Disclaimer: I don't own Watership Down and I don't want to own it.
It was a late summer evening, 3 years after the big battle with General Woundwort and Efrafa, most of the rabbits from the Honeycomb crowed around in the main burrow resting. The youngsters were restless and were chasing each other or playing little games. Hazel sat there and smiled at his big warren.
We went so far, so hard to achieve this. I couldn't wish for anything better… Well, maybe a story or two from Dandelion.
As if someone was reading his mind, Dandelion appeared at the burrow entry. All the youngsters who were playing crowded around him and begged.
"Tell us a story!" One said
"Yeah! Please so that! Your stories are the best!" Another added
"Please, please, please?" All of them begged.
"All right, all right, settle down, I'll tell you a story" Dandelion walked to the center of the burrow, where it rises a little. He went up and squatted down.
"What story are you going to tell us today?" A youngster asked.
"Well, what do you want to hear?" Dandelion asked back.
"El-ahrairah!!" One shouted out.
"Yeah! El-ahrairah!" The rest cheered.
"Very well, El-ahrairah then, now which one should it be?" Dandelion scratched his head. "Ah-ha! I got one, how about 'El-ahrairah and the Farmer'?"
"Yes, please tell us that one, you never told us that before!" They jumped up and down.
"Now, now, settle down," Dandelion said, "I'm going to start."
All the rabbits quieted down, even the one that was asleep is awake now.
"It was a cold day in the early autumn…"
…and El-ahrairah and his rabbits went outside to silflay (feed outside), the grass was dry and yellow again. The chilly wind blew across and made El- ahrairah shiver. He sighed.
Why is it so unfair? My people are suffering again. There is hardly enough food, not to say that we have to store some up for the upcoming winter. Why is Frith being so cruel to me? What wrongs have I done? I wish…
Rabscuttle running toward him broke El-ahrairah's thoughts. El-ahrairah was a little paranoid, he was just thinking up a plan, now he forgot it.
"El-ahrairah!" Rabscuttle panted
"What? What do you need this time?" El-ahrairah glared
Rabscuttle was a little taken back but hid his feelings.
"I… I found something…" Rabscuttle whispered
"And? What is this something?" El-ahrairah said bored voice
"It's the farm." Rabscuttle answered
"Uhh… Don't we already know that there is a farm?" El-ahrairah asked without interest.
"Yeah, but the farmer's garden is in bloom! There is everything!" Rabscuttle's eyes shined with delight
"Really?" Now El-ahrairah is interested.
"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes, it was tempting." Rabscuttle said proudly
"Good job Rabscuttle, we will set off tomorrow night." El-ahrairah said, as he was ready to walk back to his burrow.
"Ok." Rabscuttle dashed off.
The next day, no one knew about their plan. By Fu Inlé (After moonrise), El- ahrairah, Rabscuttle are off. It was a short journey since the farm was pretty close.
They arrived to see all the beautiful garden full of cabbage and carrots. El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle dug under the fence and soon got in. They were lucky that they only needed to dig this fence only. The ran over to the garden and ate a hearty dinner. It was delicious.
"I wish the others were here to taste this!" Rabscuttle said.
"Yes, me too. Lets bring some home for them!" El-ahrairah replied.
They each took a piece of lettuce and was ready to head home when Rabscuttle tripped on a can. The can rolled and knocked over the shovel that was going to fall with a bit of a wind anyways. The shovel hit a row of cans on the ground and made huge noises.
"RABSCUTTLE" El-ahrairah shouted.
"Sorry!" Rabscuttle apologized.
Immediately, the light flickered on, and a man came out. He grabbed a rifle and steeped out. El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle dropped the lettuce and fled, they got under the fence and ran as fast as they could from the farm. El- ahrairah was grateful for his fast legs.
1.1 Thank you Frith for these super fast legs. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!
They didn't stop running until they reached their warren.
The next day, everyone knew about what happened, the story traveled like fire. Everybody tried to convince El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle to not to go back again but they were stubborn, they want to go back again there tonight. After a lot of arguing, they decided that they would go back after a week.
"Those rabbits, they don't understand anything!" El-ahrairah muttered.
"Don't worry, a week isn't that long!" Rabscuttle tried to cheer him up.
