Post by Cay on Sept 21, 2007 1:35:00 GMT -5
Long ago, Frith made the world. He made all the stars too, and the world is one of the stars. He made them by scattering his droppings over the sky and this is why the grass and trees grow so thick on the world. Frith makes brooks flow. They follow him as he goes through the sky and when he leaves the sky they look for him all night. Frith made all the animals and birds, but when he first made them they were all the same. The sparrow and kestrel were friends and they both ate seed and flies. And the fox and the rabbit were friends and they both ate grass. And there was plently of grass, and plently of flies because the world was new and Frith shone down, warm and bright all day.
Now El-ahrairah was among the animals in those days and had many wives. He had so many wives that there were no counting them and the wives had so many young even Frith could not count them and they ate the grass and the dandilions and the lettuce and the clover and El-ahrairah was the father of them all. And after a time the grass began to grow thin and the rabbits wandered everywhere multiplying and eating as they went. Then Frith said to El-ahrairah, Prince Rabbit, if you cannot control your people, I shall find ways to control them. So mark what I say. but El-ahrairah would not listen and he said to Frith, My people are the strongest in the world, for they breed faster and eat more than any of the other people. And this shows how much they love Lord Frith, for of all of the animals they are most responsive to his warmth and brightness. You must realize my Lord, how important they are and not hinder them in their beautiful lives.
Frith could has killed El-ahrairah at once, but he had a mind to keep him in the world, because he needed him to sport and jest and play tricks. So he determined to get the better of him, not by the means of his own great power but at the means of a trick. He gave out that he would hold a great meeting and that meeting he would give a present to each animal and bird, to make each one different from the rest. And all the creatures set out to go to the meeting-place. But they all arrived at different times because Frith had made sure it would happen so. And when the Blackbrids came, he gave him his beautiful song, and when the Cow came, he gave her sharp horns and the strength to not be afraid of any other creature. And so in turn, came the stoat and the fox and the weasel. And to each of them Frith gave the cunning and feirceness and the desire to hunt and slay and eat all the children of El-ahrairah. And so they went away from Frith with nothing but hunger to kill the rabbits.
Now all this time, El-ahrairah was dancing and mating and boasting that he was going to Frith's meeting to receive a great gift. And at last he set out for the meeting-place. But as he was going there, he stopped to rest on a soft, sandy hillside. And while he was resting, over the hill came flying the dark swift, screaming as he went; News! News! News! For you know, this is what he had said ever since that day. So El-ahrairah called up to him and said, What news? Why, Said the swift, I would not be you, El-ahrairah. For Frith has given the fox and weasel cunning, hearts and sharp teeth and to the cat he has given silent feet and eyes that can see in the dark and they and they are gone away from Frith's place to kill and devour all that belongs to El-ahrairah. And he dashed on over the hills. And at that moment El-ahrairah heard the voice of Frith calling, Where is El-ahrairah? For all the others has taken their gifts and gone and I has come to look for him.
Then El-ahrairah knew that Frith was too clever for him and he was frightened. He thought that the fox and the weasel were coming with Frith and he turned to the face of the hill and began to dig. He dug a hole but he had only dug a little of it when Frith came over the hill alone. And he saw El-ahrairah's bottom sticking out of the hole and the sand flying in showers as the digging went on. When he saw that, he called out, My friend, has you seen El-ahrairah, for I am looking for him to give him my gift? No. El-ahrairah answered, without soming out, I has not seen him. He is far away, he would not come. So Frith said, Then come out of that hole and I will bless you instead of him. No, I cannot, said El-ahrairah, I am busy. The fox and weasel are coming. If you want to bless me you can bless my bottom, for it is sticking out of the hole.
Then Frith felt himself in friendship with El-ahrairah, because of his resourcefullness, and because he would not give up, even when he thought the weasel and the fox were coming. And then he said, Very well, I will bless your bottom as it sticks out of the hole. Bottom, be strength and warning and speed for ever and save the life of your master. Be it so! And as he spoke, El-ahrairah's tail grew and flashed like a star. His back legs grew long and thumped the hillside until the very beetles fell off the grass stems. He came out of the hole and tore off faster than any creature in the world. And Frith called after him, El-ahrairah, your people for I will not has it so. All the world will be your enimie, Prince with a Thousand Enimies, and whenever they catch you they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed. and El-ahrairah knew that although he would not be mocked, yet Frith was his friend. And every day when Frith has done his day's work and lies calm and easy in the nights sky, El-ahrairah and his children and his children's children come out of their holes and feed and play in his sight, for they are his friends and he has promised them they would never be destroyed.
