Rabbit folklore is the folklore told by rabbits. Many of the stories consist of tales told of El-ahrairah and his tricks.
Stories[]
Watership Down[]
The Story of the Blessing of El-ahrairah[]
Starting in chapter 6 (page 26) of Watership Down. The Sandleford rabbits are escaping through the woods from their past warren. When they stop to rest and settle their nerves, Dandelion begins to tell this story.
When Frith made the world. He made all the animals and birds and at first made them all the same. Among the animals was El-ahrairah; the prince of rabbits and he had so many wives and so many children that he could not count them all. And they were eating up all the grass and multiplying rapidly. Frith noticed and told El-ahrairah to control his people. But El-ahrairah brushed it off and walked away. This angered Frith and he thought about killing El-ahrairah but he still needed him for his mischievousness. So, he announced that he would hold a great meeting and, that in that meeting he would give a present to every animal and bird to make them different from the rest. So, every animal went at different times and received their gift. And while this was happening El-ahrairah was dancing, mating, and boasting about how great his gift was going to be. Soon after, El-ahrairah set out to the meeting place but decided to rest a bit on the way. Then, a bird came over the hill screaming. And said that Frith had blessed some of the animals with the desire to devour the belongs of El-ahrairah. El-ahrairah was frightened, and so ran away in the hills and dug a hole to hide from the fox and the weasel. But Frith came over the hill and saw El-ahrairah's tail sticking out. Then called to him and asked if he’d seen El-ahrairah so he could give him his gift. El-ahrairah lied and said no in fear of the fox and weasel coming. He then said, if you want to bless me you will have to bless my bottom. So, Frith blessed his bottom instead. And El-ahrairah's back legs grew long and powerful. And he tore across the field faster than any creature in the world. And from then on his people will never be destroyed.
The Story of the King’s Lettuce[]
Starting in chapter 15 (page 93) of Watership Down. In effort to calm the Sandleford rabbits nerves, at Cowslip's Warren, Dandelion begins to tell this story.
The story of the King’s Lettuce is about a time when El-ahrairah and his people were living in the marshes of Kelfazin. They were stuck there because all of the other animals had grown suspicious of El-ahrairah and his tricks. And to ensure that they were still there Prince Rainbow would go down to the swamp and check. But one day when Prince Rainbow was coming through the marshes, El-ahrairah asked him why he was being kept there. And Prince Rainbow replied all the other animals know your tricks and do not trust you. We will not let you out until you swear to be a honest rabbit. But that means I will not be a rabbit anymore replied El-ahrairah. Then you will never get you and your people out of these marshes said Prince Rainbow. Then, El-ahrairah decided to make a deal; if he stole the lettuces from King Darin’s garden he would be let free. Prince Rainbow laughed at him but agreed. It also just so happen that Yona the Hedgehog was nearby and heard the exchange. He slipped away and told the King of the danger. The King immediately sent a guard to tell the Garden staff that not one lettuce should leave the garden. (WIP)
The Story of the Trial of El-ahrairah[]
Starting on page 166 of Watership Down, Dandelion tells this tale to calm his fellow rabbits after settling in to their new warren.
After El-alrairah and his people were free from the marshes of Kelfrazin. He and Rabscuttle were feeding when Prince Rainbow came to the with another rabbit they had not seen before. As well as to tell him that he and Rabscuttle could not sleep on the same hole together. When asked why Prince Rainbow replied that it would be to much of a good thing. Their trickery combined would lead to nothing but trouble. Then, he introduced them to Hufsa. He wanted El-ahrairah to be his friend and look after him. When asked where he comes from Prince Rainbow answered "...from another country". The rabbit stayed with El-ahrairah. Then one day, the rabbit then went off (WIP)
The Story of El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inlé[]
Starting in chapter 31 (page 268) of Watership Down, Dandelion tells this story after a few of his fellow rabbits come up with the idea to cheer the group up while they rest on their way to Efrafa.
After King Darzin found out he had been tricked by El-ahrairah. He decided to get back at him by sending it guards to capture him, while out with a group of rabbits. He recaptured him and sent him to be punished by forcing him to dig holes. One day while out with another group, rabscuttle got captured by some of King Darzin's soldiers and was brought back to the king. He was punished by being forced to dig holes as well. But one day El-ahrairah dug a tunnel to Rabscuttle and freed him. Still, the king put guards on all their tunnels so none of his people could escape. So El-ahrairah made a deal with the black rabbit of Inlé; his soul in exchange for the safety of his people. So he set out to meet the black rabbit and when he did he was put under many challenges by the black rabbit and his Owsla. Ultimately loosing his ears, his tail and his whiskers. Until finally El-ahrairah thought he could out smart The Black Rabbit by defeating the enemy himself. So, when he came across the tunnel that held the white blindness. He leaped into it and stayed there to make sure he had been infected. And when he finally came out he began to run back to the fields of Kafzen but before he got their the black rabbit called to him and asked: El-ahrairah what are you doing and he replied I am going to being soon the white blindeness to kind darkens orders and free my people one and for all. Oh El-ahrairah, said The Black Rabbit don’t you know how the white blindness is carried? It’s carried in the ears of rabbits. Then El-ahrairah stopped and fell down in despair. The Black Rabbit pitied him and said that he will get rid of the enemy for him. Soon El-ahrairah got up again and, with Rabscuttle, made their long journey home. He had many experiences through out his journey and funnily when he got back to the hills it had been months. The first rabbits he met did not recognize him for when he got back, they were all young. And when Frith saw him he gave back El-ahrairah his tail, ears and whiskers.
