Watership Down

by Richard Adams

All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, 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.’

The centurion . . . commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea and get to land. And the rest, some on boards and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

Who wants to hear about brave deeds when he’s ashamed of his own, and who likes an open, honest tale from someone he’s deceiving?

Love the animals. God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled. Don’t trouble it, don’t harass them, don’t deprive them of their happiness, don’t work against God’s intent. Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

When Robyn came to Notyngham, Sertenly withouten layn, He prayed to God and myld Mary To bryng hym out save agayn. Beside him stod a gret-hedid munke, I pray to God woo he be! Fful sone he knew gode Robyn, As sone as he hym se. Robin Hood and the Monk (Child’s Ballads, No. 119)

Some say that the Black Rabbit hates us and wants our destruction. But the truth is—or so they taught me—that he, too, serves Lord Frith and does no more than his appointed task—to bring about what must be.

Esprit de rivalité et de mésintelligence qui préserva plus d’une fois l’armée anglaise d’une défaite.

Be not merciful unto them that offend of malicious wicked ness. They grin like a dog and run about through the city. But thou, O Lord, shalt have them in derision. Thou shalt laugh all the heathen to scorn.

You will be sure to prove that the act is unjust and hateful to the gods? Yes, indeed, Socrates; at least, if they will listen to me. Plato, Euthyphro

He was part of my dream, of course—but then I was part of his dream, too. Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass