General Woundwort quotes from Watership Down

General Woundwort

[after he and his guards surround the other rabbits] So we finally meet, Thlayli. They told me you weren't a fighter, but I know a fighter when I see one. I'm going to take great pleasure in killing you.

General Woundwort

I once told you that I would kill you, Thlayli. And this time, there's no white bird to save you!

General Woundwort

We fear no elil. I fear no dog. I fear nothing!

Captain Campion

Sir, the wide patrol has picked up the scent of a large band of rabbits near the down. Unfortunately, sir, they lost them.

General Woundwort

Tell them not to return until they're located. Leave one alive for questioning.

General Woundwort

I've called you here to invite you to voice any concerns you may have.

Sergeant Sainfoin

I... I feel like by sending us to search for the outsiders, we're risking lives. These are the rabbits who have a bird under their control. I mean, who knows what other kind of elil they might have power over?

General Woundwort

Are you really concerned about the lives of your bucks, or are you concerned about your own life? Are you afraid, sergeant?

Sergeant Sainfoin

Maybe... maybe I am afraid.

General Woundwort

[pushes Sainfoin to the ground; lividly] YOU DISGUST ME! IF YOU EXPIRE SERVING THIS WARREN, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER YOURSELF FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE GLORY OF SUCH A DEATH! Those of you not loyal to me invite outsiders to steal our does. Men to kill us and the elil to bring the white blindness. Those of you not loyal to me, hate Efrafa. Are you loyal, sergeant?

Sergeant Sainfoin

Yes, sir.

General Woundwort

And what about you, Campion?

Captain Campion

I am, general.

General Woundwort

Good, I don't care if it takes one Frith or a thousand, you will find the outsiders who stole our does. And when you do, we will DESTROY THEIR WARREN AND LEAVE NO TRACE OF THEM ON THIS EARTH! And to those of you who tremble in the wake of birds, or foxes or any of the thousand enemies of rabbits, I say this: In Efrafa, we run from no Elil! We are the Elil!

Bigwig

Hazel, we rally up anyone at silflay and take them down into the honeycomb at once.

Hazel

Alright, Holly, go. Bigwig, go and tell Strawberry to collapse all the entrances for the wood run and the big root.

Bigwig

Wait, where are you going?

Hazel

I'm going to buy us some time.

Bigwig

Hazel, no--!

Hazel

Bigwig, go.

Fiver

Is there anything I can do, Hazel?

Hazel

Have you been able to make any sense of your visions? The hrududu, the ropes?

Fiver

No, I don't know what any of it means.

Hazel

Don't worry. Get back to the warren with the others and try to keep everyone calm.

General Woundwort

Did Thlayli send you?

Hazel

I am a friend of Thlayli, yes.

General Woundwort

Ha! He's some chief rabbit. Sending you out here instead of coming himself. [darkly] We are going to destroy you.

Hazel

I imagine you planned to take our warren by surprise, attack us at dawn, when we moved out to silflay. But you approached downwind and up here on the Downs, the wind is changeable. That’s what gave you away.

General Woundwort

An inconvenience, nothing more. By closing off some of your tunnels, you're merely delaying the inevitable.

Hazel

You should know that you won’t find it easy. You will leave with far fewer bucks. We should come to better terms. If we start a new warren in the belt of woods halfway between our two homes, we could share resources. Rabbits have enough enemies as it is, without fighting between us. You'd be seen as a leader of vision. You'd be seen as a leader of genius.

Captain Campion

It, er, might be worth considering, sir.

General Woundwort

It amuses me that you feel you're in a position to strike a deal. Let's see if you feel the same way after three days without food.

Hazel

Very well.

General Woundwort

Tell your chief rabbit that I look forward to seeing him again. [Hazel leaves] Each of you take your bucks and cover one of the entrances. Nothing leaves this warren and lives.

Sergeant Sainfoin

The men say they heard a noise, a great wailing. You don't think that bird's back?

General Woundwort

If you mention that bird one more time, I will destroy you. Campion, prepare to follow me in, but not too close, in case we're ambushed.

Captain Campion

I will not.

General Woundwort

You dare disobey me? What kind of a soldier are you?

Captain Campion

I'd rather be a good rabbit than a good soldier, sir.

General Woundwort

Orchis, finish him. Sainfoin, come with me.

That's under the command of Captain Campion to join my Battalion.

Captain Campion

All bucks under my command are dismissed.

Leave here and you'll be hunted down. [chucking] You'll be dead!

Captain Campion

[threateningly] My rank equal you may be, Orchis, but my equal in combat you are not. I strongly advise you to step away from me.

General Woundwort

I could send my bucks down here one after the other if need be, Thlayli. But it seems a waste to kill you. Come back to Efrafa, and you can lead any mark you want.

Bigwig

Silflay hraka! U embleer rah! My chief rabbit ordered me to defend this run. And until he says otherwise, I will stay right here.

Sergeant Sainfoin

His chief rabbit? He's not chief rabbit?