Dame Hickory, Dame Hickory
Here's a wolf at your door,
His teeth grinning white,
And his tongue wagging sore!
'Nay,' said Dame Hickory, 'Ye False Faerie!'
But a wolf t'was indeed, and famished was he.
Walter de la Mare Dame Hickory
The first thing that Hazel learned the next morning was that Thrayonlosa had died during the night. Thethuthinnang was distressed, for it was she who had picked Thrayonlosa as one of the more sturdy and sensible does in the Mark and persuaded her to join in the escape. After they had come through the bridge together, she had helped her ashore and fallen asleep beside her in the undergrowth, hoping that she might have recovered by the next day. But she had woken to find Thrayonlosa gone and, searching, had found her in a clump of reeds downstream. Evidently the poor creature had felt that she was going to die and, in the manner of animals, had slipped away.
The news depressed Hazel. He knew that they had been lucky to get so many does out of Efrafa and to escape from Woundwort without having to stand and fight. The plan had been a good one, but the storm and the frightening efficiency of the Efrafans had nearly defeated it. For all the courage of Bigwig and of Silver, they would have failed without Kehaar. Now Kehaar was going to leave them. Bigwig was wounded and his own leg was none too good. With the does to look after, they would not be able to travel in the open as fast or as easily as they had on the way down from Watership. He would have liked to stay where they were for a few days, so that Bigwig could recover his strength and the does find their feet and get used to life outside a warren. But the place, he realized, was hopelessly inhospitable. Although there was good cover, it was too wet for rabbits. Besides, it was evidently close to a road busier than any they had known. Soon after daylight they began to hear and smell hrududil passing, not so far away as the breadth of a small field. There was continual disturbance and the does in particular were startled and uneasy. Thrayonlosa's death made matters worse. Worried by the noise and vibration and unable to feed, the does kept wandering downstream to look at the body and whisper together about the strange and dangerous surroundings.
He consulted Blackberry, who pointed out that probably it would not be long before men found the boat: then very likely several would be close by for some time. This decided Hazel that they had better set out at once and try to reach somewhere where they could rest more easily. He could hear and smell that the swamp extended a long way downstream. With the road lying to the south, the only way seemed to be northwards, over the bridge, which was in any case the way home.
Taking Bigwig with him, he climbed the bank to the grass track. The first thing they saw was Kehaar, picking slugs out of a clump of hemlock near the bridge. They came up to him without speaking and began to nibble the short grass nearby.
After a little while Kehaar said, 'Now you getting mudders, Meester 'Azel. All go fine, eh?'
'Yes. We'd never have done it without you, Kehaar. I hear you turned up just in time to save Bigwig last night.'
'Dis bad rabbit, pig fella, 'e go fight me. Plenty clever too.'
'Yes. He got a shock for once, though.'
'Ya, ya. Meester 'Azel, soon is men come. Vat you do now?'
'We're going back to our warren, Kehaar, if we can get there.'
'Ees finish here now for me. I go to Peeg Vater.'
'Shall we see you again, Kehaar?'
'You go back hills? Stay dere?'
'Yes, we mean to get there. It's going to be hard going with so many rabbits, and there'll be Efrafan patrols to dodge, I expect.'
'You get dere, later on ees vinter, plenty cold, plenty storm on Peeg Vater. Plenty bird come in. Den I come back, see you vere you live.'
'Don't forget, then, Kehaar, will you?' said B
igwig. 'We shall be looking out for you. Come down suddenly, like you did last night.'
'Ya, ya, frighten all mudders und liddle rabbits, all liddle Pigvigs run avay.'
Kehaar arched his wings and rose into the air. He flew over the parapet of the bridge and upstream. Then he turned in a circle to the left, came back over the grass track and flew straight down it, skimming just over the rabbits' heads. He gave one of his raucous cries and was gone to the southward. They gazed after him as he disappeared above the trees.
'Oh fly away, great bird so white,' said Bigwig. 'You know, he made me feel I could fly too. That Big Water! I wish I could see it.'
As they continued to look in the direction where Kehaar had gone, Hazel noticed for the first time a cottage at the far end of the track, where the grass sloped up to join the road. A man, taking care to keep still, was leaning over the hedge and watching them intently. Hazel stamped and bolted into the undergrowth of the swamp, with Bigwig hard on his heels.
'You know what he's thinking about?' said Bigwig. 'He's thinking about the vegetables in his garden.'
'I know,' replied Hazel. 'And we shan't be able to keep this lot away from them once they get the idea into their heads. The quicker we push on the better.'