simplyfly away and leave us?""I can't tell," answered Hazel. "All we can do is feed it and hope for the best.
But, Bigwig, since you seem to be getting on with it so well, perhaps you canexplain to it how much this means to us. It has only to fly over the downs and letus know what it sees.""You leave him to me," said Bigwig. "I think I know how to do it."Hazel's anxiety and the reason for it were soon known to all the rabbits andthere was not one who did not realize what they were up against. There wasnothing very startling in what he had said. He was simply the one -- as a ChiefRabbit ought to be -- through whom a strong feeling, latent throughout thewarren, had come to the surface. But his plan to make use of the gull excitedeveryone and was seen as something that not even Blackberry could have hitupon. Reconnaissance is familiar to all rabbits -- indeed, it is second nature -- butthe idea of making use of a bird, and one so strange and savage, convinced themthat Hazel, if he could really do it, must be as clever as El-ahrairah himself.
For the next few days a lot of hard work went into feeding Kehaar. Acorn andPipkin, boasting that they were the best insect-catchers in the warren, brought ingreat numbers of beetles and grasshoppers. At first the gull's principal hardshipwas lack of water. He suffered a good deal and was reduced to tearing at thestems of the long grasses for moisture. However, during his third night in thewarren it rained for three or four hours and puddles78 formed on the track. Acluttery spell set in, as it often does in Hampshire when haytime approaches.
High winds from the south laid the grass flat all day, turning it to a dull,damascene silver. The great branches of the beeches79 moved little, but spokeloudly. There were squalls of rain on the wind. The weather made Kehaar restless.
He walked about a good deal, watched the flying clouds and snapped upeverything the foragers brought. Searching became harder, for in the wet theinsects burrowed80 into the deep grass and had to be scratched out.
One afternoon Hazel, who now shared a burrow with Fiver as in the old days,was woken by Bigwig to be told that Kehaar had something to say to him. Hemade his way to Kehaar's lobby without coming above ground. The first thing henoticed was that the gull's head was molting81 and turning white, though a darkbrown patch remained behind each eye. Hazel greeted Him and was surprised tobe answered in a few words of halting, broken Lapine. Evidently Kehaar hadprepared a short speech.
"Meester 'Azel, ees rabbits vork 'ard," said Kehaar. "I no finish now. Soon I gofine.""That's good news," said Hazel. "I'm glad."Kehaar relapsed into hedgerow vernacular82.
"Meester Pigvig, 'e plenty good fella.""Yes, he is.""'E say you no getting mudders. Ees finish mudders. Plenty trouble for you.""Yes, that's true. We don't know what to do. No mothers anywhere.""Listen. I get peeg, fine plan. I go fine now. Ving, 'e better. Vind finish, den Ifly. Fly for you. Find plenty mudders, tell you vere dey are, ya?""Why, what a splendid idea, Kehaar! How clever of you to think of it! You veryfine bird.""Ees finish mudders for me dis year. Ees too late. All mudders sitting on nestnow. Eggs come.""I'm sorry.""Nudder time I get mudder. Now I fly for you.""We'll do everything we possibly can to help you."The next day the wind dropped and Kehaar made one or two short flights.
However, it was not until three days later that he felt able to set out on his search.
It was a perfect June morning. He was snapping up numbers of the little white-shelled downland snails83 from the wet grass and cracking them in his great beak,when he suddenly turned to Bigwig and said,"Now I fly for you,"He opened his wings. The two-foot span arched above Bigwig, who satperfectly still while the white feathers beat the air round his head in a kind ofceremonious farewell. Laying his ears flat in the fanned draft, he stared up atKehaar as the gull rose, rather heavily, into the air. When he flew, his body, solong and graceful84 on the ground, took on the appearance of a thick, stumpycylinder, from the front of which his red beak projected between his round blackeyes. For a few moments he hovered85, his body rising and falling between hiswings. Then he began to climb, sailed sideways over the grass and disappearednorthward below the edge of the escarpment. Bigwig returned to the hanger86 withthe news that Kehaar had set out.
The gull was away several days -- longer than the rabbits had expected. Hazelcould not help wondering whether he really would return, for he knew thatKehaar, like themselves, felt the mating urge and he thought it quite likely thatafter all he would be off to the Big Water and the raucous, teeming87 gull coloniesof which he had spoken with such feeling to Bigwig. As far as he was able, he kepthis anxiety to himself, but one day when they were alone, he asked Fiver whetherhe thought Kehaar would return.