"Not when you know any second know that the farmer could be pulling it above the ground!" El-ahrairah argued
"Be patient… Be patient my friend," and Rabscuttle ran off.
As the week passed on, El-ahrairah became more and more impatient. Twice he had been thinking to set off by himself again but something in his head hold him back, like a little voice.
1.1.1 Don't do it… It will be dangerous… You promised…
Soon, they had come. Just about when El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle were ready to leave, a little rabbit ran up.
"Wait! Wait El-ahrairah!" The little rabbit yelled
El-ahrairah stopped and sighed.
What does he need NOW?? If he is trying to stop me from going, that will be impossible! Might as well as talk to him…
"What? I really need to go now!" El-ahrairah glared.
The little rabbit flinched, he had a sad expression on his face.
"You… You can't go!" The little rabbit stated
"And makes you think I wont?" El-ahrairah asked
"I… I had a vision! It… It was scary! You… You were in danger! Human!" The little rabbit had the fear in his eyes.
"Danger! Ha! In case you forgot, I am the prince with a thousand enemies! I am constantly in danger!" El-ahrairah said
"Please sir, you've to believe me!" The little rabbit pleaded.
"Now, I don't have time for all this nonsense, leave, or else I will be late!" El-ahrairah turned to leave, not bother to listen the little screaming rabbit.
When they arrived at the farm, they saw that the farmer had completely wired the fence shut. There was no way of going straight into the garden.
"What are we going to do now?" Rabscuttle asked.
"We'll just have to take the front door." El-ahrairah answered.
"But there is a cat and a dog there!" Rabscuttle said.
"Then we will just have to be very quite then!" El-ahrairah turned to Rabscuttle and stared at him.
Rabscuttle gulped and nodded. They quietly walked up to the front yard and slid in. Rabscuttle gulped as he saw the big black dog sleeping. They stayed at the side as El-ahrairah told Rabscuttle some directions.
"Now, on the count of 3, we both will run to the other side at the same time, got it?" El-ahrairah asked.
Rabscuttle nodded.
"One, Two, NOW!" El-ahrairah whispered loudly.
The two rabbits dashed off. Unfortunately again, there was a jump rope on the ground. Rabscuttle ran and tripped on it and fell.
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH" Rabscuttle yelled
Immediately, the dog awoke. The cat must have heard the scream because it jumped right on El-ahrairah. The dog started barking loudly while El- ahrairah tried to fight off the cat. Very soon, a man came out carrying a pistol and a flashlight.
"Who's there?" The man said as he flashed the light around.
It was immediately pointed to the cat and El-ahrairah. The cat backed off leaving El-ahrairah covered with blood. The man didn't see Rabscuttle quietly got and looked at El-ahrairah. Their eyes met.
Leave Rabscuttle. Leave while you can. Run, run all the way back to the warren!
Like Rabscuttle was reading his mind, he fled. By the time the dog realized that he ran away, it was too late.
On the other hand, the man picked up El-ahrairah by his neck and leveled him to his face.
"So you are the little troublemaker the other day. You were lucky that day, but not today!" The man glared.
Of course, El-ahrairah had no idea what the man was talking about, but he did know that the man was not going to go easy on him since he totally ruined the man's garden the other day.
The man picked up the pistol and was ready to shoot him when a little girl about 6 stepped out to the doorway. El-ahrairah didn't know this girl, but he saw her, immediately he realized that there was still some hope left. His life is depending on her.
Please, please, please.
"Daddy? What are you doing Daddy?" The little girl asked.
"Go back into the house Elizabeth!" The man replied.
The girl didn't obey, she came out and saw El-ahrairah.
"Daddy! You're not going to shoot him right?" Elizabeth asked gently.
"Elizabeth! Go back into the house!" The man was getting impatient.
"Please Daddy! Don't shoot him! Please" Elizabeth pleaded, there was tears in her eyes.
The man couldn't stand his precious angel being sad. He sighed and put down his gun.
"Ok, I won't, but I won't let him leave either. Or else he would come back and ruin out garden again!" The man stated.
"Then can we keep him?" The girl asked, "please?"
"Keep him, that would be crazy! He would be running around the garden destroying the plants!" The man yelled
"Then we'll keep him in a cage and feed him. He wouldn't be able to get out then!" Elizabeth answered.
