Don Bluth’s Watership Down (Transcript)

(As the opening credits roll, we see a long watercolor painting of field of rabbits. At the end, where a light-brown rabbit is hiding in the brambles, the scene transitions to that of a cartoon, as the rabbit slowly comes out from the brambles.)

Rabbit - (Quietly) Hazel, I see it. (a rabbit comes out of the brambles) A cowslip. You can have it.

Hazel - Thanks, Fiver. But, you should have it. (Fiver looks at the cowslip.) go on. But, eat it fast before the Owsla arrive. (Fiver hesitantly approaches the cowslip, and eats it. Partway through, Fiver notices another cowslip, plucks it off and gives it to Hazel) Oh, Are you sure? (Fiver nods) Ok, Fiver. But, I’ll give it to Zinnia. (The scene changes to Hazel and Fiver traversing the fields with Hazel holding a cowslip in his mouth, as the sun was going down, Fiver stops, and a few seconds later, Hazel notices, and comes back to see Fiver grasping his heart.) What’s wrong, Fiver? (He looks at the construction equipment and vehicles.)

Fiver - I see it... (His eyes turn yellow as He sees the equipment turning black, and the fields around it turn into a red color) whatever those things are, they’re black as night, as the fields around them are covered in blood.

Hazel - Blood? We should head back. (He and Fiver run on, running past a sign, saying, “This land, composed of Six Acres is to be developed with high quality residences, by Sutch and Martin Ltd. of Newbury, Berkshire, England.)

(The scene changes to a burrow, where Hazel gives a Cowsliip to Zinnia, a grayish-brown female rabbit)

Zinnia - Is that for me? (Hazel nods as Zinnia slowly eats it.)

Hazel - My brother, Fiver found it, and... (hears Fiver groaning and races off to another burrow, where finds Fiver tossing) Fiver, wake up! What’s wrong? (Fiver wakes up, and his yellow eyes turned brown)

Fiver - Oh, Hazel. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I saw. We have to leave, Hazel.

Hazel - We?

Fiver - Yes. Everyone in the warren. We have to speak with the Chief.

Hazel - Alright. Even though He might not believe you. (Hazel and Fiver run toward a giant tree, and encounter a brutish rabbit with more fur around his neck.) Bigwig?

Bigwig - Hazel. This isn’t like you to be up ni-frith.

Hazel - Me and Fiver would like to see the Chief. Please, Bigwig. I never asked before.

Bigwig - Hmm. Very well. He’ll probably demote me. I’ll be a moment. (goes in a hole) Chief Rowan, two rabbits would like to speak with you. (voice fades as Fiver’s eyes turned yellow and is twitching.) ...Very well. (Bigwig pops out.) You can come inside. (Hazel and Fiver go inside, as some of the rabbits approach and listen in. Inside the Chief’s burrow, Hazel and Fiver, with Bigwig following, see an elderly rabbit eating lettuce, and Bigwig runs next to Him.)

Rowan - Oh. Walnut. I mean, that’s your name is it?

Bigwig - (Quietly) It’s Hazel, Sir. And His brother, Fiver.

Rowan - S-Speak a little louder, Bigwig. I’m deaf on this side.

Bigwig - (Speaks louder) Hazel and his brother, Fiver.

Rowan - Oh. Hazel and Fiver. Sorry. I knew your mother well. So, what is it you want?

Hazel - Well, Yesterday, Fiver saw something out of the ordinary in his vision. Some manmade things, in a black color, and everything surrounded covered in the color of blood. I mean, last autumn, He predicted a flood coming, and when a wire is set, around our home. And they were all correct.

Rowan - Can you get to the point?

Hazel - Fiver thinks a danger will be coming to the warren. We have to leave, and fast!

Rowan - Hmm. You’re saying We should leave the safety of our warren, where there’s good weather, no illnesses, and no elil? I must think about it.

Fiver - No! It’ll be too late! We have to leave!

Hazel - Fiver, calm down! (Fiver leaves) Sorry, sir. (Leaves the burrow.)

Rowan - Hmm. Bigwig?

Bigwig - Y... Yes, Sir?

Rowan - You must take duty as an officer very seriously. Now, I want you to watch over those two carefully, and make sure none of them leave.

(The scene changes to the area, where Fiver saw the construction equipment, where Hazel and Fiver are eating some grass.)

Fiver - I’m sorry, Hazel.

Hazel - You don’t have to apologize, Fiver. The chief can be unreasonable when it’s ni-frith.

Rabbit - What are those things Fiver’s looking at? (Bigwig, along with a black-tipped grayish-blue rabbit and a Yellowish rabbit approached the two)

Fiver - Bigwig?

Hazel - He brought Blackberry and Dandelion.

Fiver - Why are you here?

Blackberry - Bigwig told Us about what Fiver said.

Dandelion - We weren’t sure if Fiver’s right, but, want to come with you.

Hazel - Sure. You can come. But, Bigwig, why are you--?

Bigwig - I left the Owsla. The Chief wanted me to make sure you don’t leave.

Blackberry - So, those are the things that are making Fiver uneasy. (Looks at the construction equipment) I don’t know what they are, but they look sinister.

Bigwig - Hazel, Fiver? We’d better tell almost everyone about this.

Dandelion - Almost?

Bigwig - Most of the Owsla are devoted to Rowan, they won’t listen to reason. Now, here’s what We’ll do. (the rabbits huddle together and whisper. The scene changes to night, where 2 human-shaped silhouettes approach the construction equipment, the scene pans to two small rabbits exiting the warren without being seen by the Owsla, and go under the brambles carefully)

Fiver - How are you feeling, Pipkin?

