How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
But if they lay brooding, unable to feed or go underground, all their troubles would come crowding into their hearts, their fears would mount and they might very likely scatter, or even try to return to the warren. He had an idea.
"Yes, all right, we'll rest here," he said, "Let's go in among this fern. Come on, Dandelion, tell us a story." (5.14-5)
While they're between warrens (and have nowhere to run to for safety), Hazel has to deal with his rabbits' fear. Normally, rabbits would react to fear by running underground or talking to their doctor about anti-anxiety medications. But here in the wild, the only technique they have available is… storytelling? Yep, storytelling. Hey, whatever gets you through the night (for us it's Seinfeld reruns).
Quote #5
The tired rabbits fed and basked in the sunny meadow as though they had come no further than from the bank at the edge of the nearby copse. The heather and the stumbling darkness were forgotten as though the sunrise had melted them. (12.3)
Fear may be the rabbits' most common feeling, but it's not a very long-lasting feeling, like love or hunger for pineapple. In fact, almost as soon as the rabbits are out of danger, they seem to forget all about the danger and have some fun. That's a pretty good trick, especially if you're afraid of everything.
Quote #6
A rabbit in fear of an enemy will sometimes crouch stock still, either fascinated or else trusting to its natural inconspicuousness to remain unnoticed. But then, unless the fascination is too powerful, there comes the point when keeping still is discarded and the rabbit, as though breaking a spell, turns in an instant to its other resource—flight. So it seemed to be with Fiver now. Suddenly he leaped up and began to push his way violently across the great burrow. Several rabbits were jostled and turned angrily on him, but he took no notice. Then he came to a place where he could not push between two heavy warren bucks. He became hysterical, kicking and scuffling, and Hazel, who was behind him, had difficulty in preventing a fight. (16.24)
This paragraph is made up of two normal parts, which together make up something very weird. The first part tells us all about rabbits in general: they hide or they run when something comes to eat them. The second part shows us how Fiver freaks out because of Silverweed's poem, which is also totally normal for Fiver. But put these two parts together and what do we have? We have a comparison between an enemy of rabbits and what's making Fiver freak out, which is Silverweed and his poem. So Silverweed's poem is dangerous to rabbits. Yep—a poem is dangerous. Tell that to your English teacher.