The Use of Myth in Watership Down

As you grow up, you have always been told stories to either scare you into not doing something, like if you don’t go to bed, the boogeyman will come and get you; or stories that give you hope, inspire you, make you dream, or help you to the next step in your life. You’ve heard these stories from your parents, your grandparents, your aunts and uncles; you’ve practically heard a story from everybody in your family down to the old lady who lives down the street. People just want you to learn from their mistakes or to let you know that things will always work out. Some stories are based on real life experiences while others are simply myths. A myth is defined as: “A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society.” The stories told in Watership Down fall under this category. The myths in Watership Down were about El-ahrairah and they were told to inspire Hazel, Fiver, Big Wig, and all the other rabbits to not give up until they are safely away from their warren, leave another warren, and to save what they’ve worked so hard to attain. These myths about El-ahrairah help to keep one of the central themes of the story alive: hope, survival, and perseverance.

The first myth told in Watership Down: “The Story of the Blessing of El-ahrairah” tell us about how rabbits came to be so fast and how they can sense danger as well. In the words of Frith: “Bottom, be strength and warning and speed forever and save the life of your master.” (pg. 26) This story was told to the rabbits when they had just left their warren and they were scared because they didn’t know where they were or where they were going. Not only did they not know where they were going, they encounter a dog and a river. The dog was behind them in the woods and the river was in front of them, they were forced to cross the river even though it was not common for rabbits to swim. With Blackberry’s cleverness and Big Wig’s strength, Hazel and the rabbits make it safely to the other side of the river. These are just two of the many challenges that Hazel and the rabbits go through to survive. Survival is a task that is daily for the rabbits, as it is for humans as well. It’s not necessarily a life and death situation for humans, but it could be as simple as keeping a job for another day or as nerve wracking as watching a loved one in a coma, not knowing if they’ll ever come out of it or if they will last another day. Similar to the way Hazel and the rabbits drew strength from the myths they heard, humans draw strength from myths or stories also, along with religion, past experiences, or word of mouth. Life is a constant struggle for humans as well as rabbits, more so for some rabbits than others.

After Hazel and the rabbits cross the river, they meet a warren that doesn’t show any kind of survival instinct, they meet Cowslip and his warren. Cowslip and his rabbits are all big, strong, and healthy rabbits but they don’t know how to fight or seem to take precautions as normal rabbits do when they go out to silflay or pass hraka. Their ways are best described in Fiver’s words:

“The rabbits became strange in many ways, different from other rabbits. They knew well enough what was happening. But even to themselves they pretended that all was well, for the food was good, they were protected, they had nothing to fear but the one fear; and that struck here and there, never enough at a time to drive them away. They forgot the ways of wild rabbits. They forgot El-ahrairah, for what use had they for tricks and cunning, living in the enemy’s warren and paying his price? (pg. 104)”

The next myth that is told in Watership Down is “The Story of the King’s Lettuce,” which involved that trait that all rabbits had except for Cowslip and his warren: trickery and cunning. “The Story of the King’s Lettuce” was about how El-ahrairah was able to trick King Darzin and Prince Rainbow. Prince Rainbow had banished El-ahrairah to the dreary land of Kelfazin because he was a trickster and a thief. Prince Rainbow would only allow El-ahrairah to leave Kelfazin if he proved himself to be an honest rabbit but El-ahrairah responds with: “Then we shall never get out, for I would be ashamed to tell my people to stop living on their wits (pg. 84).” El-ahrairah suggests to Prince Rainbow that if he were able to steal the lettuces of King Darzin, then Prince Rainbow would allow El-ahrairah and his people to leave. Knowing that King Darzin has his lettuces highly protected, Prince Rainbow agrees. Needless to say, El-ahrairah was not only able to steal King Darzin’s lettuces but was able to get them personally delivered to him. This fight for survival and to