Tales From Watership Down (Watership Down 2)

Chew their necks until they die."

Out came the pussycat in a moment. The rats ran in all directions, but she was among them in a flash and chewed them up in hundreds until there wasn't one left alive. Then she went back into Elahrairah's ear, and Elahrairah went to sleep.

When morning came, King Fur-Rocious said to his rabbits, "Go and fetch the carcass of that insolent Elahrairah and throw it out on the grass."

But when they went in, they found Elahrairah sitting among the dead rats, singing. "Where's that loathsome King?" said Elahrairah. "Tell him to give me back my doe."

"You shan't have her," said the King. "Take him and shut him up with the Wildcat Weasels! Then we shall see what becomes of his insolent demands."

So Elahrairah was shut up with the Wildcat Weasels.

In the middle of the night, Elahrairah sang:

"Come out, crows, by one and two,

Teach those weasels what to do.

Peck those weasels on the head.

Peck them till they fall down dead."

Out came the crows from Elahrairah's ear and pecked the Wildcat Weasels all to pieces. Then they went back into his ear, and Elahrairah went to sleep.

In the morning, the King said, "Well, those Wildcat Weasels will have finished Elahrairah good and proper by now. You had better go and chuck out his body."

But the tough rabbits found Elahrairah dancing all over dead weasels and demanding his beautiful doe.

"I will not tolerate this insolence!" cried King Fur-Rocious. "We'll make sure of that rabbit tonight. Take him and shut him up with the Savage Stoats!"

They shut Elahrairah up with the Savage Stoats, and in the middle of the night, he sang:

"Ants, ants, come out of my ear.

All the Savage Stoats are here.

Sting their tails and sting their heads.

Turn them into starks and deads!"

Out came the swarm of ants from Elahrairah's ear. They crawled all over the Savage Stoats; they burrowed into their brains and stung them so fiercely that they all fell down and died.

&nb

sp; Next morning, as before, King Fur-Rocious sent for Elahrairah's body. But Elahrairah came himself and said, "You sniveling ruin of a grimy King, give me back my doe!"

"I can't think how this wretched Elahrairah manages all this," thought the King. "I must find out at all costs."

"You're to tie that rabbit up beside my sleeping place tonight," he said to his followers. "Then I'll see what he's up to and put an end to his tricks for good and all."

So that night Elahrairah was tied up beside King Fur-Rocious's sleeping place. In the middle of the night, he sang:

"Come out, stream, come out of my ear.

Flow all round this stinker here.

Pour yourself upon his head.

Drown the blighter till he's dead."