When Hazel returned hours later, he found Fiver, Bigwig and the rest of his lagomorphic comrades shivering in the dew-drenched gulley at meadow's edge. "I've never seen anything quite like it," he finally offered, suddenly aware of exactly how much time had passed since he left to scout out the new warren. "I don't think they're dangerous," he added with a small belch, "although they're not much like the folks back home...."

In our podcast for today Popup Chinese offers yet another take on a Western literary classic. In this case we Sinocize Richard Adams' Watership Down. Listen in if you're curious what life is like for Chinese rabbits, or just want to learn how to use simple adjectives in conversation.
Absolute Beginners
 said on
May 4, 2009
Note: mp3 file is missing. we're re-uploading it now. [uploaded]
barrister
 said on
May 4, 2009
I just learned the word lagomorph. So apparently my English is getting better too.
xiaoxin
 said on
May 5, 2009
好可爱的兔子！！！难怪很多中国家庭养兔子作为宠物，呵呵。
Gail天堂的声音
 said on
May 6, 2009
我想起了一首儿歌：

小白兔，白又白，两只耳朵竖起来，

爱吃萝卜和青菜，蹦蹦跳跳真可爱！

no wonder Echo said the rabbit should eat 萝卜ingstead of 生菜 here...
小白兔
 said on
May 11, 2009
真好!我好喜欢兔子.
Echo
 said on
May 12, 2009
@小白兔，

我好喜欢你的用户名 :)

--Echo

echo@popupchinese.com
tonib23
 said on
June 14, 2010
Hi Echo,

Absolute beginner series: May 4, 2009 (illustration of the white rabbit).

I was not going to send in a comment as I am not a paid subscriber. As member of a religious body I have no personal bank account, so I just rely on material that is available free. My thanks to Popup Chinese.

But reading one of the comments in which your view is quoted, I decided to send in my point just this once.

As a child, I raised rabbits for years. I have found that rabbits DO NOT eat lettuce as stated in the dialogue. Lettuce gives them a very severe diorrhoea which kills them in a day or two.

So your comment (under Gail's entry)is supported by my experience.

Does that mean that the dialogue should be modified?

(A. Bogadek, Hong Kong)
Echo
 said on
June 15, 2010
@tonib23,

Welcome to the site! Our comment section is for everybody who has questions, problems or suggestions, so please feel free to comment on the site.

I'm not sure if rabbits eat lettuce, but I know they like Chinese cabbage and corn very much. Those rabbits I had did at least.

--Echo

echo@popupchinese.com

kay_kay1424
 said on
June 20, 2012
在我的厂子里有两个兔子。他们好可爱可是我怕触摸他们因为是野生的。

Can 厂子 refer to the backyard as well?
Echo
 said on
June 20, 2012
@kay_kay1424,

Backyard would be 后院 or 院子(yard). 厂子 is factory.

“它们好可爱，可是我怕摸它们，因为它们是野生的。” :)

--Echo

echo@popupchinese.com
murrayjames
 said on
June 20, 2012
Cute lesson, guys. Life as a rabbit, 天天快乐……

Thanks for the book recommendation, too. I bought "Watership Down" after listening to this. More literature-inspired podcasts definitely welcome!
kay_kay1424
 said on
June 21, 2012
Oh ok stupid dictionary.lol. Thanks for the correction, Echo.^^