Chapter 1 Summary

The Notice Board

Fiver is the smallest rabbit in the warren. He is Hazel's brother and the best at finding cowslip, which is a delicacy among rabbits. Fiver finds a partially hidden cowslip, but Toadflex claims it for his own. Toadflex is one of the chief's Owsla, the ruling class in the warren. The Owsla enforce rules and punishment on behalf of the chief. They discover wood, nails, cigarette butts and a hammer by the brook. They find a sign, but cannot read it. Fiver has a premonition that something bad will happen and thinks the sign is the source of his bad feelings. He has visions of blood all over the warren. Hazel takes Fiver back to the burrow.

Chapter 1 Analysis

Two of the book's major characters, Hazel and Fiver, are introduced in this chapter. Fiver has visions that allow him to...