Watership Down facts for kids
Watership Down is a famous novel written by Richard Adams. It tells the exciting story of a group of rabbits. These rabbits go on an amazing adventure. They are looking for a new home. Their journey takes them to a hill in Hampshire, England, called Watership Down.
In this fantasy book, the rabbits are very smart. They think and act a lot like humans. They even have their own culture, language, and stories. They also have their own proverbs and poetry.
The book was first published in the United Kingdom in 1972. It has been very popular ever since. You can now find it in 18 different languages around the world.
Contents
Meet the Main Characters
- Hazel – He is the main character of the story. Hazel is not the biggest or strongest rabbit. But he is very loyal, brave, and a quick thinker. He becomes the leader of the rabbits. Hazel always sees the good in others. He makes sure no one is left behind. He often trusts his brother Fiver's advice.
- Fiver – Fiver is a small rabbit. His rabbit name, Hrairoo, means "Little-five." He has a special gift. Fiver can see things that will happen in the future. His visions help the rabbits avoid danger. He often has visions about Hazel. Fiver's visions lead the rabbits to leave their first home.
- Bigwig – Bigwig is a very strong and powerful rabbit. His rabbit name, Thlayli, means "Fur-head." He used to be a guard in his old warren. Bigwig is brave and ready for action. He quickly becomes friends with a seagull named Kehaar. Bigwig is a very important fighter for the group.
- General Woundwort – He is the Chief Rabbit of Efrafa. Woundwort is the main enemy in the story. He is a very tough and strict leader. He became an orphan when he was young. He built the Efrafa warren. He is described as the largest rabbit anyone has ever seen.
The Story of Watership Down
Leaving Their Old Home
Fiver, a rabbit who can see the future, lives in Sandleford Warren. He has a terrible vision. He sees his home being destroyed by humans. Fiver tries to warn the Chief Rabbit, Threarah. But Threarah does not believe him.
So, Fiver convinces his brother, Hazel, to leave. Hazel, Fiver, and nine other rabbits decide to search for a new home. They trust Fiver's dreams. They believe a good home is waiting for them far away.
A Strange New Warren
The rabbits travel through forests and fields. They cross rivers and roads. They see "hrududu's" (cars) on the roads. They get very tired. Finally, they stop at a warren led by a rabbit named Cowslip.
At first, the rabbits are happy to rest. But Cowslip's warren feels strange. The other rabbits act oddly. Fiver especially feels that something is wrong.
They soon discover the truth. A farmer is feeding and caring for Cowslip's rabbits. But he is doing it to kill them for food, one by one. The traveling rabbits quickly leave this dangerous place. Bigwig almost dies on the way out.
Finding Watership Down
The rabbits keep going. They finally arrive at Watership Down. It is a high hill. It is far from humans. It has lots of good food and feels safe. Fiver had promised them this good land.
After a few days, Hazel becomes the unofficial chief rabbit. But Hazel realizes something important. There are no does (female rabbits) among them. A warren cannot grow without does.
Meeting a New Friend
Later, Hazel rescues a big gull named Kehaar. Kehaar was hurt by a cat. The rabbits take care of Kehaar. They help him get better. In return, Kehaar agrees to help the rabbits.
Hazel asks Kehaar to fly around and look for other warrens. Kehaar finds a large warren called Efrafa to the south. He tells Hazel that Efrafa is very big and crowded.
The Dangerous Efrafa Warren
Hazel sends four rabbits to Efrafa. They want to ask for some does to join their warren. But Efrafa is tightly controlled. General Woundwort and his large army run everything.
Every rabbit in Efrafa is told when and where to eat and sleep. Nothing happens without the General's permission. No rabbit can leave the warren. The four rabbits barely escape after tricking an Efrafan Captain.
Rescuing Farm Rabbits
At the same time, Hazel leads a small group. They look for a farm Kehaar told them about. This farm has a few caged rabbits, including does.
The Watership rabbits raid the farm. They free some caged rabbits. But Hazel gets shot on the way out. Fiver has a vision and finds Hazel. Hazel is brought back to health.
The Great Escape from Efrafa
Now knowing how dangerous Efrafa is, Hazel decides to free rabbits from there. All the Watership rabbits travel carefully to Efrafa. Bigwig pretends to be a lost rabbit. He sneaks into Efrafa. He acts like an officer in their army.
But secretly, Bigwig helps other rabbits plan an escape. He meets Hyzenthlay and Thethunninnang. They are two does who want to leave. They agree to escape with Bigwig if he has a good plan.
Bigwig and the does break out of Efrafa with Kehaar's help. General Woundwort and his army chase them. Kehaar attacks Woundwort. The rabbits escape on a small boat across a stream. Two does die, but most make it safely to Watership Down.
The Final Battle
The rabbits are happy to see the new does. But a field mouse warns them. General Woundwort and a small team are coming to attack. The General attacks the warren at night. The Watership Rabbits go to their deepest burrows. They block the tunnels to hold off the Efrafans.
Inside a burrow, Fiver has too many visions at once and passes out. Meanwhile, Hazel has a vision. He sees how to stop the Efrafans. Hazel tells Bigwig to stay and fight. Hazel takes Blackberry and Dandelion out of the burrow. Hazel's plan is to use a dog from a nearby farm to defeat the Efrafans.
Hazel's plan works! But Bigwig and Hazel get hurt. General Woundwort disappears. He is never seen again. Captain Campion and the other attackers go back to Efrafa. Campion becomes the new Chief Rabbit there.
Hazel lives a long life as the Chief Rabbit of Watership Down. His warren grows well and is peaceful. Fiver recovers. Bigwig becomes a respected captain of the guard.
See also
In Spanish: La colina de Watership para niños