"Oh, all right." The man handed sighed.
Elizabeth went over and kissed her father and took over El-ahrairah, who was extremely happy.
Yes! I'm saved. I owe it all to this little girl.
Together, the man and Elizabeth walked into the house.
After Elizabeth's mother cleaned and bandaged El-ahrairah's cuts, her father brought in a box. El-ahrairah stared at the box.
1.2 What's that? Do I have to go in? If I did, would I be able to get out?
The man opened the box and Elizabeth picked up El-ahrairah and was ready to put him in when he struggled a little and his muscles tensed.
"Shh… I wouldn't hurt you," Elizabeth smoothed his fur.
Somehow, those foreign words soothed El-ahrairah. He stopped struggling and relaxed. Elizabeth picked him up again and putted him in to the box. With one last scratch on the ear, the man shut the box. Immediately, El-ahrairah became tense again. He looked around his new prison and realized that there was no way that he could get out. El-ahrairah dropped down and lowered his head.
Great, I'm stuck in this box with no way out. Why am I complaining? If it wasn't that little girl, I would be dead by now. I guess there are some humans that have mercy. I wonder where is Rabscuttle, is he OK? Did he get back fine? Oh, no point of worrying, it's not going to solve anything. Might as well as get some sleep, I might need it tomorrow.
"Ooh, look Daddy, he must be tired!" Elizabeth pointed at El-ahrairah.
"Yes, from all of what happened today," The man patted Elizabeth's head and asked, "Would you like him in your room?"
"Can I? Really? Thank you Daddy!" Elizabeth hugged her dad.
They took the box upstairs and place it on a nightstand, right next to Elizabeth's bed. What El-ahrairah had no idea was that one the other side of Elizabeth's bed, there was another box too. In there, was a little hamster that was very curios of who the new animal in the room.
So El-ahrairah lived on his life like this for a while. He gets feed everyday, like grass, and hay but if he is lucky, he might get carrots or lettuces. The man forbids Elizabeth to take out El-ahrairah out of the cage, but sometimes when he's not there, Elizabeth would secretly take him and the hamster out. El-ahrairah got to know the hamster, his name is Hank and has been Elizabeth's pet for his whole entire life. Soon, those two became friends, they talk when Elizabeth is out of the room and El-ahrairah told Hank about how he ended up being a house pet.
One day, when the man and his wife out of town, leaving Elizabeth alone in the house, she gently took El-ahrairah's and Hank's cage and carried it downstairs to the yard. She let Hank out but left El-ahrairah in his cage. After she was done playing with Hank, she putted him back into his cage, she forgot to close the door and the top. As she was ready to take El- ahrairah out when she opened the cage door on the top, she needed to go to the bathroom.
"I'll be right back, be good" Elizabeth ran to the house.
Suddenly, the cat came. As soon as it saw Hank, it jumped on the cage and put his claw in to the cage. Hank screeched and ran to the side.
"Stop!" El-ahrairah shouted.
The cat didn't bother to listen and kept trying. El-ahrairah watched his helplessly friend running for his life.
Think El-ahrairah, think. Use one of your tricks…
But El-ahrairah couldn't think up anything. So he tried to jump out of the cage, which shook it and the cage tipped. El-ahrairah quickly got out and jumped on to the cat. He scratched the cat be the ear, which made the cat turn its attention to El-ahrairah. Its claws were around El-ahrairah's neck.
"You little troublemaker!" The cat hissed
Just when the cat was ready to kill El-ahrairah, Elizabeth came.
"Cat! No! Stop! Shoo, get out of here!" Elizabeth said sternly as the cat ran off.
She gently put El-ahrairah back into his cage and shut both of the cages.
"Lets get you back," Elizabeth sighed as she carried them into the house.
Behind one of the bushes, a figure watched the little girl carrying carry back the cages into the house. He really wanted to help El-ahrairah fight the cat but the little girl came so he couldn't to anything.
Don't worry El-ahrairah, I will get you out of this mess. I will come everyday until I find a way to get you out.
With one last look at the farm, the figure turned and ran back into the woods.
So life continued on at the farm, Elizabeth never told her parents about the little incident. Half of El-ahrairah is getting used to this caged up farm life, but the other half is getting more and more of impatient of getting locked up and wanted to go home.
