The Watership Down Podcast

RE-UPLOAD 46: Chapter 44. A Message from El-ahrairah Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. The pre-chapter quote is from a fairly well-known book about crusader castles.  So, not 'normal' European castles but those built or occupied mostly in the Middle East.  The quote clearly lines up with what's going on at Watership Down.  As our heroes...

RE-UPLOAD 37: Chapter 37. The Thunder Builds Up Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher This is the second of the thunder chapters and has a lot of back and forth setting changes, which keep the reader well informed and stimulate the building tension. The pre-chapter quote is from Uncle Remus.  It is spoken in Joel Chandler Harris's portrayal of African-American Vernacular English. The proverb, i...

RE-UPLOAD 32: Chapter 32. Across the Iron Road The opening quote is another one in French. John Ruths has helped me out here. He says the translation is: "Spirit of rivalry and misunderstanding which more than once preserved the English army from defeat." The person quoted is General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, a French officer in the revolution and Napoleonic Wars. The backhanded compliment towards th...

RE-UPLOAD 31: Chapter 31. The Story of El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inlé The opening quotation, from the poem 'Prospice' by Robert Browning, is on the theme of almost looking forward to death as a way of facing it. The story opens with the fairly predictable premise of King Darzin learning of how he was fooled into giving away his lettuces by El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle. There is an escalati...

RE-UPLOAD Burrowkeeping From now on I will very strictly deal with one chapter per episode, especially during the events of Part Three. Introduction to Part Three Parts 1 and 3 of WD are basically not set on the Down at all. The only part of Part 3 set on WD comes right at the start of its first chapter, with the departure of the Great Raid on Efrafa. The Great Raid is, arguably, an antagonistic a...

RE-UPLOAD Chapter 26. Fiver Beyond Fiver slips into what might be called just a dream in which he follows the ghostly rabbit he saw disappear on WD into the landscape below. You can clearly see how this description inspired the sequence in the 1978 film. The similarity with that scene ends with the appearance of the disturbing human who gives Fiver all the clues he needs about where to find Hazel....

RE-UPLOAD 23: Chapter 25. The Raid 23.1 Burrowkeeping Returning to the Lost Paragraph, I have now found two places in the book where Bigwig calls Hazel 'Hazel-rah' before the ending, where, in an edition with the Lost Paragraph, he does not. In the puffin edition, these occur on pages 225, at Nuthanger Farm, and 374, on the River Test. Thank you to Amber Rizzi for helping me find that second examp...

RE-UPLOAD 22: Chapter 24. Nuthanger Farm 0:40​ 22.2 Nuthanger Farm 2:30​ 22.3 Chapter 24. Nuthanger Farm 7:45​ 22.4 Next Episode Thank you to John Ruths for his notes on this chapter, which were useful as always. Next time, the rabbits of WD raid Nuthanger Farm, with horrific consequences. And the expedition returns empty handed.

RE-UPLOAD 15: Bigwig's Character and the Lost Paragraph 15.1 Burrowkeeping I made my favourite mistake yet last week, when I referred to 'The Warren of the Snares' as 'The Warren of the Swears' That would make for a completely different story. One where they have to leave Cowslip's Warren because Fiver has an issue with all the bad language. Which is a bit rich for a rabbit who comes out with such...

RE-UPLOAD 13: Chapter 17. The Shining Wire 13.1 Snares Before I researched this episode, I vaguely assumed that the use of snares was now illegal in the UK. It isn't. And I am embarrassed not to have already realised this. There is no excuse for using such a cruel and fundamentally lazy method as snaring. There is a campaign to ban the use of snares in the UK that I fully support. They can be foun...

RE-UPLOAD 8: Chapters 10 and 11: The Road and the Common and Hard Going 8.1 Housekeeping: I referred briefly to Speedwell waking up Acorn It was Hawkbit waking up Speedwell only. Bigwig's phrase "u embleer rah" suggests a more complex meaning of "u", possibly meaning "you" as well as "the" depending on context. Interesting discussion of the book in the latest episode of the 'Read it twice' podcast...

RE-UPLOAD 6.1 Chapter 8: The Crossing A shorter episode this time. Possibly pushed my luck with 3 chapters at one go. There is a possibility of an episode in the near future in which I discuss the two most recent audiobooks of WD with another fan of the book, comparing Ralph Cosham’s interpretation with that of Peter Capaldi. On to Chapter 8: Opens with the first biblical quotation, from the Acts...

