Watership Down (miniseries)

Watership Down is an animated BBC television series based on the 1972 novel of the same name by Richard Adams.

Series 1

The Journey (Part 1)

Hazel: [venting to Fiver about the Owsla] "You know the rules." I'm sick of the rules. I wonder where there's a place for us in this warren at all. There's too many rabbits and too little good food as it is without the Owsla stealing from us.

[Hazel stops when he sees Fiver staring at the horizon.]

Fiver: This is where it comes from. The thing in my dream. Look. The field... all filled with blood.

Hazel: It's only the light of sunset, Fiver.

Fiver: Brother, I know everyone thinks I'm strange, even you sometimes, but you have to believe me. Something will come to this place, something foul and fierce. We need to warn everyone.

Hazel: We're outsiders, Fiver. People don't listen to us.

Fiver: Well, we must make them listen.

Hazel: And how do you propose we do that?

[Cut to Hazel and Fiver talking to Bigwig]

Bigwig: Go away. He's busy.

Hazel: We only need a few moments with Threarah, Bigwig, and we wouldn't ask if it weren't important.

Bigwig: [short pause] Alright, go on. But if I get my head bitten off, I'll come looking for you.

[Hazel and Fiver go into the burrow and talk to Threarah, who's eating]

Threarah: So you were saying, your brother senses things.

Hazel: Ahh... yes. Sometimes. Images in his head and... ah, I don't know how to say it, but he was right before; and he knew the flood was coming last autumn.

Threarah: Ah, I see. And what has he sensed this time?

Fiver: I don't know what it is. But it's bad. It's so bad, you have to get everyone to leave. Tonight, Threarah, please.

Threarah: [unconcerned] My goodness. Everyone? Tonight? Ha! The entire warren, and you want me to tell them that we all have to go? Well... I'll give that some very serious thought.

Fiver: [desperately] You're not listening! There is no time! I can feel the danger like a wire around my neck! Threarah, you have to act now! NOW!

[Fiver's big "NOW" echoes outside, where Bigwig and a few other rabbits hear. Threarah, still not believing Fiver, loses his patience.]

Threarah: Bigwig! Hazel, I think your brother needs to rest for a while. Why don't you take him out for some fresh air?

Fiver: No! But--!

Hazel: Shh. Yes, Threarah.

[They both leave, while Bigwig enters the burrow]

Threarah: [to Bigwig; angrily] I told you I wanted to be left alone, you fool! And you let a bunch of outskirters wander in here!

Fiver: Hazel... Hazel, that was our answer. We have to go.

Hazel: Are you really sure, Fiver?

Fiver: I'm telling you now as your brother, as your friend, this warren will soon be laid waste. We can leave now, or we can be destroyed with it.

Hazel: [sighs] Alright, we need to spread the word to as many rabbits as possible. But be careful. If the Owsla get wind of this, there will be trouble.

[Hazel and Fiver are hiding under the bridge at nighttime, waiting for other rabbits to join. Suddenly, they hear footsteps nearby and gasp.]

Hazel: Dewdrop? Dewdrop?

Blackberry: It's Blackberry and Bluebell. And we bought Hawkbit and Dandelion too.

Hazel: Get down here before you're seen.

Blackberry: Right you are. [they get under the bridge]

Hawkbit: Aye, is everyone...? Where are the does? I presumed there'd be does.

Hazel: This can't be everyone. It can't be. Maybe we should go back, try to convince some of the others.

Fiver: She's not coming, Hazel. [the rabbits gasp when they hear a tin can hitting a rock and flowing in the stream] There have been more and more of those strange things recently. They come from humans.

Hawkbit: Fascinating.

Hazel: Alright, let's go.

Captain Holly: NOT SO FAST!

Hazel: Owsla!

[The rabbits try to flee, but are cut off and surrounded by Owsla soldiers, led by Captain Holly]

Captain Holly: You're all under arrest for spreading dissension and inciting to mutiny!

Fiver: You more than anyone need to listen, Captain Holly. Something is coming to this place, something foul and fierce.

Hazel: Just let us go. Even if you are bigger, there are more of us. We fancy it'd be a good fight.

