- "I can't say I fancy the idea myself. These small animals are more to be despised than relied upon, I reckon. What good can they do us? They can't dig for us, they can't get food for us, they can't fight for us. They'd say they were friendly, no doubt, as long as we were helping them; but that's where it would stop."
Silver was a rabbit who served as a junior officer of the Sandleford Owsla. According to Bigwig, the other Owsla officers teased him, making fun of his unusual pale gray fur and saying he only got the job because Silver was Threarah's nephew. His Lapine name is Thlaynlé which means "moon fur" in reference to his silver coat.
Personality[]
Silver proves to be very tough and strong, like all the other Owsla officers. He is almost as strong as Bigwig but does not have the same boldness or confidence as him. This is shown in the book when he says he will go back to Efrafa, as long as he does not have to go in by himself.
Books[]
Watership Down[]
Bigwig brought Silver along on the journey because they were good friends and Silver was dissatisfied with his life in the Sandleford Owsla. Silver and Bigwig often worked together with scouting and Owsla business. When they had to scout out the area near the Warren of Snares or investigate when the injured Kehaar landed near the Watership Down Warren, they always did it together.
Silver was in Captain Holly's party which went to Efrafa to bring does back to Watership Down, and he was the only one to escape uninjured. When he, Holly, Strawberry, and Buckthorn were escaping Efrafa, Silver detected that the Efrafans were still after them.
In the battle with Efrafa, Silver helped to defend the outer runs before all the Watership rabbits retreated further into the warren prior to Woundwort's final assault and battle with Bigwig. After the battle he became a senior member of Bigwig's Owsla.
Tales from Watership Down[]
Silver finds Sandwort annoying and insolent, and decides to complain to Silver's mother Melsa about it. Silver is later concerned about Crowla's strange disappearance.
Film[]
Silver in the film.
In the film, Silver has a role the same size as his book counterpart, appearing as a large grey rabbit with a rather slow personality. He appears to be more like the character Hawkbit from the book, sharing his personality and his role in questioning the authority of Hazel. He is also not mentioned to be the Threarah's nephew nor is he a member of the Owsla.
At first, Silver is just another ordinary rabbit in Sandleford Warren; but shares Hazel's view of the warren's Owsla being too mean. And so, Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, Blackberry, Dandelion, Pipkin, Violet and himself depart Sandleford Warren. Like a couple of others in their group, Silver doesn't entirely trust Hazel and Fiver. After the incident in which Bigwig was caught by a snare, he seems to accept the leadership of Hazel.
When Bigwig and the does are fleeing Efrafa, Hazel orders Silver to go to the iron bridge to see what's happening as they are late.
Trivia[]
- Silver does not appear in the Watership Down (TV series) and the miniseries.
Gallery[]
Film[]