The Story of Rowsby Woof and the Fairy Wogdog[]
Starting in chapter 41 (page 394) of Watership Down, after the Sandleford rabbits and their escapees finally seem to escape Efrafa and make it to Watership Down, Dandelion tells this story.
El-ahrairah dresses up as a spirit sent by the Queen of Dogs to tell Rowsby that he is the best ratter in the world, and has been chosen to meet her, as long as he goes to the crossroads by his house at midnight. Rowsby obeys, wanting to meet the Queen. The Fairy Wogdog, who is actually El-ahrairah, then tells him that the Queen is sick with the plague and the only cure is that if a dog would run around his house four times barking as loud as he could, the plague would go away. While Rowsby is doing this, El-ahrairah's partner, Rabscuttle steals the lettuce in the garden that Rowsby Woof is guarding. Everyone benefits because Rowsby Woof feels like he saved the Queen of the Dogs, even if there is no such dog, and El-ahrairah, Rabscuttle, and all the other rabbits get a bountiful supply of lettuce.
Tales from Watership Down[]
The Sense of Smell[]
Starting in chapter 1 (page 5) of Tales from Watership Down. After defeating General Woundwort, the rabbits of Watership Down are settling down in their new warren. And some of the younger rabbits want to hear a story from Dandelion.
El-ahrairah, after learning that his people don’t have the sense of smell, travels a dark country where the Illips live, the land of yesterday where extinct animals live, and the land of tomorrow, where animals not yet extinct thrive.
Main page: The Sense of Smell
The Story of the Three Crows[]
Starting in chapter 2 (page 31) of Tales from Watership Down.
Hoping to regain his youth, El-ahrairah searches for three cows, each one with strange powers, but facing problems.
The Story of King Fur-Rocious[]
Starting in chapter 3 (page 48) of Tales from Watership Down.
El-ahrairah enlists the help of a cat, a pair of crows, a swarm of ants, and a stream of water, to defeat the evil rabbit, King Fur-rocious to save his favorite doe, Nur-Rama.
The Fox in the Water[]
Starting in chapter 4 (page 57) of Tales from Watership Down.
The Hole in the Sky[]
Starting in chapter 5 (page 64) of Tales from Watership Down.
The Story of the Cosmic Field[]
Starting in chapter 8 (page 97) of Tales from Watership Down. After meeting the black rabbit, on El-ahrairah’s journey back home he finds a “cosmic field” (maze).
The Story of the Great Marsh[]
Starting in chapter 9 (page 107) of Tales from Watership Down. On El-ahrairah’s trek back home, he decides to stay at a nearby warren to recover.
The Story of the Terrible Hay-Making[]
Starting in chapter 10 (page 123) of Tales from Watership Down. After El-ahrairah saves the Burdock’s warren from the destruction of the rats. They find another problem at the other side of the swamp.
El-ahrairah and the Lendri[]
Starting in chapter 11 (page 135) of Tales from Watership Down. Soon after fleeing the Burdock’s warren from humans, El-ahrairah comes across a vast forest in which he can find no way around.
Passages[]
”…long ago El-ahrairah made a bargain with Frith. Frith promised him that rabbits were not to be born dead or unwanted. If there’s little chance of a decent life for them, it’s a doe’s privilege to take them back into her body unborn.” (Watership Down, Pg. 194)
”…about a when Frith had to go away on a journey, leaving the whole world to be covered with rain. But a man built a great floating hutch that held all the animals and birds until Frith returned and let them out.” (Watership Down, Pg. 208)
"All right," said Dandelion. "How about 'El-ahrairah and the Fox and the Water'?" "Let's have 'The Hole in the Sky,'" said Hawkbit. "No, not that,'" said Bigwig suddenly. He had spoken very little all evening and everyone looked round. 'If you're going to tell a story, there's only one I want," he went on. " 'El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inlé .'" (Watership Down, Pg. 267)
”Once they lived with a lendri and found pheasants’ eggs for him in the wood. And once they barley escaped from the middle of a hayfield when the hay was cutting.” (Watership Down, Pg. 280)
“So then El-ahrairah said to the fox, ‘Fox you may smell and fox you may be, but I can tell your fortune in the water.’” (Watership Down, Pg. 447)
Adaptations[]
Watership Down Film (1978)[]
The prologue of the 1978 film features “The Story of the Blessing of El-ahrairah”. There is also a deleted scene at cowslips warren with “The Story of the Kings Lettuce”. Recently there has been discovered cels which depict El-ahrairah has a wind-up toy, which, supposedly would have been featured in that scene.
Watership Down TV series (1998)[]
Many times stories are featured through out the series.
In episode 10 of season 1 (Tales of a Mouse), Dandelion tells “The Story of Rowsby Woof and the Fairy Wogdog”.
In episode 2 of season 2 (The Roundabout), Dandelion tell a entirely new story of how rabbits gained the wisdom to dig holes for shelter.
In episode 7 of season 2 (The Great Game), the rabbits of Watership Down use inspiration from the tale “The Story of the trial of El-ahrairah” to trick Vervain into appearing crazy.
In episode 9 of season 2 (Winter on Watership Down, part 2), Pipkin tells a new story which explains why Frith goes away in the winter.
Watership Down Miniseries (2018)[]
The prologue of the series features The Story of the Blessing of El-ahrairah in a shadow puppet style.
When the rabbits of Watership Down end up at Cowslip’s warren, Bluebell tells The Story of the King’s Lettuce.