"He will return," said Fiver unhesitatingly.
"And what will he bring with him?""How can I tell?" replied Fiver. But later, when they were underground, silentand drowsy88, he said suddenly, "The gifts of El-ahrairah. Trickery; great danger;and blessing89 for the warren." When Hazel questioned him again, he seemed to beunaware that he had spoken and could add nothing more.
Bigwig spent most of the hours of daylight watching for Kehaar's return. Hewas inclined to be surly and short, and once, when Bluebell68 remarked that hethought Meester Pigvig's fur cap was molting in sympathy for absent friends, heshowed a flash of his old sergeant-major spirit and cuffed90 and abused him twiceround the Honeycomb, until Holly intervened to save his faithful jester fromfurther trouble.
It was late one afternoon, with a light north wind blowing and the smell of haydrifting up from the fields of Sydmonton, when Bigwig came hurtling down intothe Honeycomb to announce that Kehaar was back. Hazel suppressed hisexcitement and told everyone to keep out of the way while he went to see himalone. On second thoughts, however, he took Fiver and Bigwig with him.
The three of them found Kehaar back in his lobby. It was full of droppings,messy and malodorous. Rabbits will not excrete underground and Kehaar's habitof fouling91 his own nest had always disgusted Hazel. Now, in his eagerness to hearhis news, the guano smell seemed almost welcome.
"Glad to see you back, Kehaar," he said. "Are you tired?""Ving 'e still go tired. Fly liddle bit, stop liddle bit, everyt'ing go fine.""Are you hungry? Shall we get you some insects?""Fine. Fine. Good fellas. Plenty beetle38." (All insects were "beetle" to Kehaar.)Clearly, he had missed their attentions and was ready to enjoy being back.
Although he no longer needed to have food brought to the lobby, he evidently feltthat he deserved it. Bigwig went to get his foragers and Kehaar kept them busyuntil sunset At last he looked shrewdly at Fiver and said,"Eh, Meester Liddle Von, you know vat I pring, ya?""I've no idea," replied Fiver, rather shortly.
"Den I tell. All dis peeg 'ill, I go along 'im, dis vay, dat vay, vere sun come up,vere sun go down. Ees no rabbits. Ees nodings, nodings."He stopped. Hazel looked at Fiver apprehensively92.
"Den I go down, go down in bottom. Ees farm vid peeg trees all round, onliddle hill. You know?""No, we don't know it. But go on.""I show you. 'E not far. You see 'im. Und here ees rabbits. Ees rabbits live inbox; live vid men. You know?""Live with men? Did you say 'live with men'?""Ya, ya, live vid men. In shed; rabbits live in box in shed. Men pring food. Youknow?""I know this happens," said Hazel. "I've heard of it. That's fine, Kehaar. You'vebeen very thorough. But it can't help us, can it?""I t'ink ees mudders. In peeg box. But else ees no rabbits; not in fields, not invoods. No rabbits. Anyvays I no see 'em.""That sounds bad.""Vait. I tell more. Now you 'ear. I go flying, oder vay, vere sun go middle of day.
You know, dis vay ees Peeg Vater.""Did you go to the Big Water, then?" asked Bigwig.
"Na, na, not near so far. But out dis vay ees river, you know?""No, we haven't been so far.""Ees river," repeated Kehaar. "Und here ees town of rabbits.""On the other side of the river?""Na, na. You go dat vay, ees peeg fields all de vay. Den after long vay ees cometo town of rabbits, ver' big. Und after dat ees iron road und den river.""Iron road?" asked Fiver.
"Ya, ya, iron road. You not seen heem -- iron road? Men make heem."Kehaar's speech was so outlandish and distorted at the best of times that it wasonly too common for the rabbits to be unsure what he meant. The vernacularwords which he used now for "iron" and "road" (familiar enough to seagulls) hislisteners had scarcely ever heard. Kehaar was quick to impatience93 and now, asoften, they felt at a disadvantage in the face of his familiarity with a wider worldthan their own. Hazel thought quickly. Two things were clear. Kehaar hadevidently found a big warren some way off to the south: and whatever the ironroad was, the warren was on this side both of it and of a river. If he hadunderstood rightly, it seemed to follow that the iron road and the river could beignored for their purposes.
