“
A thing can be true and still be desperate folly, Hazel.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down (Watership Down, #1))
“
Lots of little Bigwigs, Hazel! Think of that, and tremble!
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down (Watership Down, #1))
“
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]
Black Rabbit: You needn't worry about them. They'll be all right, and thousands like them. If you come along now, I'll show you what I mean.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down (Watership Down, #1))
“
Hazel, like nearly all wild animals, was unaccustomed to look up at the sky. What he thought of as the sky was the horizon, usually broken by trees and hedges.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down (Watership Down, #1))
“
With a kind of wry envy, Hazel realized that Bigwig was actually looking forward to meeting the Efrafan assault. He knew he could fight and he meant to show it. He was not thinking of anything else. The hopelessness of their chances had no important place in his thoughts. Even the sound of the digging, clearer already, only set him thinking of the best way to sell his life as dearly as he could.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down (Watership Down, #1))
“
Go,” said Hazel, firmly and quietly, “or we’ll kill you.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down)
“
Bluebell: Please, sir, I'm only a little [car] and I've left all my petrol on the grass. So if you don't mind eating the grass, sir, while I give this lady a ride-
Hazel: Bluebell, shut up!
”
”
Richard Adams
“
What is this stuff, do you know?” he asked. “No, I don’t,” said Hazel. “I’ve never seen it before.” “There’s a lot we don’t know,” said Blackberry. “About this place, I mean. The plants are new, the smells are new. We’re going to need some new ideas ourselves.” “Well, you’re the fellow for ideas,” said Hazel. “I never know anything until you tell me.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down)
“
You can pluck up your spirits, Bluebell,” he said. “I think we’re close to the iron road.” “I wouldn’t care about my spirits,” said Bluebell, “if my legs weren’t so tired. Slugs are lucky not to have legs. I think I’ll be a slug.” “Well, I’m a hedgehog,” said Hazel, “so you’d better get on!” “You’re not,” replied Bluebell. “You haven’t enough fleas. Now, slugs don’t have fleas, either. How comforting to be a slug, among the dandelions so snug—” “And feel the blackbird’s sudden tug,” said Hazel.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down)
“
Hazel, watching, lent help here and there and encouraged the others.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down (Watership Down, #1))
“
Bigwig: "I can't think why he didn't convince Threarah."
Hazel: "Because Threarah doesn't like anything he hasn't thought of for himself.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down (Watership Down, #1))
“
Can you run?” said Hazel. “I think not. Why you pop-eyed, back-door saucer-scraper—
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down (Watership Down, #1))
“
He reached the top of the bank in a single, powerful leap. Hazel followed; and together they slipped away, running easily down through the wood, where the first primroses were beginning to bloom.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down (Watership Down, #1))
“
alighted near Hazel and Fiver. “How’s Holly?” asked Hazel. “’E sad,” said Kehaar. “’E say you no come back.” Then he added, “Mees Clover, she ready for mudder.” “That’s good,” said Hazel. “Is anyone doing anything about it?” “Ya, ya, ees all to fight.” “Oh, well, I suppose it’ll sort itself out.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down)
“
It’s like a great mist of folly that covers the whole sky: and we shall never see to go by Frith’s light any more. Oh, what will become of us? A thing can be true and still be desperate folly, Hazel.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down)
“
If we ever meet again, Hazel-rah,' said Dandelion, as he took cover in the grass verge, 'we ought to have the makings of the best story ever.'
'And you'll be the chap to tell it,' said Hazel.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down (Watership Down, #1))
“
Captain,” said Bluebell, “do you know what the first blade of grass said to the second blade of grass?” Hazel looked at him sharply, but Holly replied, “Well?” “It said, ‘Look, there’s a rabbit! We’re in danger!
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down)
“
Mixed with the resinous scent of the firs there came another smell, strong and fragrant, yet sharp—the perfume of flowers, but of some kind unknown to Hazel. He followed it to its source at the edge of the wood. It came from several thick patches of soapwort growing along the edge of the pasture. Some of the plants were not yet in bloom, their buds curled in pink, pointed spirals held in the pale green calices, but most were already star-flowering and giving off their strong scent. The bats were hunting among the flies and moths attracted to the soapwort.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down)
“
back to the hollow in the middle of the field. As he waited, Hazel realized more fully than ever how dangerous was their position, without holes, wandering in country they did not know.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down)
“
Hazel’s feelings were like those which might pass through the mind of a defeated general. Where were his followers exactly? He hoped, not far away. But were they? All of them? Where had he led them? What was he going to do now? What if an enemy appeared at this moment? He had answers to none of these questions and no spirit left to force himself to think about them. Behind him, Pipkin shivered in the damp, and he turned and nuzzled him—much as the general, with nothing left to do, might fall to considering the welfare of his servant, simply because the servant happened to be there.
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down (Watership Down, #1))
“
Hazel knew, he could not help despising them for timid, helpless, stay-at-home creatures who could not fly. He was often impatient. Did he mean that he had looked at the river and considered it as if he were a rabbit? That there was slack water immediately below the bridge, with a low, shelving bank where they could get out easily? That seemed too much to hope for. Or did he simply mean that they had better hurry up and take a chance on being able to do what he himself could do without difficulty? This seemed more likely. Suppose one of them did jump out of the boat and go down with the current—what would that tell the others, if he did not come back?
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down)
“
There was no more questioning of Bigwig’s strength, Fiver’s insight, Blackberry’s wits or Hazel’s authority
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down)
“
Over there,” answered Blackberry. “There’s been a fearful row. Bigwig told Hawkbit and Speedwell that he’d scratch them to pieces if they didn’t obey him. And when Hawkbit said he wanted to know who was Chief Rabbit, Bigwig bit him. It seems a nasty business. Who is Chief Rabbit, anyway—you or Bigwig?” “I don’t know,” answered Hazel, “but Bigwig’s certainly the strongest. There was no need to go biting Hawkbit: he couldn’t have gone back if he’d tried. He and his friends would have seen that if they’d been allowed to talk for a bit. Now Bigwig’s put their backs up, and they’ll think they’ve got to go on because he makes them. I want them to go on because they can see it’s the only thing to do. There are too few of us for giving orders and biting people. Frith in a fog! Isn’t there enough trouble and danger already?
”
”
Richard Adams (Watership Down)
“
If we ever meet again Hazel-rah", said Dandelion, as he took cover in the grass verge, "we ought to have the makings of the best story ever.
”
”
Richard Adams
“
It’s the place that worries you,” said Hazel. “I don’t like it myself, but it won’t go on forever.” Richard Adams, Watership Down
”
”
Cornelia Funke (Inkheart / Inkspell / Inkdeath (The Inkheart Trilogy #1-3))