...for my friend stopped running today
What does this mean to you? I know it's a sort of morning remark. What does Hazel mean by thousand? The many rabbits in morning for the death of their lost ones? Or his heart was taken by the thousand of rabbit spirits that have died?
To me it meant his heart had joined the thousands of others who were mourning for another rabbit or something in a unified saddness.
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The Thousand refers to the Thousand Enemies of Rabbits, which is what they call all of the animals that hunt them; 'Elil' or 'The Thousand' is a common way for the rabbits to refer to foxes, stoats and other hunters. Their heart is broken by one of the Thousand Enemies for their friend has stopped running. They say this over Bigwig and man was the enemy that killed him. (Until they fnd out he is actually alive, that is.)
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Great summation. I now understand what he meant by that now.
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As said previously, it refers to the Elil or "the Thousand" enemies. Incidentally, if I ever got a tattoo, it would be that quote.
My heart has joined the thousand, for my friend stopped running today
How beautiful is that? It's quasi-religious, but in a simplistic, uncomplicated way
I don't know if anyone still reads this thread... but I don't think it is referencing the thousand enemies... rabbits only count as high as four everything after that is "thousand" So I think it means they join the multitude of other rabbits in mourning. They live such a dangerous existence there are probably many in mourning.
alternately we see ghost rabbits a couple of times (the Black Rabbit) but don't they have a belief where the dead rabbits run together in spirit (also called the Thousand for the same reason as before any number over four=thousand?
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I also don't believe that it means the thousand enemies and what not as that doesn't make sense. To me, it has always meant that his heart has joined the thousand others that are mourning for the loss of a loved one.
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I agree, as why would their enemies mourn a dead rabbit in prayer? The thousands are obviously the other rabbits who have lost a loved one.
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Having just re-read the novel (first read in 1976) I believe you are exactly right. "The thousand" references the multitude of all rabbits who have ever been.
And "my friend stopped running today" is as eloquent and mournful a description of surviving the death of a friend as any I have ever read or heard.
That's not true. It specifically says in the book that the Thousand is all the elil, or enemies of rabbits. It is also true that rabbits count anything anything above 4 as 'hrair,' which means thousand. The proverb is "My heart has joined the Thousand, for my friend has stopped running today." The capitalized 'T' indicates it is talking about the enemies, not the 'thousands of dead rabbits.'
shareI don't think it necessarily references 'the thousand' as in the elil either.
I more agree with the first reply.
"My heart has joined a thousand, for my friend stopped running today", it could mean that their heart has now joined thousands of others that know what it's like to lose someone.
It means... any statement can lose its meaning and poignancy if not properly punctuated.
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Clearly some people here have not read the book. They are indeed referring to 'the Thousand' as in all the enemies of rabbits. The statement means that their hearts have joined their enemies because they are so sad that their friend has died - they are not suggesting the enemies themselves are mourning. A human might say something like: "My soul is with the devil because my friend was taken from me."
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Why would a human say that?!
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The saying is to imply that your soul is so blighted by misery at the loss of your friend that it's become as black as those of your enemies, the Thousand. I was merely suggesting that humans might use the devil as their 'great evil' if they were to use a saying with similar meaning.
share'the thousand' does refer to the rabbit's enemies. its their way of saying they feel bad, their heart is hurting them so they say it has become one of their enemy
And whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first, they must catch you...
It might also be that in the book rabbits can't count higher than 5 which is why they name the 5th or higher rabbit in a litter Fiver. Anything higher is a 1000. It is actually a funny little detail from the book. But the Thousand probably refers to all dead rabbits or rabbits who have passed on. I'd imagine his friend "stopped running" meaning he died and he joined the "thousand" all the other dead rabbits in heaven.
Just a guess though. I could be wrong since it has been a while since I read the book.
No, it's specified in the book that "the Thousand" (or "U Hrair") means all the enemies of rabbits. Remember, El-ahrairah is The Prince with the Thousand Enemies. Whenever the rabbits refer to the Thousand, they are talking about their enemies - "my heart has joined the Thousand" means their hearts have joined their enemies because they are so sad.
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sharePerfectly stated throughout. 'The Thousand' always means the enemies. I like the way you explained it.
You're wondering what is a place like me doing in a girl like this.
I've always taken it to mean that the rabbit's heart has become a source of pain or suffering. In essence, the rabbit's own heart is now one of The Thousand enemies, as it aches in response to the death of a friend.
share