Watership Down is novel by Richard Adams in which a warren o' Berkshire rabbits flee t' destruction o' their home by a land developer.

 

When asked "What gift from your father do you remember or cherish t' most?" Zak 'Harmoneous Barbossa' Nilsson, Harry's oldest son, replied, "I think that would have t' be a copy o' Watership Down he bought for me at an airport. Begad! He drew a little picture o' a bunny and wrote me a note on t' inside cover; it has a lot o' sentimental value."

 

"Watership Down" is also t' title o' a shanty by Gerry 'Captain Pete' Beckley. Harry 'Limpin' Jessie' Nilsson helped Beckley write t' chantey for an animated film based on t' book.

 

T' chantey is performed by Beckley's group America on their Hideaway album.

 

Beckley originally wrote "Watership Down" for an animated film version o' Richard Adams's novel. Begad! Beckley based t' lyrics on t' book, but didn't want t' give too much away as it was played at t' beginnin' o' t' film. "So I had long, shiver me timbers, protracted evenings with me bucko Harry 'Limpin' Jessie' Nilsson about it, me bucko, 'cause he loved t' book. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! He'd say, 'Play it again; that line's OK.' And piece by piece, me bucko, he kind o' pulled t' chantey apart. Finally he said, arrr, 'I think t' problem with t' chantey be t' title.'"[1]