---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The rabbits became strange in many ways…"
description: "\"“The rabbits became strange in many ways, different from other rabbits. They knew well enough what was happening. But even to themselves they pretended..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/richard-adams-4326_rabbits_the-rabbits-became-strange-in-many-ways_2853136.jpg"
---

#  The rabbits became strange in many ways, different from…

![“The rabbits became strange in many ways, different from other rabbits. They knew well enough what was happening. But even to themselves they pretended that all was well, for the food was good, they were protected, they had nothing to fear but the one fear; and that struck here and there, never…” quote by Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/richard-adams-4326_rabbits_the-rabbits-became-strange-in-many-ways_2853136.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/richard-adams-4326_rabbits_the-rabbits-became-strange-in-many-ways_2853136.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/richard-adams-4326_rabbits_the-rabbits-became-strange-in-many-ways_2853136.jpg)

> ““The rabbits became strange in many ways, different from other rabbits. They knew well enough what was happening. But even to themselves they pretended that all was well, for the food was good, they were protected, they had nothing to fear but the one fear; and that struck here and there, never enough at a time to drive them away.They forgot the ways of wild rabbits. They forgot El-ahrairah, for what use had they for tricks and cunning, living in the enemy's warren and paying his price?””

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Rabbits ignore danger, preferring comfort, forgetting their wild instincts.

**In simple terms:** Comfort can blind us to threats.

Key Takeaway

Balance safety with awareness of risks.

Themes

survival comfort tradition

Mood

cautionary thoughtful

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- urban living
- corporate culture
- personal habits

Key Concepts

instinct cognitive bias

Questions to Reflect On

- What comforts make you ignore warnings?
- How can you stay alert without fear?

A Different Perspective

Comfort can lead to complacency.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [If the poor rabbits knew I was selling their dead bodies for wine, they would be heartbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-adams-richards/if-the-poor-rabbits-knew-i-was-selling-their-dead-bodies-for-wine/)

[David Adams Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-adams-richards/)

> [I love Chicago for several reasons, but one of the best is that I was so intrigued that you have wild rabbits running around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/i-love-chicago-for-several-reasons-but-one-of-the-best-is-that-i-was/)

[Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/)

> [I have always brought home stray animals - everything from squirrels to wild rabbits to foxes and turtles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-weber/i-have-always-brought-home-stray-animals-everything-from-squirrels-to/)

[Amy Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-weber/)

> [Rabbits need dignity and above all the will to accept their fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/rabbits-need-dignity-and-above-all-the-will-to-accept-their-fate/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [ “Bluebell: Please, sir, I'm only a little \[car\] and I've left all my petrol on the grass. So if you don't mind eating the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/bluebell-please-sir-i-m-only-a-little-car-and-i-ve-left-all-my-petrol/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“The rabbits mingled naturally. They did not talk for talking's sake, in the artificial manner that human beings - and sometimes even their dogs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/the-rabbits-mingled-naturally-they-did-not-talk-for-talking-s-sake-in/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [If a rabbit gave advice and the advice wasn't accepted, he immediately forgot it, and so did everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/if-a-rabbit-gave-advice-and-the-advice-wasn-t-accepted-he-immediately/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Although there was no enemy or danger to be perceived, they felt the apprehension and doubt of those who have come unaware upon some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/although-there-was-no-enemy-or-danger-to-be-perceived-they-felt-the/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Rabbits (says Mr. Lockley) are like human beings in many ways. One of these is certainly their staunch ability to withstand disaster and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/rabbits-says-mr-lockley-are-like-human-beings-in-many-ways-one-of-2/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“I know. And we have no does--not one--and no does means no kittens and in a few years no warren." It may seem incredible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/i-know-and-we-have-no-does-not-one-and-no-does-means-no-kittens-and/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [Rabbits (says Mr. Lockley) are like human beings in many ways. One of these is certainly their staunch ability to withstand disaster and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/rabbits-says-mr-lockley-are-like-human-beings-in-many-ways-one-of/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“But I have learned that with creatures one loves, suffering is not the only thing for which one may pity them. A rabbit who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/but-i-have-learned-that-with-creatures-one-loves-suffering-is-not-the/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/)

[Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/)

> [I think that prosecuting some college kid because she shared a file is a lot like sending somebody to Australia 200 years ago for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-think-that-prosecuting-some-college-kid-because-she-shared-a-file/)

[Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/)

> [If you were to draw Bugs, the easiest way is to learn how to draw a carrot and then hook a rabbit onto it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-jones/if-you-were-to-draw-bugs-the-easiest-way-is-to-learn-how-to-draw-a/)

[Chuck Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-jones/)

