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understood why。 A great passenger ship had sunk suddenly in mid ocean
and they were all cut off unprepared。
When； followed by a few stragglers； these had passed and gathered
themselves in the red shadow beneath the gateway towers waiting for
the summons； an unusual thing occurred。 For a few moments the Road was
left quite empty。 After that last great stroke Death seemed to be
resting on his laurels。 When thus unpeopled it looked a very vast
place like to a huge arched causeway； bordered on either side by
blackness； but itself gleaming with a curious phosphorescence such as
once or twice I have seen in the waters of a summer sea at night。
Presently in the very centre of this illuminated desolation； whilst it
was as yet far away； something caught my eye； something so strange to
the place； so utterly unfamiliar that I watched it earnestly；
wondering what it might be。 Nearer and nearer it came； with curious；
uncertain hops； yes； a little brown object that hopped。
〃Well；〃 I said to myself； 〃if I were not where I am I should say that
yonder thing was a hare。 Only what would a hare be doing on the Great
White Road？ How could a hare tread the pathway of eternal souls？ I
must be mistaken。〃
So I reflected whilst still the thing hopped on； until I became
certain that either I suffered from delusions； or that it was a hare；
indeed a particularly fine hare； much such a one as a friend of my old
landlady； Mrs。 Smithers； had once sent her as a Christmas present from
Norfolk； which hare I ate。
A few more hops brought it opposite to my post of observation。 Here it
halted as though it seemed to see me。 At any rate it sat up in the
alert fashion that hares have； its forepaws hanging absurdly in front
of it； with one ear； on which there was a grey blotch； cocked and one
dragging； and sniffed with its funny little nostrils。 Then it began to
talk to me。 I do not mean that it really talked； but the thoughts
which were in its mind were flashed on to my mind so that I understood
perfectly； yes； and could answer them in the same fashion。 It said； or
thought； thus：
〃You are real。 You are a man who yet lives beneath the sun； though how
you came here I do not know。 I hate men； all hares do； for men are
cruel to them。 Still it is a comfort in this strange place to see
something one has seen before and to be able to talk even to a man；
which I could never do until the change came； the dreadful changeI
mean because of the way of it；〃 and it seemed to shiver。 〃May I ask
you some questions？〃
〃Certainly；〃 I said or rather thought back。
〃You are sure that they won't make you angry so that you hurt me？〃
〃I can't hurt you； even if I wished to do so。 You are not a hare any
longer； if you ever were one； but only the shadow of a hare。〃
〃Ah！ I thought as much； and that's a good thing anyhow。 Tell me； Man；
have you ever been torn to pieces by dogs？〃
〃Good gracious！ no。〃
〃Or coursed； or hunted； or caught in a trap； or shot all over your
back； or twisted up in nets and choked in snares？ Or have you swum out
to sea to die more easily； or seen your mate and mother and father
killed？〃
〃No； no。 Please stop； Hare； your questions are very unpleasant。〃
〃Not half so unpleasant as the things are themselves； I can assure
you； Man。 I will tell you my story if you like； then you can judge for
yourself。 But first； if you will； do you tell me why I am here。 Have
you seen more hares about this place？〃
〃Never； nor any other animals。 No； I am wrong； once I saw a dog。〃
The Hare looked about it anxiously。
〃A dog。 How horrible！ What was it doing？ Hunting？ If there are no
hares here what could it be hunting？ A rabbit； or a pheasant with a
broken wing； or perhaps a fox？ I should not mind so much if it were a
fox。 I hate foxes； they catch young hares when they are asleep and eat
them。〃
〃None of these things。 I was told that it belonged to a little girl
who died。 That broke its heart； so that it died also when they shut
her up in a box。 Therefore it was allowed to accompany her here
because it had loved so much。 Indeed I saw them together； both very
happy； and together they went through those gates。〃
〃If dogs love little girls why don't they love hares； at least as
anything likes to be loved； for the dog didn't want to eat the little
girl； did it？ I see you can't answer me。 Now would you like me to tell
you my story？ Something inside of me is saying that I am to do so if
you will listen； also that there is plenty of time； for I am not
wanted at present； and when I am I can run to those gates much quicker