Pipkin - Fine. But, I wish my parents came along... (He and Fiver meet up with Hazel and Zinnia)

Voice - You’re here, too?

Fiver - Huh? Dandelion?

Voice - No, It’s Hawkbit. (He and Dandelion approach Hazel)

Hazel - I’m glad you came.

Hawkbit - Thank you. But, where are the others? (Blackberry runs toward the others,) well, speak of the Black Rabbit. (With Blackberry is a robust dark-gray rabbit, and two light-gray rabbits.) She brought Buckthorn, Speedwell, and Acorn.

Hazel - We’ll wait for Bigwig, and then We’ll leave together,

Bigwig - You don’t have to wait. (He and a gray rabbit with white spots reach Hazel’s group) I brought Silver with me.

Dandelion - Silver? But, He’s a member of the Owsla and the Chief’s nephew.

Silver - Bigwig thought if I came along pretending that I’m a hostage, He’d have more than enough reason for everyone to leave,

Bigwig - True, even though He had a hard time with the others, making fun of his fur color. But, We have to leave, now. (they all leave the field) Toadflax saw Me leave and is informing the Chief.

Voice - Stay where you are. (the rabbits stop in front of a dark gray rabbit, and a greenish rabbit) You’re all under arrest for Spreading dissention, desertion, and intent to mutiny.

Silver - Captain Holly.

Holly - Captain Silver, You’re under arrest as well, for failing to inform Toadflax. (Toadflax maliciously smirks at Silver) Now, all of you come quietly-- (Silver tackles Toadflax, distracting Holly long enough for Bigwig to attack Holly.) Bigwig?! What do you think you’re doing?

Bigwig - There’s still a chance for you, Holly. Tell all the rabbits to leave the warren, because if you don’t-- (Toadflax attacks Bigwig, as the other Rabbits assist Bigwig and Silver bites Toadflax’s leg.)

Holly - Grr... You’ll all pay with your lives. (Runs off as Toadflax with a limp, follows.)

Bigwig - We can’t stay here, (He and the rest of the rabbits run for their lives)

Fiver - Silver, that was brave of you attacking Toadflax.

Silver - Well, He had it coming. If I could, I’d have bit his leg a hundred times for all the times He bullied me.

(The scene blacks out as the rabbits enter the forest, the scene fades in to the rabbits cautiously traversing the forest.)

Hazel - You see anyone chasing us, Fiver?

Fiver - No, But, We’ll need to rest. We spend most of the night running and hiding from the Owsla, weasels, and owls.

Hazel - All right. We’ll rest in this clearing. (The rabbits rest under a broken tree branch.) Once dawn comes, We’ll continue on to our new home, wherever it is. (Notices Pipkin shedding tears) You miss your parents? (Pipkin nods sadly)

Dandelion - Hazel, if it’s alright, I’d like to raise Pipkin’s spirits by telling him a story, Maybe the Blessing of El-Ahrairah. (The rabbits nod.) Ok. Ahem. Many eons ago, the great Frith made the world. He made the sky blue at day while creating clouds. At night, He vanishes beyond the horizon making the sky black and made the stars. (The scene pans upward, and the animation turns into an aboriginal art style) Frith made the rivers flow, allowing the plants and trees to grow. (a river spreads as plants and trees grow.) Then He made the animals and birds making them all the same. (Random animals appear) That meant the kestrels were friends with the sparrows, as they ate seeds and flies. And the rabbits were friends with the foxes, as they ate grass. But, El-ahrairah, one of the rabbits found a mate and they had many children, but, the more children El-ahrairah had, the more problems arose for the other animals, and despite El-ahrairah trying to get his children to share the grass with the other animals, it was all for naught. Frith caught wind of this and said, (In a deep voice) “Prince Rabbit, if you cannot control your children, I shall find ways to control them. (Speaks normally) But, El-ahrairah was offended and said to Frith… (In a slightly high tone) “Frith, I’ve been trying to. But, please. Be patient.”

Hawkbit - What’s with the voices? (The scene cuts to reality) You sound like an elderly rabbit, then a panicky weasel.

Dandelion - It’s storytelling, Hawkbit. You wouldn’t understand. (The scene returns to the aboriginal art style.) Frith could have Killed El-ahrairah, but He needed him to sport, jest, and play tricks. So, Frith summoned the animals one after the next and gave each and every one of them a gift, making them different from the others. Meaning the blackbird would have the ability to sing, the cow given sharp horns, and the deer given antlers. However, other animals like the fox and weasel, were given claws, sharp fangs, and the desire to hunt and devour the children of El-ahrairah. When El-ahrairah heard of this, He, his mate, and His surviving children ran for their lives. Desperate, El-ahrairah dug a hole which He had enough time for him, and no one else, then Frith came and spoke, (Deep Voice) “My friend, have you seen El-ahrairah? For I wish to give him a gift.” But, El-ahrairah continued to dig as He began to cry. (High Voice) “No gift you give me will make me forgive you for what you have done, as I love all of my children from the bottom of my heart, give back their lives. Give back their lives! Please! Take mine instead!” (Normal voice) Frith saw El-ahrairah’s tears of despair, and spoke to El-ahrairah, (Deep Voice) Life is precious as it is fragile. Thus, I cannot bring back what was lost. (His light envelops El-ahrairah and his family) But, what I can do is this, El-ahrairah. (Normal Voice) Before long, El-ahrairah’s tail began to wag endlessly, as did his mate and his children, until they turned white, flashing like stars. Then their hind legs and front legs grew, and their ears grew, and they ran faster than any animal they encountered.