One night, Elizabeth and some friends were going to sleep out at the barn. She begged and pleaded her father for that she can bring El-ahrairah and Hank with her. Her father finally agreed. Elizabeth cheered and was happy but what she didn't know that El-ahrairah was cheering inside his little head.
1.3 If we are going out again, then I might have a chance of escape!
El-ahrairah waited Elizabeth and her friends to fall asleep. He paced around in his little squishy cage. Suddenly, he heard some noise.
"Who's there?" El-ahrairah asked
"It's me, Rabscuttle!" The figure answered
"Rabscuttle? Is it really you?" El-ahrairah asked excitedly.
The figure came up, it was Rabscuttle.
"How have you been?" Rabscuttle asked
"Good and Bad, but it would be better if you get me out of here!" El- ahrairah said.
"El-ahrairah, who are you talking to?" Hank, who just had been awake, said.
"It's my friend Rabscuttle, he is going to get me out!" El-ahrairah said excitedly. "Rabscuttle, meet my friend Hank!"
The two exchanged hellos.
"Are you going to leave too?" El-ahrairah asked Hank.
"No, I lived my life here, I can't leave." Hank replied.
"Umm, I hate to bring this up but the cat outside is totally awake. Getting away from it will be a little hard because it will easily wake up the dog, who would wake up the man." Rabscuttle stated.
The three thought about what to do for a while, finally Hank spoke up.
"I'll distract the cat while you two make a getaway." He bravely said.
"I can't let you that!" El-ahrairah was shocked.
"I owe you El-ahrairah, you saved my life the other day! I have to do something for you in return!" Hank said, "Please!"
El-ahrairah sighed.
"OK, thank you." El-ahrairah gave in.
They quickly got to work. Rabscuttle opened the latch of both cages and the two climbed out. They quietly walked to the door and saw the cat right outside.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" El-ahrairah asked again.
"Yes! Now, we better hurry." Hank took a deep breath.
"Thank you Hank, it was nice meeting you. I hope we meet again!" El- ahrairah smiled at Hank.
"Yes, thank you too." Without another word, he ran out of the door.
El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle watched the cat started chasing him
May Frith be with him…
El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle dashed off too. But the dog is now awake. It started barking and chasing the rabbits. They ran even faster, using the special gift that Frith gave them. The man came out and saw all the chasing. He was very mad as he picked up Hank. He was about to grab El- ahrairah and Rabscuttle too, who was running toward him when Elizabeth called out.
"Daddy!" She ran over and took Hank.
El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle immediately dashed off but El-ahrairah only stopped to look at Elizabeth. There were tears in her eyes as she smiled and waved. El-ahrairah raised his paw like he was waving. With one last look, they ran off into the woods.
When they came back to the warren, everybody cheered for El-ahrairah's return. El-ahrairah saw the little rabbit that warned him about the whole thing.
"I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you, you were absolutely right." El- ahrairah apologized.
"I'm just happy that you are back." The little rabbit smiled, "I my vision, I didn't see you being alive, you must be really brave."
"I'll have to thank all my friends." El-ahrairah replied.
So everyone gathered around El-ahrairah in the burrow as he told about the adventure he had on the farm.
And this story was passed on and on and on and on…
"…and on and on and on." Dandelion concluded.
A tumult of cheering and clapping went through the crowed.
"Yay! That was a excellent story!" A youngster cheered.
"Tell us another one!" Another added.
"Now, now. Not today, it's time for bed." The mother said
"Awww, mother, do we have to?" He asked
"Yes, now lets go." The mother answered
Soon, everyone left and went to their own burrows. All, except Hazel.
"That was an excellent story Dandelion." Hazel said.
"Thank you Hazel-rah, I myself very much enjoyed that too" Dandelion replied. "It sure was a more hit than ours with General Woundwort."
Hazel laughed and shook his head.
"You are right, you are right." Hazel smiled, "But to me, any story that you tell will always be the best."
"Oh, I don't think I'm the best storyteller in the world" Dandelion admitted.
"But you are the best I know" Hazel argued.
"Oh Hazel, you are only saying that to make me feel better" Dandelion accused.
"I am not" Hazel argued back.
"Am too" Dandelion shot back.
The two friends kept argued as they walked back to their burrows.