RE-UPLOAD 5.1: Housekeeping re. Blackberry and Dandelion and the first conversation: I didn't actually say it. Also must say "geek" less. First shout outs to Nati Plavin and Will Fuller. Thank you for your lovely comments. Also a comment, from Nathan Holec that the podcast is a bit quiet. I only record it on my smartphone, so I can believe that. The working title for WD was 'Hazel and Fiver' appar...

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There will be spoilers. This episode is scripted, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. RELEVANT LINKS: With thanks to Andrew Stevens: 'Understanding Comics: The Hidden Art' by Scott McCloud: https://www.scottmccloud.com/2-print/1-uc/ Bob Cropman's website: https://watershipdownonline.co.uk/ Awards for t...

THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SOME DISTRESSING DETAILS ON THE USE OF SNARES The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There will be spoilers. This episode is scripted, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. EPISODE SPECIFIC LINKS: National Anti Snaring Campaign: https://www.antisnaring.org.uk/ Link to DEFRA report on snaring (WARNING: Distressing content...

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There will be spoilers. This episode is scripted, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. WATERSHIP DOWN (1978) REACTION VIDEOS: Awkward Ashleigh: https://youtu.be/D9B5LKIJHQE?si=h-ErUfgyRkAUt8uK SuzyLu Official: https://youtu.be/acItuWVD4Qs?si=sd1zjsr-_anh1C17 OTHER RELEVANT LINKS: With thanks to Andrew S...

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There definitely will be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher and Adam Brough and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. OTHER RELEVANT LINKS: With thanks to Andrew Stevens: 'Understanding Comics: The Hidden Art' by Scott McCloud: https://www.scottmccloud.com/2-print/1-uc/ Bob Cropman's...

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There definitely will be spoilers. This episode is scripted Newell Fisher, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. LINKS: With thanks to Rob Lylyk: 'Bravery, Tragedy and Watership Down in Oosterbeek Airborne Cemetery - Operation Market Garden': https://youtu.be/uzxNYm-9H34?si=M3rMyKiSYyB3nFwK Scene from 'A...

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There definitely will be spoilers. This episode is scripted Newell Fisher, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. LINKS: With thanks to Rob Lylyk: 'Bravery, Tragedy and Watership Down in Oosterbeek Airborne Cemetery - Operation Market Garden': https://youtu.be/uzxNYm-9H34?si=M3rMyKiSYyB3nFwK Scene from 'A...

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There definitely will be spoilers. This episode is scripted Newell Fisher, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. LINKS: With thanks to Andrew Stevens: Understanding Comics: The Hidden Art by Scott McCloud: https://www.scottmccloud.com/2-print/1-uc/ OTHER RELEVANT LINKS: Bob Cropman's website: https://wat...

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There will be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher and Sean Hagins and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. OTHER RELEVANT LINKS: Bob Cropman's website: https://watershipdownonline.co.uk/ Awards for the graphic novel: https://www.instagram.com/p/C97CumNRDA7/?igsh=dzJvZWtqN2oyOHdz https...

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There definitely will be spoilers. This episode is scripted, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. ARRIVALS OF RABBITS AT THE DEPARTURE RENDEZVOUS IN THE ORIGINAL NOVEL AND IN THE GRAPHIC-NOVEL: NOVEL: FIRST ARRIVALS 1 Hazel 2 Fiver 3 Pipkin SECOND ARRIVAL 4 Hawkbit THIRD ARRIVAL 5 Dandelion FOURTH ARRIV...

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There definitely will be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher and Lauri Peper and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. OTHER RELEVANT LINKS: Bob Cropman's website: https://watershipdownonline.co.uk/ Awards for the graphic novel: https://www.instagram.com/p/C97CumNRDA7/?igsh=dzJvZWtqN2o...

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There definitely will be spoilers. This episode is scripted by Newell Fisher and Lauri Peper and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. OTHER RELEVANT LINKS: Awards for the graphic novel: https://www.instagram.com/p/C97CumNRDA7/?igsh=dzJvZWtqN2oyOHdz https://www.instagram.com/p/DO5P__NjWTM/?igsh=MWdrb3...

The Watership Down Podcast is intended for listeners who are familiar with the plot. There definitely will be spoilers. This episode is scripted, narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher. OTHER RELEVANT LINKS: Awards for the graphic novel: https://www.instagram.com/p/C97CumNRDA7/?igsh=dzJvZWtqN2oyOHdz https://www.instagram.com/p/DO5P__NjWTM/?igsh=MWdrb3o2bGs3emJ3cA== CONTACTS AND SOCIAL MEDI...