The King's Lettuce is a traditional rabbit myth. It was told by Dandelion during the rabbits' time at Cowslip's burrow.
Summary[]
Prince Rainbow was ordered by Lord Frith to keep watch over El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle during a period of forced famine and depression for rabbits. El-ahrairah made a bargain with Prince Rainbow: if El-ahrairah was able to steal the lettuces from King Darzin's garden, Prince Rainbow would allow the rabbits to multiply and eat as they wished. However, if El-ahrairah was caught stealing the lettuces, he would almost certainly be killed by King Darzin's soldiers.
Rabscuttle befriended King Darzin's son in order to get into the castle. He spoiled all the food in the royal storerooms and the King became ill. El-ahrairah disguised himself as a physician sent by Prince Rainbow and went to see the King. He said that the lettuces had all been spoiled by the dreadful Lousepedoodle. King Darzin delivered all the lettuces from his garden to the rabbits thinking to poison them.
When Prince Rainbow saw the lettuces in the fields of the rabbits, they were released from their imprisonment and allowed to multiply. To this day no rabbit can be kept out of a vegetable garden, for El-ahrairah prompts them with a thousand tricks.