THE END
It was a late summer evening, 3 years after the big battle with General Woundwort and Efrafa, most of the rabbits from the Honeycomb crowed around in the main burrow resting. The youngsters were restless and were chasing each other or playing little games. Hazel sat there and smiled at his big warren.
We went so far, so hard to achieve this. I couldn't wish for anything better… Well, maybe a story or two from Dandelion.
As if someone was reading his mind, Dandelion appeared at the burrow entry. All the youngsters who were playing crowded around him and begged.
"Tell us a story!" One said
"Yeah! Please so that! Your stories are the best!" Another added
"Please, please, please?" All of them begged.
"All right, all right, settle down, I'll tell you a story" Dandelion walked to the center of the burrow, where it rises a little. He went up and squatted down.
"What story are you going to tell us today?" A youngster asked.
"Well, what do you want to hear?" Dandelion asked back.
"El-ahrairah!!" One shouted out.
"Yeah! El-ahrairah!" The rest cheered.
"Very well, El-ahrairah then, now which one should it be?" Dandelion scratched his head. "Ah-ha! I got one, how about 'El-ahrairah and the Farmer'?"
"Yes, please tell us that one, you never told us that before!" They jumped up and down.
"Now, now, settle down," Dandelion said, "I'm going to start."
All the rabbits quieted down, even the one that was asleep is awake now.
"It was a cold day in the early autumn…"
…and El-ahrairah and his rabbits went outside to silflay (feed outside), the grass was dry and yellow again. The chilly wind blew across and made El- ahrairah shiver. He sighed.
Why is it so unfair? My people are suffering again. There is hardly enough food, not to say that we have to store some up for the upcoming winter. Why is Frith being so cruel to me? What wrongs have I done? I wish…
Rabscuttle running toward him broke El-ahrairah's thoughts. El-ahrairah was a little paranoid, he was just thinking up a plan, now he forgot it.
"El-ahrairah!" Rabscuttle panted
"What? What do you need this time?" El-ahrairah glared
Rabscuttle was a little taken back but hid his feelings.
"I… I found something…" Rabscuttle whispered
"And? What is this something?" El-ahrairah said bored voice
"It's the farm." Rabscuttle answered
"Uhh… Don't we already know that there is a farm?" El-ahrairah asked without interest.
"Yeah, but the farmer's garden is in bloom! There is everything!" Rabscuttle's eyes shined with delight
"Really?" Now El-ahrairah is interested.
"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes, it was tempting." Rabscuttle said proudly
"Good job Rabscuttle, we will set off tomorrow night." El-ahrairah said, as he was ready to walk back to his burrow.
"Ok." Rabscuttle dashed off.
The next day, no one knew about their plan. By Fu Inlé (After moonrise), El- ahrairah, Rabscuttle are off. It was a short journey since the farm was pretty close.
They arrived to see all the beautiful garden full of cabbage and carrots. El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle dug under the fence and soon got in. They were lucky that they only needed to dig this fence only. The ran over to the garden and ate a hearty dinner. It was delicious.
"I wish the others were here to taste this!" Rabscuttle said.
"Yes, me too. Lets bring some home for them!" El-ahrairah replied.
They each took a piece of lettuce and was ready to head home when Rabscuttle tripped on a can. The can rolled and knocked over the shovel that was going to fall with a bit of a wind anyways. The shovel hit a row of cans on the ground and made huge noises.
"RABSCUTTLE" El-ahrairah shouted.
"Sorry!" Rabscuttle apologized.
Immediately, the light flickered on, and a man came out. He grabbed a rifle and steeped out. El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle dropped the lettuce and fled, they got under the fence and ran as fast as they could from the farm. El- ahrairah was grateful for his fast legs.
1.1 Thank you Frith for these super fast legs. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!
They didn't stop running until they reached their warren.
The next day, everyone knew about what happened, the story traveled like fire. Everybody tried to convince El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle to not to go back again but they were stubborn, they want to go back again there tonight. After a lot of arguing, they decided that they would go back after a week.
"Those rabbits, they don't understand anything!" El-ahrairah muttered.
"Don't worry, a week isn't that long!" Rabscuttle tried to cheer him up.
