"Ow! What're you tryin' to do, kill me?"
Laburnum was pressing a dock leaf to the side of Cartman's head. "Hold still," she told him. "We've got to press hard to stop the bleeding."
Cartman scowled. "I think you're doing it wrong. It hurts."
"O' course it hurts," she said. "You just got your ear blown off!"
"I'm gonna get even with that farmer," Cartman said. "You just wait." Just then, his remaining ear picked up the sounds of laughter and singing from the big meeting chamber. "What's that all about?" he demanded.
Laburnum shrugged. "No idea."
Cartman struggled to his feet and staggered in the direction of the sound. Laburnum followed.
They found a group of rabbits gathered around Silverweed, who was singing a new song.
"He reached, he stretched, he groped, he fumbled.
He wobbled and bobbled and bumbled and stumbled.
Till clatter-crack-crash, it all came down,
On top of Cartman, on the ground!"
Cartman was outraged! He ran up to Silverweed and punched him. Silverweed fell down. "What's this? Are you disrespecting mah authoritah?"
Kingcup felt sorry for Silverweed; he tried to intervene. "Go easy, Chief. He was only havin' a bit of a laugh."
"Oh, yeah, he's a real riot," Cartman said sarcastically. "Will he think it's funny if I pull out his tongue? Or better yet, I'll tear off his ear. Then he'll look just like me!" He vented his wrath on the crowd. "Before I came along, you were all living in fear, knowing you could be killed by the shining wires at any moment. I put an end to that. I also had the brilliant idea of stealing food from the farmer's garden. And this is how you repay me?"
Cowslip stepped forward. "With all due respect, Chief, that raid was a disaster. All we did was make him mad. He's already nearly killed you; what if he decides to kill all of us?"
"Cowslip's right," said Laburnum. "Maybe we'd better pull up stakes. Pack up and leave."
"NO!" shouted Cartman. "I already left my old home to come here. I'm not moving again! I've got to get even!"
"You're already even," Cowslip pointed out. "You took his toe and he took your ear. If I were you, I'd consider that a fair exchange."
Cartman laughed darkly. "Oh, I haven't even begun to fight. You'll see. I'll make sure that man never messes with me, or any rabbit, ever again…"