52: Chapter 50. And Last Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher. Dedicated to the people of Ukraine and of Russia. The Lost Paragraph resolved Before going through this week’s chapter, I need to apologise for completely missing a crucial moment in Chapter 49 last week, especially given all the time I spent on the Lost Paragraph in episodes 7 to 10, 15 and 23. The last words of Chapter 49, spoken by Bigwig, are: "And if he’ll believe you, Hazel-rah, then I will.” In editions of the book that include the Lost Paragraph, this is the moment Bigwig fulfills his statement at the end of Chapter 11. Chapter 50. And Last We are told it is now six weeks later. The Efrafans who were trapped when they were defeated stayed and joined WD.  This happened largely due to Hazel's civility and determination.  Fiver seems to have a sense of detachment that seems permanent.  This seems sad in a way but it is possibly how Fiver was eventually meant to be. Bigwig mentions the price that Fiver has also paid for the warren's victory over Efrafa. We know that he has a doe, Vilthuril, who he is devoted to. Hyzenthlay has a litter who are out silflaying but who Hyzenthlay's buck is is not mentioned.  We know by reading ‘Tales From Watership Down’ that her buck is Hazel, however, we're not told this here.  The conversation turns to General Woundwort. Groundsel, the former Efrafan, now a member of WD, says that Woundwort is not dead and has likely founded a new warren someplace else. Silver, whom we know is a very tough fighter but also speaks with wisdom, is about to strongly debate Groundsel's assertions.  However, Hazel prevents this, as an argument, even an amicable one, will really do no good at this point. We next learn that Campion is now the 'rah' of the Woundwort-free Efrafa and this makes sense.  Hazel has the idea of Groundsel taking some rabbits out of the soon-to-be slightly overcrowded WD, combining them with some rabbits from Efrafa, and starting a new warren geographically between the two warrens. Kehaar will be able to help. The mere mention of our favorite gull has Silver mention that someone at the warren will be happy to see him.  We of course know that this is Bigwig and now the story turns to him as he is training members of Clover's litter.  These young rabbits are more interested in hearing about his experiences and we can understand that. We now hear a bit about changes to the warren in the form of a "winter burrow" and how the roof of the Honeycomb will eventually be healed by the combination of nature and the passage of time.  An idea forms for the rabbits to go over to the evening side of the wood. They soon come upon Vilthuril and her (and Fiver's) litter of four rabbits.  They are listening to their mother tell a story.  This story sounds like it is about El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle but we readers recognise it as being strongly interlaced with WD's own story. In particular the encounter with the Warren of the Snares. The young litter see Hazel-rah and more or less mob him in a good-natured way.  After all, he's also their uncle!  And then one of these young rabbits, young Threar, has a vision of a man approaching the Down on a horse.  This of course proves to be true.  Vilthuril announces that this is because of "Fiver's blood" and this makes sense.  The chapter concludes with Hazel proposing that it's time for all to get back underground again.  Fiver is seen not far away towards one of the holes and soon all the rabbits are underground for the evening. And, all too soon, the main interactive narrative of the characters of the novel ‘Watership Down’ is suddenly over.  Adams describes dusk and the coming of the autumn night sky, with the constellations seen in Britain at that time of year. We have now heard all but three of our lapine, and avine, friends, speak for the last time in the novel. The chapter ends with the hopeful words "Underground, the story continued”.