"Not when you know any second know that the farmer could be pulling it above the ground!" El-ahrairah argued
"Be patient… Be patient my friend," and Rabscuttle ran off.
As the week passed on, El-ahrairah became more and more impatient. Twice he had been thinking to set off by himself again but something in his head hold him back, like a little voice.
1.1.1 Don't do it… It will be dangerous… You promised…
Soon, they had come. Just about when El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle were ready to leave, a little rabbit ran up.
"Wait! Wait El-ahrairah!" The little rabbit yelled
El-ahrairah stopped and sighed.
What does he need NOW?? If he is trying to stop me from going, that will be impossible! Might as well as talk to him…
"What? I really need to go now!" El-ahrairah glared.
The little rabbit flinched, he had a sad expression on his face.
"You… You can't go!" The little rabbit stated
"And makes you think I wont?" El-ahrairah asked
"I… I had a vision! It… It was scary! You… You were in danger! Human!" The little rabbit had the fear in his eyes.
"Danger! Ha! In case you forgot, I am the prince with a thousand enemies! I am constantly in danger!" El-ahrairah said
"Please sir, you've to believe me!" The little rabbit pleaded.
"Now, I don't have time for all this nonsense, leave, or else I will be late!" El-ahrairah turned to leave, not bother to listen the little screaming rabbit.
When they arrived at the farm, they saw that the farmer had completely wired the fence shut. There was no way of going straight into the garden.
"What are we going to do now?" Rabscuttle asked.
"We'll just have to take the front door." El-ahrairah answered.
"But there is a cat and a dog there!" Rabscuttle said.
"Then we will just have to be very quite then!" El-ahrairah turned to Rabscuttle and stared at him.
Rabscuttle gulped and nodded. They quietly walked up to the front yard and slid in. Rabscuttle gulped as he saw the big black dog sleeping. They stayed at the side as El-ahrairah told Rabscuttle some directions.
"Now, on the count of 3, we both will run to the other side at the same time, got it?" El-ahrairah asked.
Rabscuttle nodded.
"One, Two, NOW!" El-ahrairah whispered loudly.
The two rabbits dashed off. Unfortunately again, there was a jump rope on the ground. Rabscuttle ran and tripped on it and fell.
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH" Rabscuttle yelled
Immediately, the dog awoke. The cat must have heard the scream because it jumped right on El-ahrairah. The dog started barking loudly while El- ahrairah tried to fight off the cat. Very soon, a man came out carrying a pistol and a flashlight.
"Who's there?" The man said as he flashed the light around.
It was immediately pointed to the cat and El-ahrairah. The cat backed off leaving El-ahrairah covered with blood. The man didn't see Rabscuttle quietly got and looked at El-ahrairah. Their eyes met.
Leave Rabscuttle. Leave while you can. Run, run all the way back to the warren!
Like Rabscuttle was reading his mind, he fled. By the time the dog realized that he ran away, it was too late.
On the other hand, the man picked up El-ahrairah by his neck and leveled him to his face.
"So you are the little troublemaker the other day. You were lucky that day, but not today!" The man glared.
Of course, El-ahrairah had no idea what the man was talking about, but he did know that the man was not going to go easy on him since he totally ruined the man's garden the other day.
The man picked up the pistol and was ready to shoot him when a little girl about 6 stepped out to the doorway. El-ahrairah didn't know this girl, but he saw her, immediately he realized that there was still some hope left. His life is depending on her.
Please, please, please.
"Daddy? What are you doing Daddy?" The little girl asked.
"Go back into the house Elizabeth!" The man replied.
The girl didn't obey, she came out and saw El-ahrairah.
"Daddy! You're not going to shoot him right?" Elizabeth asked gently.
"Elizabeth! Go back into the house!" The man was getting impatient.
"Please Daddy! Don't shoot him! Please" Elizabeth pleaded, there was tears in her eyes.
The man couldn't stand his precious angel being sad. He sighed and put down his gun.
"Ok, I won't, but I won't let him leave either. Or else he would come back and ruin out garden again!" The man stated.
"Then can we keep him?" The girl asked, "please?"
"Keep him, that would be crazy! He would be running around the garden destroying the plants!" The man yelled
"Then we'll keep him in a cage and feed him. He wouldn't be able to get out then!" Elizabeth answered.
