Watership Down Quotes

Narrator/Frith General Woundwort's body was never found. It could be that he still lives his fierce life somewhere else; but from that day on, mother rabbits would tell their kittens, that if they did not do as they were told, the General would get them. Such was Woundwort's monument, and perhaps it would not have displeased him.

Hazel Tell you the truth, I'm getting sick and tired of it. Sometimes I feel like clearing out of the warren altogether. Never mind. Let's forget it, and try to enjoy the evening.

Hazel You look hungry. Rats getting too clever, I suppose? I bet you can't run at all. You pie-eyed, saucer-licking scrap-scraper. Can you run?

Kehaar He tell me the plan?! I KNOW the plan!

Hazel Look, once we're beyond the woods, we'll really be clear of the Owsla. And we can rest then.

Fiver Hazel, look... the field... the field... it's covered with blood!

Bigwig There's a dog loose in the wood!

Silver Well, that does it!

Pipkin A dog?

Bigwig Come on. What do you think will happen when he picks up our scent? Those that can swim, swim. The others will have to make out the best they can.

Hazel That's not good enough. We all got into this together, we'll all get out of it together.

Bigwig But I'm in a mist! Everything's bad! Oh, I have got a funny feeling in my toe!

Blackavar It nearly came off. We'll take one or two of them with us before it's finished.

The Cat Can you run? I think not... I think not...

Kehaar From Beeg, BEEG VAWTER! ("Big Water") My home by Beeg Vawter...Beeg Vawter...We go "Kehaaaaar"... "Kehaaaaaaaar"... "Kehaaaaar"...

Fiver Look. Look. That's the place for us. High, lonely hills, where the wind and the sound carry, and the ground's as dry as straw in a barn. That's where we ought to be. That's where we have to get to.

Kehaar PISS OFF!!! What for help me?

Kehaar You got no brains! You no plan! You need mates for plan! Listen - I got plan for you. Wing better. I go fly; fly for you. I find mates.

Hazel Alright, alright, Fiver. It's getting dark. I think we should get back to the burrow.

Fiver Back to the burrow?! It'll come there! Don't think it won't! It's all around us!

Hazel Now, stop it, Fiver.

Fiver We've got to go away from here! All of us!

Hazel Go away? The whole warren?

Fiver Yes, before it's too late!

Hazel Don't be silly. They won’t come, they'll think you're out of your mind.

Fiver You must listen to me, Hazel! Something very bad is going to happen!

Hazel Well, I suppose we'd better try and see the Chief Rabbit. You can tell him about it. But I don't expect he'll like the idea at all.

Hazel My heart has joined the Thousand, for my friend stopped running today.

Hazel Let him be. He's had a bad time. He can tell us about it when he's rested.

General Woundwort Your name?

General Woundwort Don't be frightened. You're safe here. Well, get on with it!

Hyzenthlay Sir, several of us propose an expedition for...a new warren. Somewhere else.

General Woundwort A new warren?! Out of the question!

Hyzenthlay Oh, but you don't understand. The system is breaking down.

General Woundwort Explain that.

Hyzenthlay Some of us cannot produce litters; we're overcrowded.

General Woundwort I want no further discussion about it!

General Woundwort Here or anywhere else!

Hyzenthlay I... Thank you, sir.

General Woundwort Campion, have her watched.

Chief Rabbit Now, Walnut. It is Walnut, isn't it?

Hazel No, sir. Hazel.

Chief Rabbit Hazel. I knew your mother well. And your friend?

Hazel My brother, sir. Fiver.

Chief Rabbit Your brother. Now, do tell me how I can help you.

Hazel Well, he says there's a bad danger coming to our warren.

Chief Rabbit A bad danger? How very upsetting. Now, what sort of danger, I wonder?

Fiver I don't know, but it's bad! It's so bad!

Chief Rabbit Well, now. What ought we to do?

Fiver Go away! All of us! Now!

Chief Rabbit Now? In May? The mating season? And where would we go to?

Hazel He's had these feelings before, and he's been right again and again.

Chief Rabbit I shall have to consider this very carefully. Perhaps we'll discuss it later, in the summer.

Fiver WE CAN'T WAIT, WE CAN'T WAIT!

Chief Rabbit It's been good of you to come, Walnut.

Chief Rabbit Bigwig! Bigwig!

Bigwig Sir?

Chief Rabbit What was that all about?

Bigwig Well, sir--

Chief Rabbit Your duty as an officer is to protect this burrow.

Bigwig Yes, sir.

Chief Rabbit Those two lunatics have better be watched.

Bigwig Yes, sir.