[Bigwig enters the scene]

Bigwig: [angrily] The Threarah nearly tore my ears off tonight after I let you two in. Told me I'm lucky not to be kicked out of the Owsla! Lucky to still have my privileges! Well... [brief pause before Bigwig turns to face Holly] Well I'm sick of being in the Owsla.

Captain Holly: [shocked] Thlayli?!

Bigwig: I'm sick of being in this warren! I'm sick of obeying your orders and THROWING THE LINE!

Captain Holly: Thlayli, be careful now! Think about what you're doing!

Bigwig: Go now, Captain Holly, or we'll kill the lot of you.

[Holly and the others leave]

Bigwig: [to Hazel's group] Someone must've told them what you're up to. We need to move before they come back with the entire Owsla.

Hazel: Along the line of the stream and through the meadow, everyone. Then into the woods. Come on!

[The rabbits leave. Hazel looks one last time at the Sandleford warren, disappointed that Dewdrop isn't coming.]

[after Hazel and the others escape the Owsla by crossing a river]

Captain Holly: [angrily] I'll see you again, Bigwig! I promise you that! And next time, there won't be a river between us!

Bigwig: Oh, I'm counting on it!

Captain Campion: Sir, the wide patrol has picked up the scent of a large band of rabbits near the down. Unfortunately, sir, they lost them.

General Woundwort: Tell them not to return until they're located. Leave one alive for questioning.

The Raid (Part 2)

Kehaar: [flying off] See you later, bunnies! Bye-bye!

Captain Holly: At least we don't have to feed the bird any more.

Kehaar: Good riddance! [after a while flying, he spots Efrafa; imitating Hazel:] "Our warren needs does!" Stupid rabbits. Ooh. Ah. My wing. If I ever get my beak on that cat, I'll rip its dirty, rotten ears off! Ah! Oh!

[Kehaar screams as he crash lands, back where he started. Captain Holly and Blackberry sigh and walk away]

Kehaar: Ow! Hey, guys! Stop, guys, come here! Come here, come here, come on, come on, listen! Listen to me, listen to me, right. Wait, stop right there. Listen. Because I'm a decent sort of a bird, you know, because I like to do what's right, I decided to come back and tell you that there is a warren away to the east of here. It's got a load of does. Now, as payment for this information...

Bluebell: Does? Did he say something about does?

Blackberry: I hope you're not thinking what I think you're thinking.

Captain Holly: We should leave for the warren Kehaar speaks of at first light. If there are does there, we have to see if they will join us.

Kehaar: Does, does, does. That's all you stupid rabbits think about. Hey, wait, what about my food? Come on, guys! Hello!

Captain Holly: You lack animality.

Captain Vervain: What did you say to me?

Captain Holly: You have no integrity. Animals don't behave like men. If they have to fight, they fight. If they have to kill, they kill. But they don't set their wits to devise ways of hurting other creatures.

Captain Vervain: If you speak out of turn to me again, I will have your tongue. Next time you see me, you better wish yourself invisible.

Bluebell: I'm sure Hazel said that we should stay back at the Down, didn't he? Remember? Blackberry? Will Hazel be mad when he finds out we left? Blackberry? Remember? Blackberry?

Blackberry: I don't know.

Bluebell: Well, when will you be back? Shall I wait up for you?

Blackberry: No.

Bluebell: Will you promise you'll find somewhere safe to sleep? Make sure you find somewhere safe to sleep.

Blackberry: Bluebell, be quiet. You've rabbited on so much that we've gone too far for you to go back now, anyway.

Bluebell: Oh, no, this is a mistake. I've gone on an adventure by mistake! I wonder how many does will be at this place! Blackberry. Blackberry?

Blackberry: If you're coming along, you can't be making jokes at inappropriate times.

Bluebell: What's that supposed to mean?

Blackberry: It means you have a tendency to be a liability.

Bluebell: How dare you call me a liability?!

Blackberry: Bluebell, you saved me. You're a hero.

Bluebell: I think I much preferred it when I was a liability.