~From Watership Down by Richard Adams
Now El-ahrairah was among the animals in those days and had many wives. He had so many wives that there were no counting them and the wives had so many young even Frith could not count them and they ate the grass and the dandilions and the lettuce and the clover and El-ahrairah was the father of them all. And after a time the grass began to grow thin and the rabbits wandered everywhere multiplying and eating as they went. Then Frith said to El-ahrairah, Prince Rabbit, if you cannot control your people, I shall find ways to control them. So mark what I say. but El-ahrairah would not listen and he said to Frith, My people are the strongest in the world, for they breed faster and eat more than any of the other people. And this shows how much they love Lord Frith, for of all of the animals they are most responsive to his warmth and brightness. You must realize my Lord, how important they are and not hinder them in their beautiful lives.
Frith could has killed El-ahrairah at once, but he had a mind to keep him in the world, because he needed him to sport and jest and play tricks. So he determined to get the better of him, not by the means of his own great power but at the means of a trick. He gave out that he would hold a great meeting and that meeting he would give a present to each animal and bird, to make each one different from the rest. And all the creatures set out to go to the meeting-place. But they all arrived at different times because Frith had made sure it would happen so. And when the Blackbrids came, he gave him his beautiful song, and when the Cow came, he gave her sharp horns and the strength to not be afraid of any other creature. And so in turn, came the stoat and the fox and the weasel. And to each of them Frith gave the cunning and feirceness and the desire to hunt and slay and eat all the children of El-ahrairah. And so they went away from Frith with nothing but hunger to kill the rabbits.
Now all this time, El-ahrairah was dancing and mating and boasting that he was going to Frith's meeting to receive a great gift. And at last he set out for the meeting-place. But as he was going there, he stopped to rest on a soft, sandy hillside. And while he was resting, over the hill came flying the dark swift, screaming as he went; News! News! News! For you know, this is what he had said ever since that day. So El-ahrairah called up to him and said, What news? Why, Said the swift, I would not be you, El-ahrairah. For Frith has given the fox and weasel cunning, hearts and sharp teeth and to the cat he has given silent feet and eyes that can see in the dark and they and they are gone away from Frith's place to kill and devour all that belongs to El-ahrairah. And he dashed on over the hills. And at that moment El-ahrairah heard the voice of Frith calling, Where is El-ahrairah? For all the others has taken their gifts and gone and I has come to look for him.
Then El-ahrairah knew that Frith was too clever for him and he was frightened. He thought that the fox and the weasel were coming with Frith and he turned to the face of the hill and began to dig. He dug a hole but he had only dug a little of it when Frith came over the hill alone. And he saw El-ahrairah's bottom sticking out of the hole and the sand flying in showers as the digging went on. When he saw that, he called out, My friend, has you seen El-ahrairah, for I am looking for him to give him my gift? No. El-ahrairah answered, without soming out, I has not seen him. He is far away, he would not come. So Frith said, Then come out of that hole and I will bless you instead of him. No, I cannot, said El-ahrairah, I am busy. The fox and weasel are coming. If you want to bless me you can bless my bottom, for it is sticking out of the hole.
Then Frith felt himself in friendship with El-ahrairah, because of his resourcefullness, and because he would not give up, even when he thought the weasel and the fox were coming. And then he said, Very well, I will bless your bottom as it sticks out of the hole. Bottom, be strength and warning and speed for ever and save the life of your master. Be it so! And as he spoke, El-ahrairah's tail grew and flashed like a star. His back legs grew long and thumped the hillside until the very beetles fell off the grass stems. He came out of the hole and tore off faster than any creature in the world. And Frith called after him, El-ahrairah, your people for I will not has it so. All the world will be your enimie, Prince with a Thousand Enimies, and whenever they catch you they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed. and El-ahrairah knew that although he would not be mocked, yet Frith was his friend. And every day when Frith has done his day's work and lies calm and easy in the nights sky, El-ahrairah and his children and his children's children come out of their holes and feed and play in his sight, for they are his friends and he has promised them they would never be destroyed.
~From Watership Down by Richard Adams