Tales from Watership Down

Tales from Watership Down Read Free Page B

Book: Tales from Watership Down Read Free
Author: Richard Adams
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talk to a splendid grizzly bear, whose coat of light-brown fur was tipped with silver. “Some, like my Mexican friend here, the men quite deliberately shot, trapped and poisoned out of existence; but many othersvanished because men destroyed their natural habitats and they couldn’t adapt themselves to live elsewhere.”
    They were coming to a forest, whose tall trees, tangled together with creeper, actually shut out a large part of the sky. El-ahrairah felt nervous. He had had quite enough of forests for the time being. But the King, it seemed, was concerned only to watch the birds among the outer precincts. Most splendid they were, finches, honeycreepers, dark-plumaged molokai, macaws and many more, all living at peace and acknowledging their allegiance to the king.
    “This forest,” said the King, “is vast and grows daily. If you went in, you would soon be lost and never find your way out again. It consists of all the forest destroyed by human beings. Of late years it has grown so fast that Lord Frith has told me that he is thinking of appointing a second king to rule it.” He smiled. “A king who might well be a tree himself, El-ahrairah. What would you think of that?”
    “I would think that Lord Frith, in his wisdom, is justified in all his ways, Your Majesty.”
    The King laughed. “A very good reply. Come, we’ll stroll back now. There is an assembly at sunset, and you’ll be able to ask me the favor you are seeking for your people. I promise to help if I can.”
    They walked back by way of the river, in which the King showed El-ahrairah several fishes—New Zealand Grayling, Thicktail Chub, Blackfin Cisco and others—all of which had become extinct. Back at the courtyard, they found animals and birds already assembling, and as thesun set, the King announced that he would start the meeting.
    He began by introducing El-ahrairah, telling them that he had come to the Court of Yesterday to beg for a favor which would greatly benefit the rabbits of whom he was the Chief. Then he asked El-ahrairah to take his place in the middle of all the creatures present and tell them what he had come to ask for.
    El-ahrairah spoke to them about his people, of their strength and speed and cunning, and of how they lacked only one faculty to make them rivals of all other animals—namely, the Sense of Smell. When he had finished speaking, he could tell that all the birds and animals felt themselves on his side and eager to help him.
    Then the King spoke. “My good friend,” he said, “most brave and worthy rabbit, how gladly would I grant your request. But alas! we in this kingdom are no longer the guardians of the Sense of Smell. It is true that the Ilips gave it to us to keep many years ago, but here, in the Land of Yesterday, we were never able to put it to any use. Then one day an emissary, a gazelle, came to us from the King of Tomorrow, requesting us to lend them the Sense of Smell. They would return it soon, the gazelle promised. So we gave it to him to take back to their King. But you know how it often is with things that are lent: they don’t get returned. Having no use for it here, we forgot all about it; and so, I dare say, have they. It must still be at the court of the King of Tomorrow, and I can only advise you,friend rabbit, to seek it there. I am very sorry to disappoint you.”
    “Is it far?” asked El-ahrairah. He was thinking that if anyone else referred him elsewhere he would explode with frustration; yet what could he do?
    “I fear it certainly is far,” replied the King. “It must be many days’ journey for a rabbit. Dangerous too.”
    “Your Majesty,” cried a brindled, heavy-muzzled gray wolf. “I will carry him there on my back. It will be no distance for me.”
    El-ahrairah gladly accepted the offer, and that very night they set out together, for the Kenai wolf told him that he preferred traveling by night and sleeping by day.
    They traveled for three nights; a long way, but El-ahrairah

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