One chilly, blustery morning in March, I cannot tell exactly how many springs later, Hazel was dozing and waking in his burrow. He had spent a good deal of time there lately, for he felt the cold and could not seem to smell or run so well as in days gone by. He had been dreaming in a confused way-something about rain and elder bloom-when he woke to realize that there was a rabbit lying quietly beside him-no doubt some young buck who had come to ask his advice. The sentry in the run outside should not really have let him in without asking first. Never mind, thought Hazel. He raised his head and said, "Do you want to talk to me?"

"Yes, that's what I've come for," replied the other. "You know me, don't you?"

"Yes, of course," said Hazel, hoping he would be able to remember his name in a moment. Then he saw that in the darkness of the burrow the stranger's ears were shining with a faint silver light. "Yes, my lord," he said, "Yes, I know you."

"You've been feeling tired," said the stranger, "but I can do something about that. I've come to ask whether you'd care to join my Owsla. We shall be glad to have you and you'll enjoy it. If you're ready, we might go along now."

They went out past the young sentry, who paid the visitor no attention. The sun was shining and in spite of the cold there were a few bucks and does at silflay, keeping out of the wind as they nibbled the shoots of spring grass. It seemed to Hazel that he would not be needing his body any more, so he left it lying on the edge of the ditch, but stopped for a moment to watch his rabbits and to try to get used to the extraordinary feeling that strength and speed were flowing inexhaustibly out of him into their sleek young bodies and healthy senses.

"You needn't worry about them," said his companion. "They'll be all right-and thousands like them. If you'll come along, I'll show you what I mean."

He reached the top of the bank in a single, powerful leap. Hazel followed; and together they slipped away, running easily down through the wood, where the first primroses were beginning to bloom.

Lapine Glossary

Bob-stones — A traditional game among rabbits.

Crixa, the — The center of Efrafa, at the crossing point of two bridle paths.

Efrafa — The name of the warren founded by General Woundwort.

El-ahrairah — The rabbit folk hero. The name (Elil-hrair-rah) means "Enemies-Thousand-Prince" = the Prince with a — Thousand Enemies.

Elil — Enemies (of rabbits).

Embleer — Stinking, e.g. the smell of a fox.

Flay — Food, e.g. grass or other green fodder.

Flayrah — Unusually good food, e.g. lettuce.

Frith — The sun, personified as a god by rabbits. Frithrah! = the lord Sun-used as an exclamation.

Fu Inlé — After moonrise.

Hlao — Any dimple or depression in the grass, such as that formed by a daisy plant or thistle, which can hold — moisture. The name of a rabbit.

Hlao-roo — "Little Hlao." An affectionate diminutive of the name of Hlao, one of the rabbits in the story.

Hlessi — A rabbit living above ground, without a regular hole or warren. A wandering rabbit, living in the open. — (Plural, hlessil.)

Homba — A fox. (Plural, hombil.)

Hrair — A great many; an uncountable number; any number over four. U Hrair = The Thousand (enemies).

Hrairoo — "Little Thousand." The name of Fiver in Lapine.

Hraka — Droppings, excreta.

Hrududu — A tractor, car or any motor vehicle. (Plural, hrududil.)

Hyzenthlay — Literally, «Shine-dew-fur» = Fur shining like dew. The name of a doe.

Inlé — Literally, the moon; also moonrise. But a second meaning carries the idea of darkness, fear and — death.

Lendri — A badger.

Marli — A doe. Also carries the meaning "mother."

M'saion — "We meet them."

Narn — Nice, pleasant (to eat).

Ni-Frith — Noon.

Nildro-hain — "Blackbird's Song." The name of a doe.

Owsla — The strongest rabbits in a warren, the ruling clique.

Owslafa — The Council police (a word found only in Efrafa).

Pfeffa — A cat.

Rah — A prince, leader or chief rabbit. Usually used as a suffix. E.g. Threarah = Lord Threar.

Roo — Used as a suffix to denote a diminutive. E.g. Hrairoo.

Sayn — Groundsel.

Silf — Outside, that is, not underground.

Silflay — To go above ground to feed. Literally, to feed outside. Also used as a noun.

Tharn — Stupefied, distraught, hypnotized with fear. But can also, in certain contexts, mean "looking foolish," — or again «heartbroken» or "forlorn."

Thethuthinnang — "Movement of Leaves." The name of a doe.

Thlay — Fur.

Thlayli — "Fur-head." A nickname.

Threar — A rowan tree, or mountain ash.

Vair — To excrete, pass droppings.

Yona — A hedgehog. (Plural, yonil.)

Zorn — Destroyed, murdered. Denotes a catastrophe.

Grateful acknowledgment is made to the following publishers, agents and other copyright holders for permission to reprint copyrighted material:

"The Witnesses," Copyright 1945 by W.H. Auden; reprinted from Collected Shorter Poems 1927–1957, by W.H. Auden, by permission of Random House, Inc., and Faber and Faber Ltd.

The Ascent of F6 by W.H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood, Copyright 1936, 1937 and renewed 1964 by W.H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood; reprinted by permission of Random House, Inc., and Curtis Brown, Ltd.

"The Pilgrim," "Dame Hickory," and «Napoleon» by Walter de la Mare reprinted by permission of The Literary Trustees of Walter de la Mare and The Society of Authors as their representative.

"Two Fusiliers" from Fairies and Fusiliers by Robert Graves, Copyright © 1917 by Robert Graves. All rights reserved; reprinted by permission of Collins-Knowlton-Wing, Inc.

"Who's in the Next Room?" from Collected Poems of Thomas Hardy, Copyright 1925 by Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.; reprinted by permission of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., Macmillan Co. of Canada Ltd., the Trustees of the Hardy Estate and Macmillan, London and Basingstoke.

"Hurt Hawks," Copyright 1928 and renewed 1956 by Robinson Jeffers, reprinted from The Selected Poetry of Robinson Jeffers by permission of Random House, Inc.

"Fern Hill" from The Poems of Dylan Thomas, Copyright 1946 by New Directions Publishing Corporation, reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corporation, J.M. Dent amp; Sons Ltd., and the Trustees for the Copyrights of the late Dylan Thomas.

"A Woman Young and Old" from The Collected Poems of W.B. Yeats, Copyright 1933 by Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., renewed 1961 by Bertha Georgia Yeats; reprinted by permission of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., M.B. Yeats and Macmillan Co. of Canada Ltd.