"Kehaar," he said, "I want to be certain. Can we get to the rabbits' town withoutbothering about the iron road and the river?""Ya, ya. Not go to iron road. Rabbits' town in bushes for peeg, lonely fields.
Plenty mudders.""How long would it take to go from here to the -- to the town?""I t'ink two days. Ees long vay.""Good for you, Kehaar. You've done everything we hoped. You rest now. We'llfeed you as long as you want""Sleep now. Tomorrow plenty beetle, ya, ya."The rabbits made their way back to the Honeycomb. Hazel told Kehaar's newsand a long, disorderly, intermittent94 discussion began. This was their way ofreaching a conclusion. The fact that there was a warren two or three days' journeyto the south flickered and oscillated down among them as a penny wavers downthrough deep water moving one way and the other, shifting, vanishing,reappearing, but always sinking toward the firm bottom. Hazel let the talk run onas long as it would, until at last they dispersed95 and slept.
The next morning they went about their lives as usual, feeding Kehaar andthemselves, playing and digging. But all this time, just as a drop of water slowlyswells until it is heavy enough to fall from a twig56, the idea of what they meant todo was becoming clear and unanimous. By the following day Hazel saw it plain. Itso happened that the time for speaking came when he was sitting on the bank atsunrise, with Fiver and three or four others. There was no need to summon ageneral gathering96. The thing was settled. When it reached them, those who werenot there would accept what he had said without having heard him at all.
"This warren that Kehaar found," said Hazel, "he said it was big.""So we can't take it by force," said Bigwig.
"I don't think I want to go and join it," said Hazel. "Do you?""And leave here?" replied Dandelion. "After all our work? Besides, I reckonwe'd have a thin time. No, I'm sure none of us wants to do that.""What we want is to get some does and bring them back here," said Hazel.
"Will that be difficult, do you think?""I should have thought not," said Holly. "Big warrens are often overcrowdedand some of the rabbits can't get enough to eat. The young does get edgy97 andnervous and some of them don't have any kittens on that account. At least, thekittens begin to grow inside them and then they melt away again into theirbodies. You know this?""I didn't know," said Strawberry.
"That's because you've never been overcrowded. But our warren -- theThrearah's warren -- was overcrowded a year or two back and a lot of the youngerdoes were re-absorbing their litters before they were born. The Threarah told methat long ago El-ahrairah made a bargain with Frith. Frith promised him thatrabbits were not to be born dead or unwanted. If there's little chance of a decentlife for them, it's a doe's privilege to take them back into her body unborn.""Yes, I remember the bargain story," said Hazel. "So you think there may bediscontented does? That's hopeful. We're agreed, then, that we ought to send anexpedition to this warren and that there's a good chance of being successfulwithout fighting. Do you want everyone to go?""I'd say not," said Blackberry. "Two or three days' journey; and we're all indanger, both going and coming. It would be less dangerous for three or fourrabbits than for hrair. Three or four can travel quickly and aren't conspicuous98:
and the Chief Rabbit of this warren would be less likely to object to a fewstrangers coming with a civil request.""I'm sure that's right," said Hazel. "We'll send four rabbits: and they canexplain how we come to be in this difficulty and ask to be allowed to persuadesome does to come back with them. I don't see that any Chief Rabbit can object tothat. I wonder which of us would be the best to send?""Hazel-rah, you mustn't go," said Dandelion. "You're needed here and we don'twant to risk you. Everyone's agreed on that."Hazel had known already that they would not let him lead the embassy. It wasa disappointment, but nevertheless he felt that they were right The other warrenwould have little opinion of a Chief Rabbit who ran his own errands. Besides, hewas not particularly impressive in appearance or as a speaker. This was a job forsomeone else.
"All right," he said. "I knew you wouldn't let me go. I'm not the right fellowanyway -- Holly is. He knows everything about moving in the open and he'll beable to talk well when he gets there."No one contradicted this. Holly was the obvious choice, but to select hiscompanions was less easy. Everyone was ready to go, but the business was soimportant that at last they considered each rabbit in turn, discussing who wouldbe the most likely to survive the long journey, to arrive in good shape and to godown well in a strange warren. Bigwig, rejected on the grounds that he mightquarrel in strange company, was inclined to be sulky at first, but came roundwhen he remembered that he could go on looking after Kehaar. Holly himselfwanted to take Bluebell but, as Blackberry said, one funny joke at the expense ofthe Chief Rabbit might ruin everything. Finally they chose Silver, Buckthorn andStrawberry. Strawberry said little, but was obviously very much pleased. He hadsuffered a good deal to show that he was no coward and now he had thesatisfaction of knowing that he was worth something to his new friends.
