Tales From Watership Down (Watership Down 2)

Traveling at the Ilip's speed, it seemed no distance at all to the place where El-ahrairah had first met the glanbrin. When they got there, he told the Ilip the story of his friend's loss of his beautiful doe.

"Is it far to the burrow you left?" asked the Ilip.

"Oh, no, sir," replied the glanbrin. "It's quite close by."

Guided by the glanbrin, the Ilip took them there. When Shindyke, the great buck who had taken Flairgold for himself, smelled the Ilip outside the burrow, he came out and ran away as fast as he could go. The glanbrin explained everything to Flairgold, who was delighted to take him back as her mate. She said she had hated Shindyke but had been given no choice.

The glanbrin and El-ahrairah said goodbye to each other with much sincerity and mutual gratitude, and the Ilip set out once more with El-ahrairah to the court of the King of Yesterday.

Soon they were in twilight, and never had El-ahrairah been more glad to see it. The Ilip put him down on the edge of the forest.

"The King's court's over there," he said. "I'll leave you now. I'm glad to have been able to help a friend of Lord Frith."

With this the Ilip disappeared into the forest, and El-ahrairah set off toward the court.

As he came out from among the trees, he found himself crossing a rough field, full of weeds. Upon the further side was a straggling hawthorn hedge and an old, half-broken gate. El-ahrairah, slipping through the gate, was confronted by a creature about the same size as himself, with long ears like his own but having a long tail. He greeted him politely and asked where he could find the King of Yesterday.

"I can take you to him," said the creature. "Are you by any chance an English rabbit? Yes? Well, I always thought it was bound to come."

"And you?" asked El-ahrairah.

"I am a potoroo. We'll go this way, down toward the river. The King will probably be in the big courtyard."

They went down the field together and through a gap in the hedge to the bank of a very still river, which appeared to El-ahrairah to be scarcely flowing at all. His companion spoke quietly to a kind of heron, brown-plumaged and with a black head, which was wading in the shallows. The bird took a few steps across to them and stared intently at El-ahrairah, who felt uncomfortable under its scrutiny.

"An English rabbit," said the potoroo. "Just come. I'm taking him to the King."

The heron made no reply but merely resumed its listless wading. El-ahrairah and his companion went on along the bank. The path led into a gloomy shrubbery, planted with yew and laurel, beyond which stood some old sheds, forming three sides of a kind of courtyard. The floor was of earth beaten (or trodden) hard, and here were lying a number of animals, all unknown to El-ahrairah. Among them, in the center, stood a great, horned beast somewhat resembling a gigantic cow, but unkempt and shaggy. As they entered the courtyard this animal raised its heavy, bearded head and then came slowly toward them. El-ahrairah felt frightened and turned to bolt.

"You needn't be afraid," said his companion. "This is the King. He won't hurt you."

El-ahrairah, still trembling, lay flat on the ground as the big animal nuzzled him, sniffing with its warm nostrils until he felt wet all over. At length, in a very deep but not unfriendly voice, it said, "Please stand up and tell me what you are."

"I am an English rabbit, Your Majesty."

"What, are they all gone so soon?"

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I don't understand."

"Are your people not extinct?"

"Certainly not, Your Majesty. We're numerous, I'm glad to say. I've made a long and dangerous journey to come before you and beg a great favor for my people."

"But this is the Kingdom of Yesterday. Did you know this when you set out to come here?"

"I have heard the name, Your Majesty, but I don't know its m

eaning."

"Every creature in my kingdom is extinct. How did you get here if you are not extinct?"

"An Ilip brought me on its back through a forest of darkness. The darkness almost drove me mad."

The King nodded his huge head. "I see; yes. You couldn't have come here in any other way. But--the Ilips didn't kill you? You have magic, then?"

"Well, yes, of a sort, Your Majesty. I have the blessing and protection of Lord Frith, and as you see, I'm wearing an astral collar. May I make so bold as to ask what you are?"

"I am an Oregon Bison. I rule this country, appointed by Lord Frith. When you arrived just now, I was about to take a walk among my people. You may come with me."