## More by Richard Adams

> [Men will never rest till they've spoiled the earth and destroyed the animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/men-will-never-rest-till-they-ve-spoiled-the-earth-and-destroyed-the/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Like children in a dark room, like wayfarers passing a graveyard at night, the four men in the canoe filled the surrounding darkness with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/like-children-in-a-dark-room-like-wayfarers-passing-a-graveyard-at/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Rabbit underground, rabbit safe and sound.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/rabbit-underground-rabbit-safe-and-sound/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“There's terrible evil in the world." It comes from men," said Holly. "All other elil do what they have to do and Frith moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/there-s-terrible-evil-in-the-world-it-comes-from-men-said-holly-all/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“But I have learned that with creatures one loves, suffering is not the only thing for which one may pity them. A rabbit who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/but-i-have-learned-that-with-creatures-one-loves-suffering-is-not-the/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [People who record birdsong generally do it very early-before six o'clock-if they can. Soon after that, the invasion of distant noise in most woodland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/people-who-record-birdsong-generally-do-it-very-early-before-six-o/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Then El-ahrairah knew that Frith was too clever for him and he was frightened. He thought that the fox and the weasel were coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/then-el-ahrairah-knew-that-frith-was-too-clever-for-him-and-he-was/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Most of them had not understood Blackberry's discovery of the raft and at once forgot it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/most-of-them-had-not-understood-blackberry-s-discovery-of-the-raft/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“My lord,' replied El-ahrairah, 'I have come to give you my life. My life for my people.' The Black Rabbit drew his claws along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/my-lord-replied-el-ahrairah-i-have-come-to-give-you-my-life-my-life/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Hazel, like nearly all wild animals, was unaccustomed to look up at the sky. What he thought of as the sky was the horizon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/hazel-like-nearly-all-wild-animals-was-unaccustomed-to-look-up-at-the/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/be-cunning-and-full-of-tricks-and-your-people-shall-never-be-destroyed/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [Who knows why men do anything?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/who-knows-why-men-do-anything/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“A wild animal that feels that it no longer has any reason to live reaches in the end a point when its remaining energies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/a-wild-animal-that-feels-that-it-no-longer-has-any-reason-to-live/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Think yourself lucky,” said Bigwig, bleeding and cursing, “that I don’t kill you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/think-yourself-lucky-said-bigwig-bleeding-and-cursing-that-i-don-t/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Black Rabbit: Hazel... Hazel... you know me, don't you? Hazel: I don't know. \[the apparition reveals himself to be the Black Rabbit, and Hazel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/black-rabbit-hazel-hazel-you-know-me-don-t-you-hazel-i-don-t-know-the/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

[Explore all 109 Richard Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

## More Rabbits quotes

> [If you were to draw Bugs, the easiest way is to learn how to draw a carrot and then hook a rabbit onto it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-jones/if-you-were-to-draw-bugs-the-easiest-way-is-to-learn-how-to-draw-a/)

[Chuck Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-jones/)

> [I think that prosecuting some college kid because she shared a file is a lot like sending somebody to Australia 200 years ago for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-think-that-prosecuting-some-college-kid-because-she-shared-a-file/)

[Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/)

> [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/)

[Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/)

> [All fiction is about people, unless it's about rabbits pretending to be people. It's all essentially characters in action, which means characters moving through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/all-fiction-is-about-people-unless-it-s-about-rabbits-pretending-to/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [One of the first houses we lived in was like out of a fairy story. We had a stream that ran through our garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-clarke/one-of-the-first-houses-we-lived-in-was-like-out-of-a-fairy-story-we/)

[Emilia Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-clarke/)

> [People look at me like I'm a little strange, when I go around talking to squirrels and rabbits and stuff. That's ok. That's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ross/people-look-at-me-like-i-m-a-little-strange-when-i-go-around-talking/)

[Bob Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ross/)

> [Rabbits are played. Nowadays it's all about the turtles. Tell them it's a ninja, they'll freak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/rabbits-are-played-nowadays-it-s-all-about-the-turtles-tell-them-it-s/)

[Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/)

> [I usually eat four or five raw carrots with my meat, and that is all. I must be part rabbit; I never get bored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-usually-eat-four-or-five-raw-carrots-with-my-meat-and-that-is-all-i/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [Economic theorists should not make such a production about taking a rabbit out of a hat after having put the rabbit into the hat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-robinson/economic-theorists-should-not-make-such-a-production-about-taking-a/)

[Joan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-robinson/)

> [Kids love rabbits... they just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/kids-love-rabbits-they-just-like-them/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Here I am in a rabbit run, here I am in a valley of pine, waiting for you to find me. I could pretend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/here-i-am-in-a-rabbit-run-here-i-am-in-a-valley-of-pine-waiting-for/)

[Richard Siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/)

> [Some people draw a comforting distinction between force and violence. I refuse to cloud the issue by such word-play. The power which establishes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-kaunda/some-people-draw-a-comforting-distinction-between-force-and-violence/)

[Kenneth Kaunda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-kaunda/)

> [He sighed, wondering how his life had been turned upside down by this woman in less than forty-eight hours. Correction: by this woman, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/he-sighed-wondering-how-his-life-had-been-turned-upside-down-by-this/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [The truth is a rabbit in a bramble patch. All you can do is circle around and say it's somewhere in there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/the-truth-is-a-rabbit-in-a-bramble-patch-all-you-can-do-is-circle/)

[Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/)

> [Marriage is a wrestling match where you hold on tight while your mate changes into a hundred different things. The trick is that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/marriage-is-a-wrestling-match-where-you-hold-on-tight-while-your-mate/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

Browse all 481 Rabbits quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The rabbits became strange in many ways, different from other rabbits. They knew well enough what was happening. But even to themselves they pretended that all was well, for the food was good, they were protected, they had nothing to fear but the one fear; and that struck here and there, never enough at a time to drive them away.They forgot the ways of wild rabbits. They forgot El-ahrairah, for what use had they for tricks and cunning, living in the enemy's warren and paying his price?”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard Adams"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/the-rabbits-became-strange-in-many-ways-different-from-other-rabbits/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Rabbits"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/the-rabbits-became-strange-in-many-ways-different-from-other-rabbits/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/richard-adams-4326_rabbits_the-rabbits-became-strange-in-many-ways_2853136.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/richard-adams-4326_rabbits_the-rabbits-became-strange-in-many-ways_2853136.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/richard-adams-4326_rabbits_the-rabbits-became-strange-in-many-ways_2853136.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The rabbits became strange in many ways, different from other rabbits. They knew well enough what was…” — Richard Adams",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Richard Adams",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“The rabbits became strange in many...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/the-rabbits-became-strange-in-many-ways-different-from-other-rabbits/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/the-rabbits-became-strange-in-many-ways-different-from-other-rabbits/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
