Watership Down
1978
Blackberry: Men have always hated us. Holly: No. They just destroyed the warren because we were in their way. Fiver: They'll never rest until they've spoiled the earth.
Frith: All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and when ever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you: digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning, full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed.
Dandelion: (looking at the countryside from Watership Down) O Frith on the hills! He made it all for us! Hazel: Frith may have made it, but Fiver found it.
Hazel: Lord Frith, I know you've looked after us well, and it's wrong to ask even more of you. But my people are in terrible danger, and so I would like to make a bargain with you. My life in return for theirs. Frith: There is not a day or night when a mother doe does not offer her life for her kittens, or an honest captain of Owsla his life for his chief's. But there is no bargain. What is, is what must be.
(Confronting Bigwig leading a mass defection of Efrafans) General Woundwort: Bigwig, you traitorous... ! (to a subordinate) General Woundwort: Captain, get this miserable group back to their marks. I'll settle you myself, Bigwig. There's no need to take you back. Bigwig: Come and try, you cracked-brain slave driver!
(after General Woundwort's last stand against a dog) Narrator: General Woundwort's body was never found. It could be that he still lives his fierce life somewhere else, but from that day on, mother rabbits would tell their kittens that if they did not do as they were told, the General would get them. Such was Woundwort's monument, and perhaps it would not have displeased him.
(after they've been fighting) Bigwig: I told you once that I was trying to impress you... I hope I have. General Woundwort: And I told you I would kill you myself! There's no white bird here, Bigwig!
Kehaar: You stupid bunnies!
General Woundwort: (after Kehaar the bird attacks him) Get away, you damn white bird!
Narrator: Long ago, the great Frith made the world. He made all the stars, and the Earth lived among the stars. He made all the animals and birds, and at first, he made them all the same. Now, among the animals in these days was El-Ahrairah, the prince of rabbits. He had many friends, and they all ate grass together. But after a time, the rabbits wandered everywhere, multiplying and eating as they went. Then Frith said to El-Ahrairah, 'Prince Rabbit, if you cannot control your people, I shall find ways to control them.' But El-Ahrairah would not listen. He said to Frith, 'My people are the strongest in the world.' This angered Frith, and he determined to get the better of El-Ahrairah. And so, he gave a present to every animal and bird, making each one different from the rest. When the fox came, and others, like the dog, and cat, hawk, and weasel, to each of them, Frith gave a fierce desire to hunt and kill the children of El-Ahrairah.
Fiver: Hazel, look... the field... it's covered with blood!
Fiver: There's something very queer about the warren this evening... Hazel: Is it dangerous? Fiver: It's not exactly danger, it's... oh, I don't know. Something oppressive... like thunder.
The Cat: Can you run? I think not... I think not.
Bigwig: Hyzenthlay. Hyzenthlay: Sir? Bigwig: I'd like to talk with you. Hyzenthlay: I'm in the mark and under your orders, sir. Bigwig: Do you remember a pale grey rabbit called Holly you helped escape some while ago? Hyzenthlay: You've made a mistake, sir. Bigwig: Listen, Hyzenthlay. Listen carefully. I'm from a warren where life is free. Where you can do is as you wish. I've come to bring you all out of Efrafra. Hyzenthlay: You might be a spy sent by the council. Bigwig: You know I'm not. Will you join us? And persuade your friends as well, trust me. My friends are not far away. Hyzenthlay: (Voice is breaking) My courage, my... spirit is so much less than it was. Bigwig: We can escape Efrafra. Believe me. Hyzenthlay: Yes... I think I do. (She smiles)
Hazel: My heart has joined the Thousand, for my friend stopped running today.
Campion: The new officer, sir. He's gone. General Woundwort: Bigwig. Campion: He's wounded Sherbil, taken a crowd of the mark with him. General Woundwort: Imbleer Frith. I'll blind him. I'LL BLIND HIM!
Bigwig: Aren't you going to silflay? Blackavar: I don't silflay at this time, sir. Sherbil: Tell him why you're here, Blackavar. Blackavar: (Mumbles) I've come here for the mark... (Sherbil swipes at him to make him speak up, and he does) I... I... I've come here for the mark to see me. I... I've been punished for trying to leave the warren. (Sherbil glares) The council were merciful... (Sherbil threatens him again, and Blackavar cowers) The council were merciful. Sherbil: He keeps trying to run away. Captain Campion caught him this time. The council ripped his ears and says he has to show himself every morning early silflay as an example to the others. If you ask me, he won't last much longer. He'll meet a blacker rabbit than himself one of these times.
Black Rabbit: Hazel... Hazel... you know me, don't you? Hazel: I don't know. (the apparition reveals himself to be the Black Rabbit, and Hazel gasps) Hazel: Yes, my lord. I know you. Black Rabbit: I've come to ask if you'd like to join my Owsla. We shall be glad to have you, and I know you'd like it. You've been feeling tired, haven't you? If you're ready, we might go along now. (Hazel looks at all the younger rabbits of Watership Down) You needn't worry about them. They'll be alright, and thousands like them. If you come along now, I'll show you what I mean.
Fiver: So cold... so very cold...
Bigwig: (meeting secretly with Kehaar to discuss the escape plan) Listen carfeully. Kehaar: (none too quietly) YAH! Bigwig: (not knowing Woundwort has heard Kehaar) Shhhh!
(Kehaar makes a clumsy crash landing in a patch of grass... then looks around to make sure no one saw him) Kehaar: Perfect landing.
Blackberry: Fiver, there's been some trouble. Hazel's been shot. Fiver: No. Blackberry: The Black Rabbit serves Lord Frith, but he does no more than his appointed task. Fiver: Hazel's not dead.
Bigwig: There's a dog loose in the woods! Bigwig: Oh, that does it!
Hazel: Are you hurt? Kehaar: Kaah kaah! Hazel: If he's hurt, maybe we ought to help him. Bigwig: A bird? What for? Hazel: We - help - you. Kehaar: Piss off!