The Escape (Part 3)

Bigwig: I didn't realise you'd been made Chief Rabbit, Holly.

Captain Holly: I haven't, nor do I wish to be. You have a reputation for being impetuous, Bigwig. Now is the time for consideration, not impulse.

Bigwig: How dare you call me impetuous! No-one else thinks that! [looks around at the others] Who else thinks I'm impetuous, huh?

Bluebell: Uh... I don't know what intemptuous means, but, yes.

Captain Orchis: Ah, here we are, Hyzenthlay! Have you thought about what I said?

Hyzenthlay: I can work for you. But there'd need to be better conditions for the does.

Captain Orchis: And you'll tell me everything? You'll be my ears? [she doesn't answer; he smirks] Guard, remove this doe! She's to be executed at Frithdown. The truth is that I already have spies everywhere. [she whimpers] Everywhere!

Hyzenthlay: But why did you...?

Captain Orchis: Why? Because the General wanted to see if I could break you, Hyzenthlay. He wanted to see if I could break you into a thousand tiny pieces and then cast you to the wind. And I have to say, it was so disappointingly easy. [he walks away, laughing]

General Woundwort: [after he and his guards surround the other rabbits] So we finally meet, Thlayli. They told me you weren't a fighter, but I know a fighter when I see one. I'm going to take great pleasure in killing you.

The Siege (Part 4)

General Woundwort: I've called you here to invite you to voice any concerns you may have.

[the rabbits are all silent, and then Sainfoin speaks up]

Sergeant Sainfoin: I... I feel like by sending us to search for the outsiders, we're risking lives. These are the rabbits who have a bird under their control. I mean, who knows what other kind of elil they might have power over?

General Woundwort: Are you really concerned about the lives of your bucks, or are you concerned about your own life? Are you afraid, sergeant?

Sergeant Sainfoin: Maybe... maybe I am afraid.

General Woundwort: [pushes Sainfoin to the ground; lividly] YOU DISGUST ME! IF YOU EXPIRE SERVING THIS WARREN, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER YOURSELF FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE GLORY OF SUCH A DEATH! Those of you not loyal to me invite outsiders to steal our does. Men to kill us and the elil to bring the white blindness. Those of you not loyal to me, hate Efrafa. Are you loyal, sergeant?

Sergeant Sainfoin: Yes, sir.

General Woundwort: And what about you, Campion?

Captain Campion: I am, general.

General Woundwort: Good, I don't care if it takes one Frith or a thousand, you will find the outsiders who stole our does. And when you do, we will DESTROY THEIR WARREN AND LEAVE NO TRACE OF THEM ON THIS EARTH! And to those of you who tremble in the wake of birds, or foxes or any of the thousand enemies of rabbits, I say this: In Efrafa, we run from no Elil! We are the Elil!

Fiver: The does have seen it, the bird who saved us is gone. They're exhausted and scared--

Hazel: But they have to move on. They'll die if they stay here.

[Hazel looks at the does, who stare back at him, waiting for a response]

Clover: Speak from your heart, Hazel-rah.

Hazel: My name is Hazel, and I am chief rabbit of your new home. I know that it will take time for me to earn your trust, and hopefully your friendship, but it is a privilege for me to do so, and to serve each and every one of you, both old and new. You have fought so hard to earn your freedom, but now, you must fight to keep it. Because the battle for liberty is one which has no end. And if we fall fighting, if we stop running, then at least we knew what it was like to run. I stand here, not asking you to follow me, but to follow each other. Let’s help raise each other to our strongest selves! Let’s go home.

Hawkbit: Hello, Strawberry. Dandelion and I have something to say. Well, I'm going to say it because he speaks about once a fortnight. But the thing is, we're both rather fond of you [chuckling] and, well, we'd appreciate it if you made a decision which of us you like.

Strawberry: [pauses] Oh, Brambles, right. [hesitating] I'd forgotten about that. This is... Can I take some time to think about it?

Hawkbit: Of course, of course. But be quick [chuckling] because there are more does around now and, well, two eligible bucks like us are bound to get snapped up fast.

Dandelion: [after she leaves] Why did you say that last bit? You didn't say the last bit when we rehearsed it!