"Oh, all right." The man handed sighed.
Elizabeth went over and kissed her father and took over El-ahrairah, who was extremely happy.
Yes! I'm saved. I owe it all to this little girl.
Together, the man and Elizabeth walked into the house.
After Elizabeth's mother cleaned and bandaged El-ahrairah's cuts, her father brought in a box. El-ahrairah stared at the box.
1.2 What's that? Do I have to go in? If I did, would I be able to get out?
The man opened the box and Elizabeth picked up El-ahrairah and was ready to put him in when he struggled a little and his muscles tensed.
"Shh… I wouldn't hurt you," Elizabeth smoothed his fur.
Somehow, those foreign words soothed El-ahrairah. He stopped struggling and relaxed. Elizabeth picked him up again and putted him in to the box. With one last scratch on the ear, the man shut the box. Immediately, El-ahrairah became tense again. He looked around his new prison and realized that there was no way that he could get out. El-ahrairah dropped down and lowered his head.
Great, I'm stuck in this box with no way out. Why am I complaining? If it wasn't that little girl, I would be dead by now. I guess there are some humans that have mercy. I wonder where is Rabscuttle, is he OK? Did he get back fine? Oh, no point of worrying, it's not going to solve anything. Might as well as get some sleep, I might need it tomorrow.
"Ooh, look Daddy, he must be tired!" Elizabeth pointed at El-ahrairah.
"Yes, from all of what happened today," The man patted Elizabeth's head and asked, "Would you like him in your room?"
"Can I? Really? Thank you Daddy!" Elizabeth hugged her dad.
They took the box upstairs and place it on a nightstand, right next to Elizabeth's bed. What El-ahrairah had no idea was that one the other side of Elizabeth's bed, there was another box too. In there, was a little hamster that was very curios of who the new animal in the room.
So El-ahrairah lived on his life like this for a while. He gets feed everyday, like grass, and hay but if he is lucky, he might get carrots or lettuces. The man forbids Elizabeth to take out El-ahrairah out of the cage, but sometimes when he's not there, Elizabeth would secretly take him and the hamster out. El-ahrairah got to know the hamster, his name is Hank and has been Elizabeth's pet for his whole entire life. Soon, those two became friends, they talk when Elizabeth is out of the room and El-ahrairah told Hank about how he ended up being a house pet.
One day, when the man and his wife out of town, leaving Elizabeth alone in the house, she gently took El-ahrairah's and Hank's cage and carried it downstairs to the yard. She let Hank out but left El-ahrairah in his cage. After she was done playing with Hank, she putted him back into his cage, she forgot to close the door and the top. As she was ready to take El- ahrairah out when she opened the cage door on the top, she needed to go to the bathroom.
"I'll be right back, be good" Elizabeth ran to the house.
Suddenly, the cat came. As soon as it saw Hank, it jumped on the cage and put his claw in to the cage. Hank screeched and ran to the side.
"Stop!" El-ahrairah shouted.
The cat didn't bother to listen and kept trying. El-ahrairah watched his helplessly friend running for his life.
Think El-ahrairah, think. Use one of your tricks…
But El-ahrairah couldn't think up anything. So he tried to jump out of the cage, which shook it and the cage tipped. El-ahrairah quickly got out and jumped on to the cat. He scratched the cat be the ear, which made the cat turn its attention to El-ahrairah. Its claws were around El-ahrairah's neck.
"You little troublemaker!" The cat hissed
Just when the cat was ready to kill El-ahrairah, Elizabeth came.
"Cat! No! Stop! Shoo, get out of here!" Elizabeth said sternly as the cat ran off.
She gently put El-ahrairah back into his cage and shut both of the cages.
"Lets get you back," Elizabeth sighed as she carried them into the house.
Behind one of the bushes, a figure watched the little girl carrying carry back the cages into the house. He really wanted to help El-ahrairah fight the cat but the little girl came so he couldn't to anything.
Don't worry El-ahrairah, I will get you out of this mess. I will come everyday until I find a way to get you out.
With one last look at the farm, the figure turned and ran back into the woods.
So life continued on at the farm, Elizabeth never told her parents about the little incident. Half of El-ahrairah is getting used to this caged up farm life, but the other half is getting more and more of impatient of getting locked up and wanted to go home.