They started early in the morning, in the gray light. Kehaar had undertaken tofly out later in the day, to make sure they were going in the right direction andbring back news of their progress. Hazel and Bigwig went with them to thesouthern end of the hanger and watched as they slipped away, heading to the westof the distant farm. Holly seemed confident and the other three were in highspirits. Soon they were lost to sight in the grass and Hazel and Bigwig turned backinto the wood.
"Well, we've done the best we can," said Hazel. "The rest's up to them and toEl-ahrairah now. But surely it ought to be all right?""Not a doubt of it," said Bigwig. "Let's hope they're back soon. I'm lookingforward to a nice doe and a litter of kittens in my burrow. Lots of little Bigwigs,Hazel! Think of that, and tremble!"
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1
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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hawk
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| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
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overcast
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| adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天 | |
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chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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expectancy
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| n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额 | |
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thawing
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| n.熔化，融化v.（气候）解冻( thaw的现在分词 )；（态度、感情等）缓和；（冰、雪及冷冻食物）溶化；软化 | |
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coruscated
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| v.闪光，闪烁( coruscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；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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12
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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nibbling
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| v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的现在分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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holly
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| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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tapered
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| adj. 锥形的，尖削的，楔形的，渐缩的，斜的 动词taper的过去式和过去分词 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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taloned
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beak
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| n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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raucous
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| adj.(声音)沙哑的，粗糙的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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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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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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patois
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| n.方言；混合语 | |
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flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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beetle
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| n.甲虫，近视眼的人 | |
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beetles
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| n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 ) | |
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debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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vat
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| n.(=value added tax)增值税，大桶 | |
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crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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burrow
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| vt.挖掘(洞穴)；钻进；vi.挖洞；翻寻；n.地洞 | |
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grimacing
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| v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的现在分词 ) | |
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docilely
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| adv.容易教地，易驾驶地，驯服地 | |
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peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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grasshoppers
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| n.蚱蜢( grasshopper的名词复数 )；蝗虫；蚂蚱；（孩子）矮小的 | |
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50
acorn
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| n.橡实，橡子 | |
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grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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52
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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53
owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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gulls
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| n.鸥( gull的名词复数 )v.欺骗某人( gull的第三人称单数 ) | |
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gull
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| n.鸥；受骗的人；v.欺诈 | |
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gregarious
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| adj.群居的，喜好群居的 | |
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forage
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| n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻 | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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63
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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reticence
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| n.沉默，含蓄 | |
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unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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savagery
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| n.野性 | |
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bluebell
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| n.风铃草 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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72
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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sleeker
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| 磨光器，异型墁刀 | |
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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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basking
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| v.晒太阳，取暖( bask的现在分词 )；对…感到乐趣；因他人的功绩而出名；仰仗…的余泽 | |
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lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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puddles
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| n.水坑， （尤指道路上的）雨水坑( puddle的名词复数 ) | |
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beeches
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| n.山毛榉( beech的名词复数 )；山毛榉木材 | |
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burrowed
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| v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的过去式和过去分词 )；翻寻 | |
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81
molting
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| n.蜕皮v.换羽，脱毛( molt的现在分词 ) | |
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82
vernacular
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| adj.地方的，用地方语写成的；n.白话；行话；本国语；动植物的俗名 | |
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83
snails
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| n.蜗牛；迟钝的人；蜗牛( snail的名词复数 ) | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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85
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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hanger
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| n.吊架，吊轴承；挂钩 | |
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teeming
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| adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
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88
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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89
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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90
cuffed
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| v.掌打，拳打( cuff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fouling
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| n.（水管、枪筒等中的）污垢v.使污秽( foul的现在分词 )；弄脏；击球出界；（通常用废物）弄脏 | |
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apprehensively
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| adv.担心地 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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intermittent
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| adj.间歇的，断断续续的 | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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edgy
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| adj.不安的；易怒的 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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