Hawkbit: I don't know, maybe I don't want to end up alone forever.

Bigwig: Hazel, we rally up anyone at silflay and take them down into the honeycomb at once.

Hazel: Alright, Holly, go. Bigwig, go and tell Strawberry to collapse all the entrances for the wood run and the big root.

Bigwig: Wait, where are you going?

Hazel: I'm going to buy us some time.

Bigwig: Hazel, no--!

Hazel: Bigwig, go.

Fiver: Is there anything I can do, Hazel?

Hazel: Have you been able to make any sense of your visions? The hrududu, the ropes?

Fiver: No, I don't know what any of it means.

Hazel: Don't worry. Get back to the warren with the others and try to keep everyone calm.

[Hazel leaves to try to reason with Woundwort]

General Woundwort: Did Thlayli send you?

Hazel: I am a friend of Thlayli, yes.

General Woundwort: Ha! He's some chief rabbit. Sending you out here instead of coming himself. [darkly] We are going to destroy you.

Hazel: I imagine you planned to take our warren by surprise, attack us at dawn, when we moved out to silflay. But you approached downwind and up here on the Downs, the wind is changeable. That’s what gave you away.

General Woundwort: An inconvenience, nothing more. By closing off some of your tunnels, you're merely delaying the inevitable.

Hazel: You should know that you won’t find it easy. You will leave with far fewer bucks. We should come to better terms. If we start a new warren in the belt of woods halfway between our two homes, we could share resources. Rabbits have enough enemies as it is, without fighting between us. You'd be seen as a leader of vision. You'd be seen as a leader of genius.

Captain Campion: It, er, might be worth considering, sir.

General Woundwort: It amuses me that you feel you're in a position to strike a deal. Let's see if you feel the same way after three days without food.

Hazel: Very well.

General Woundwort: Tell your chief rabbit that I look forward to seeing him again. [Hazel leaves] Each of you take your bucks and cover one of the entrances. Nothing leaves this warren and lives.

Sergeant Sainfoin: The men say they heard a noise, a great wailing. You don't think that bird's back?

General Woundwort: If you mention that bird one more time, I will destroy you. Campion, prepare to follow me in, but not too close, in case we're ambushed.

Captain Campion: I will not.

General Woundwort: You dare disobey me? What kind of a soldier are you?

Captain Campion: I'd rather be a good rabbit than a good soldier, sir.

General Woundwort: Orchis, finish him. Sainfoin, come with me.

Captain Orchis: That's under the command of Captain Campion to join my Battalion.

Captain Campion: All bucks under my command are dismissed.

Captain Orchis: Leave here and you'll be hunted down. [chucking] You'll be dead!

Captain Campion: [threateningly] My rank equal you may be, Orchis, but my equal in combat you are not. I strongly advise you to step away from me.

Blackberry: Bluebell, what do you call a happy rabbit?

[after a pause]

Blackberry: A hoptimist.

[Bluebell giggles]

Bigwig: You look injured, General. How does it feel to have a mark of your own?

General Woundwort: I once told you that I would kill you, Thlayli. And this time, there's no white bird to save you!

General Woundwort: I could send my bucks down here one after the other if need be, Thlayli. But it seems a waste to kill you. Come back to Efrafa, and you can lead any mark you want.

Bigwig: Silflay hraka! U embleer rah! My chief rabbit ordered me to defend this run. And until he says otherwise, I will stay right here.

Sergeant Sainfoin: His chief rabbit? He's not chief rabbit?

General Woundwort: We fear no elil. I fear no dog. I fear nothing!

Hazel: [gasps] Do I know you?

Black Rabbit of Inlé: We've spoken before. You've been tired recently, haven't you, old friend? Well, I can do something about that. I've come to ask you if you'd like to join my Owsla. We'd love to have you and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. [kits laughing in background] You needn't worry about them. [chuckles] They'll be all right, and thousands like them. If you'll come along, I'll show you what I mean.

Hazel: I'd be honored. [dies peacefully and disappears with the Black Rabbit]

External links

Wikipedia

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Watership Down (miniseries)