Narrator/Frith Long ago, the great Frith made the world. He made all the ]s, and the world lived among the stars. Frith made all the ] and ], and at first, made them all the same. Now, among the animals was ], the Prince of ]s. He had many friends, and they all ate grass together. But after a time, the rabbits wandered everywhere, multiplying and eating as they went. Then Frith said to El-ahrairah, "Prince Rabbit, if you cannot ] your people, I shall find ways to control them." But El-ahrairah would not listen and said to Frith, "My people are the strongest in the world." This ]ed Frith, so he determined to get the better of El-ahrairah. He gave a present to every animal and bird, making each one different from the rest. When the fox came, and others like the dog and cat, the hawk, and weasel, to each of them, Frith gave a fierce ] to hunt and slay the children of El-ahrairah. Then El-ahrairah knew that Frith was too clever for him, and he was frightened. He had never before seen the Black Rabbit of ]. "My friend," said Frith, "have you seen El-ahrairah? For I wish to give him a gift." "Er, no...I have not seen him." So Frith said, "Come out, and I will bless you instead." "No, I cannot, I am busy. The fox and weasel are coming. If you want to bless me, you'll have to bless my...bottom!" "Very well, be it so." And El-ahrairah's tail grew shining white and flashed like a star. And his back legs grew long and powerful. And he tore across the hill, faster than any creature in the world. "All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies. And whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, Prince with the Swift Warning. Be cunning and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed.

Violet It had just killed. I saw blood on its lips.

Dandelion Lucky for us it had! otherwise it might have been quicker!

Bigwig They need to rest, Hazel.

Hazel Something up ahead.

Dandelion A warm, friendly burrow, perhaps?

Hazel No, no, no, not a burrow. A field. A great field of scented plants that will cover us sight and sound until we're rested.

Blackberry You're beginning to sound like a chief, Hazel. Hazel-rah!

Bigwig Hazel-rah? That'll be the day I call him chief, that will.

Bigwig Hazel? It is Hazel, isn't it?

Hazel It is.

Bigwig What are you doing here?

Hazel We want to see the chief rabbit, Bigwig.

Bigwig We? You mean he wants to see him, too?

Hazel Yes.

Fiver I must.

Bigwig What's it all about?

Hazel Well--

Holly Bigwig, what do they want?

Bigwig They want to see the Chief Rabbit.

Holly What for?

Fiver Well, I have to--

Holly Send them away.

Bigwig I'll take care of it, Holly.

Hazel Look, Bigwig, when have I ever asked to see the chief rabbit before?

Bigwig Alright, alright. Wait here.

Bigwig Come on, then. Though I'll probably get my ears chewed off for this...

Dandelion Come and look! You can see the whole world!

Blackberry I found a burrow, Hazel. Under that beech hanger; with a great hall and no smell of death or disease.

Dandelion O Frith on the hills! He made it all for us!

Hazel Frith may have made it, but Fiver found it.

Hazel Who's that?

Blackberry It's me.

Hazel Dandelion?

Blackberry No. Blackberry. Dandelion told me you were leaving the warren tonight. If it's true, I'd like to come along.

Violet We'd like to come along too.

Dandelion I don't much like the look of things.

Fiver We must get everyone.

Silver That Toadflax fellow followed me down the run. It could mean the Owsla has been turned out tonight.

Hazel Then the sooner we're off, the better.

Fiver There's something unnatural and evil and twisted about this place. It feels... it feels like... mist. Like being deceived, and losing our way.

Hazel He's had these feelings before, and he's been right again and again.

Hazel I think it's safe now, Fiver.

Fiver There's something strange about the warren this evening.

Hazel Is it dangerous?

Fiver It's not exactly ], it's... oh, I don't know. Something oppressive, like thunder. It seems safe enough now though.

Holly I remember you. You're the one that saw it coming.

Pipkin But what happened?

Holly Our warren, destroyed!

Silver Destroyed? How?

Holly Men came. Filled in the burrows. Couldn't get out. There was a strange ]. Hissing. The air turned bad. Runs blocked with dead bodies. I couldn't get out. Everything turned mad. Warren, herbs, roots, grass, all pushed into the ground!

Blackberry Men have always hated us.

Holly No. They just destroyed the warren because we were in their way.

Fiver They'll never rest until they've spoiled the ].

Kehaar YOU STUPID BUNNIES! You got no mates! Where are mates?! WHERE ARE CHICKS?! Plenty trouble for you! You need MATES!

Fiver They think I'm mad, but you know I'm not, and you still won't listen!

Kehaar Damn cat jump me, farm cat.

Kehaar Go away. Wing no good, but I walk...plenty good... Is long way?