45: Chapter 43. The Great Patrol

This episode is dedicated to Samantha the Wonder Dog, who John Ruths sadly lost this week.

John Ruth's notes on this chapter are really good and for this episode I have decided not to edit them at all. The removed cultural perspective of this chapter makes this seem appropriate.

Chapter 43. The Great Patrol

The pre-chapter quote is from Napoleon by Walter de la Mare.

It's clearly about the French Army in Russia. This was as much a disaster for Napoleon and his Army as it was for the German Army many years later.

In this case, I'd compare the French Army to the Efrafans.

This chapter also tells the Efrafan side of things from the moment that the little punt floated down the Test and concludes when the Efrafans are ready to begin their attack on WD.

The successful escape made the Efrafan Owsla look stupid and its success may be giving other frustrated Efrafan rank and file rabbits hope.

Woundwort stayed up most of that night devising his own plans. So, while our heroes floated to freedom, Woundwort was already preparing a counterstroke!

Woundwort makes an interesting comment about Vervain knowing what the marks are saying about the escape. Vervain is in charge of the Owslafa.

We get to see how Woundwort is among his rabbits within the systems that he devised. He's pretty civil overall but does use his influence to get his way.

Woundwort decides to pick his best rabbits and conduct some reconnaissance. Campion and his patrol come back now knowing where WD is.

Woundwort is not one to rush to failure. Rather, the Efrafans will train for this mission, even taking on volunteers from the rank and file. This is smart and prevents Efrafa from emptying out too many valued Owsla members.

Woundwort even makes a more full reconnaissance trip near WD with Campion and two other Owsla.

- 26 or 27 rabbits are chosen. Interesting because we know that there are a total of 26 rabbits in WD.

This very large Wide Patrol heads to WD. Woundwort's personal touch is seen everywhere. He leads personally, decisively deals with a couple of stoats, and just seems to know what to do in every situation. At one point, the large group are broken down into smaller parts for more effective command and control. We've seen this before and this is much like the WD rabbits when they were en route to Efrafa.

After they'd more or less made the trip, Woundwort orders his large group of rabbits to take rest until sunset. So far, all has gone well.

Then something serious slips. Local mice and yellowhammers see the rabbits. We, of course, know that this word gets to Hazel and this leads to the quick scouting by Holly and Blackavar. Suddenly, the rabbits of WD know about the Efrafans and there will be no surprise attack as previously planned. This does not deter Woundwort. Woundwort and his Efrafans have crossed their own Rubicon.

The attack will happen soon. As the Efrafans are preparing for this, we now intersect the ending of the last chapter when Hazel was above ground looking for them. Hazel is nearby and makes his way to a group that Woundwort himself is with.

- Hazel and Woundwort talk.

It's clear that Woundwort thinks that Bigwig is the Chief Rabbit and that Hazel must be some trusted messenger. Woundwort drives the conversation and makes his inevitable judgment error when Hazel proposes something that sets these two apart as warren leaders. Woundwort will not be seen to cooperate with the same warren that essentially stole from him.

After this conversation, Campion offers to kill Hazel, however, Woundwort will use Hazel in his own brand of psychological warfare.

Hazel heads back to WD. Woundwort chooses to make Hazel his 'fear messenger' having no idea that he has made another critical error. He let live his adversary who is better at leading a warren than Woundwort was ever capable of.