On hearing this, Elahrairah didn't feel much confidence, but he was so angry about his beautiful doe Nur-Rama that he felt ready to do his best to beat King Fur-Rocious to pieces or die in the attempt. So off he set to make his way back to the Down.
Now, as he was marching along, he met a cat lying in the sun. The cat seemed quite harmless for a change, and Elahrairah was just passing it by when the cat said, "Where are you going, Elahrairah?"
"I'm going to beat the daylights out of that rotten King Fur-Rocious," said Elahrairah, "and make him give me back my doe."
"Well, I'll come with you," said the cat. "I've heard of King Fur-Rocious that he often drowns kittens."
"Jump into my ear, then," said Elahrairah. And the cat jumped into Elahrairah's ear and went to sleep, while he still went marching along.
A little further on, he met some ants.
"Where are you going, Elahrairah?" asked the ants.
"I'm going to beat the guts out of that dirty King Fur-Rocious," answered Elahrairah, "and make him give me back my doe."
"We'll come with you," said the ants. "That King Fur-Rocious isn't fit to live. His rabbits dig up ants' nests for no reason at all."
"Well, then, jump into my ear," said Elahrairah. "On we go!"
So the ants jumped into Elahrairah's ear.
After a while, he met a couple of big, black crows.
"Where are you going, Elahrairah?" asked the crows.
"I'm going to tackle that disgusting King Fur-Rocious," said Elahrairah, "and make him give me back my doe."
"We'll come with you," said the crows. "We've heard nothing but ill of King Fur-Rocious. He's a bully and a tyrant."
"Well, jump into my ear," said Elahrairah. "I can do with the likes of you."
Then, further on, Elahrairah came to a stream.
"Hullo, Elahrairah!" said the stream. "Where are you going? You do look fierce."
"No fiercer than I feel," said Elahrairah. "I'm going to knock the blazes out of that stinking King Fur-Rocious and make him give me back my doe Nur-Rama."
"I'll come with you," said the stream. "I've heard of King Fur-Rocious, and I don't like the sound of him at all. He thinks too much of himself."
"Well, jump into my ear," said Elahrairah. "No, the other one. I'm sure I'll be glad of you."
Soon after this, Elahrairah got back to the Down, and there was King Fur-Rocious, surrounded by his heavy rabbits and eating Elahrairah's grass for all he was worth.
"Ah, Elahrairah!" said King Fur-Rocious, with his mouth full. "I saw you off this morning, didn't I? What brings you here again?"
"You contemptible, stinking rabbit," said Elahrairah. "Give me back my doe Nur-Rama and get off my Down!"
"Seize this insolent animal!" cried the King. "Seize him, and shut him up for the night with the Rabid Rats! And we shall see what's left of him in the morning!"
So they shut Elahrairah up with the Rabid Rats.
As soon as it was dark, Elahrairah sang:
"Come out, pussy, from my ear.
There are rats in plenty here.
Chase them round until they fly.