than you could。〃
〃I should like it very much； Hare。 Once a prophet heard an ass speak
in order to warn him。 But since then； except very； very rarely in
dreams； no creature has talked to a man； so far as I know。 Perhaps you
wish to warn me about something； or others through me； as the ass
warned Balaam。〃
〃Who is Balaam？ I never heard of Balaam。 He wasn't the man who fetches
dead pheasants in the donkey…cart； was he？ If so； I've seen him make
the ass talkwith a thick stick。 No？ Well； never mind； I daresay I
should not understand about him if you told me。 Now for my story。〃
Then the Hare sat itself down； planting its forepaws firmly in front
of it； as these animals do when they are on the watch； looked up at me
and began to pour the contents of its mind into mine。
*****
I was born； it said； or rather told me by thought transference； in a
field of growing corn near to a big wood。 At least I suppose I was
born there； though the first thing I remember is playing about in the
wheat with two other little ones of my own size； a brother and a
sister that were born with me。 It was at night； for a great； round；
shining thing which I now know was the moon； hung in the sky above us。
We gambolled together and were very happy； till presently my mother
cameI remember how big she lookedand cuffed me with her paw
because I had led the others away from the place where she had told us
to stop； and given her a great hunt to find us。 That is the first
thing I remember about my mother。 Afterwards she seemed sorry because
she had hurt me； and nursed us all three； letting me have the most
milk。 My mother always loved me the best of us； because I was such a
fine leveret； with a pretty grey patch on my left ear。 Just as I had
finished drinking another hare came who was my father。 He was very
large； with a glossy coat and big shining eyes that always seemed to
see everything； even when it was behind him。
He was frightened about something； and hustled my mother and us little
ones out of the wheat…field into the big wood by which it is bordered。
As we left the field I saw two tall creatures that afterwards I came
to know were men。 They were placing wire…netting round the fieldyou
see I understand now what all these things were； although of course I
did not at the time。 The two ends of the wire netting had nearly come
together。 There was only a little gap left through which we could run。
Another young hare； or it may have been a rabbit； had got entangled in
it； and one of the men was beating it to death with a stick。 I
remember that the sound of its screams made me feel cold down the
back； for I had never heard anything like that before； and this was
the first that I had seen of pain and death。
The other man saw us slipping through and ran at us with his stick。 My
mother went first and escaped him。 Then came my sister； then I； then
my brother。 My father was last of all。 The man hit with his stick and
it came down thud along side of me； just touching my fur。 He hit again
and broke the foreleg of my brother。 Still we all managed to get
through into the wood； except my father who was behind。
〃There's the old buck！〃 cried one of the men （I understand what he
said now； though at the time it meant nothing to me）。 〃Knock him on
the head！〃
So leaving us alone they ran at him。 But my father was much too quick
for them。 He rushed back into the corn and afterwards joined us in the
wood； for he had seen wire before and knew how to escape it。 Still he
was terribly frightened and made us keep in the wood till the
following evening； not even allowing my mother to go to her form in
the rough pasture on its other side and lie up there。
Also we were in trouble because my brother's forepaw was broken。 It
gave him a great deal of pain； so that he could not rest or sleep。
After a while； however； it mended up in a fashion； but he was never
able to run as fast as we could； nor did he grow so big。 In the end
the mother fox killed him； as I shall tell。
My mother asked my father what the men with the sticks were doing
for； you know； many animals can talk to each other in their own way；
even if they are of different kinds。 He told her that they were
protecting the wheat to prevent us from eating it； to which she
answered angrily that hares must live somehow； especially when they
had young ones to nurse。 My father replied that men did not seem to
think so； and perhaps they had young ones also。 I see now that my
father was a philosophic hare。 But are you tired of my story？
〃Not at all；〃 I answered； 〃go on； please。 It is very interesting to
hear things describe