One night, Elizabeth and some friends were going to sleep out at the barn. She begged and pleaded her father for that she can bring El-ahrairah and Hank with her. Her father finally agreed. Elizabeth cheered and was happy but what she didn't know that El-ahrairah was cheering inside his little head.
1.3 If we are going out again, then I might have a chance of escape!
El-ahrairah waited Elizabeth and her friends to fall asleep. He paced around in his little squishy cage. Suddenly, he heard some noise.
"Who's there?" El-ahrairah asked
"It's me, Rabscuttle!" The figure answered
"Rabscuttle? Is it really you?" El-ahrairah asked excitedly.
The figure came up, it was Rabscuttle.
"How have you been?" Rabscuttle asked
"Good and Bad, but it would be better if you get me out of here!" El- ahrairah said.
"El-ahrairah, who are you talking to?" Hank, who just had been awake, said.
"It's my friend Rabscuttle, he is going to get me out!" El-ahrairah said excitedly. "Rabscuttle, meet my friend Hank!"
The two exchanged hellos.
"Are you going to leave too?" El-ahrairah asked Hank.
"No, I lived my life here, I can't leave." Hank replied.
"Umm, I hate to bring this up but the cat outside is totally awake. Getting away from it will be a little hard because it will easily wake up the dog, who would wake up the man." Rabscuttle stated.
The three thought about what to do for a while, finally Hank spoke up.
"I'll distract the cat while you two make a getaway." He bravely said.
"I can't let you that!" El-ahrairah was shocked.
"I owe you El-ahrairah, you saved my life the other day! I have to do something for you in return!" Hank said, "Please!"
El-ahrairah sighed.
"OK, thank you." El-ahrairah gave in.
They quickly got to work. Rabscuttle opened the latch of both cages and the two climbed out. They quietly walked to the door and saw the cat right outside.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" El-ahrairah asked again.
"Yes! Now, we better hurry." Hank took a deep breath.
"Thank you Hank, it was nice meeting you. I hope we meet again!" El- ahrairah smiled at Hank.
"Yes, thank you too." Without another word, he ran out of the door.
El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle watched the cat started chasing him
May Frith be with him…
El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle dashed off too. But the dog is now awake. It started barking and chasing the rabbits. They ran even faster, using the special gift that Frith gave them. The man came out and saw all the chasing. He was very mad as he picked up Hank. He was about to grab El- ahrairah and Rabscuttle too, who was running toward him when Elizabeth called out.
"Daddy!" She ran over and took Hank.
El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle immediately dashed off but El-ahrairah only stopped to look at Elizabeth. There were tears in her eyes as she smiled and waved. El-ahrairah raised his paw like he was waving. With one last look, they ran off into the woods.
When they came back to the warren, everybody cheered for El-ahrairah's return. El-ahrairah saw the little rabbit that warned him about the whole thing.
"I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you, you were absolutely right." El- ahrairah apologized.
"I'm just happy that you are back." The little rabbit smiled, "I my vision, I didn't see you being alive, you must be really brave."
"I'll have to thank all my friends." El-ahrairah replied.
So everyone gathered around El-ahrairah in the burrow as he told about the adventure he had on the farm.
And this story was passed on and on and on and on…
"…and on and on and on." Dandelion concluded.
A tumult of cheering and clapping went through the crowed.
"Yay! That was a excellent story!" A youngster cheered.
"Tell us another one!" Another added.
"Now, now. Not today, it's time for bed." The mother said
"Awww, mother, do we have to?" He asked
"Yes, now lets go." The mother answered
Soon, everyone left and went to their own burrows. All, except Hazel.
"That was an excellent story Dandelion." Hazel said.
"Thank you Hazel-rah, I myself very much enjoyed that too" Dandelion replied. "It sure was a more hit than ours with General Woundwort."
Hazel laughed and shook his head.
"You are right, you are right." Hazel smiled, "But to me, any story that you tell will always be the best."
"Oh, I don't think I'm the best storyteller in the world" Dandelion admitted.
"But you are the best I know" Hazel argued.
"Oh Hazel, you are only saying that to make me feel better" Dandelion accused.
"I am not" Hazel argued back.
"Am too" Dandelion shot back.
The two friends kept argued as they walked back to their burrows.
THE END