Through Fire and Through Water is the third episode of the first series of The Animals of Farthing Wood. It was originally broadcast in the UK on 20 January 1993.
Plot[]
The animals awake in the army land to the sound of blasting cannons. The two baby rabbits become very scared and are only just stopped from running out onto the busy road by the hissing Adder. Fortunately, after Weasel provokes a hive of wasps, the soldiers run away from the stinging insects leaving the coast clear for the animals to continue on with their journey.
Still on the army land, the animals take a small break at a nearby marsh in order to drink and find food to eat. At this point, the newts decide it would be too challenging for them to carry on with the others and so they make their decision to stay and live on the marshland. Meanwhile, Mole goes digging for worms in the soft earth.
The rest of the group carry on walking, but one of the squirrels finds a live bullet which they assume is an acorn. After throwing it away on instruction from Fox the bullet explodes, ruining Pheasant's tail, which upsets him. Subsequently, when a careless smoker drops his lit cigarette on the side of the road, a massive forest fire sweeps across the army land, which nearly kills the frightened Toad, but he is rescued by Fox.
Toad observes that the wind is now blowing the fire back towards the marshland where the newts have settled. The animals manage to escape the flames by swimming onto an island in the middle of a lake, whilst firefighters bring an end to the forest flames. The animals spot Mole, who had been picked up by one of the humans, and Fox swims back to rescue him. It soon begins to rain and the animals continue on their journey.
Trivia[]
- This episode marks the final appearance, and possible death, of the newts.
- On "The Journey Begins" VHS, most of the scene where the Rabbits get told off for running away is cut.
Goofs[]
- In one scene several additional fieldmice and shrews appear, climbing onto Fox's and Badger's backs. However, these characters disappear shortly afterwards suggesting their appearance is a canonical error.
- At one point, one of the Rabbits speaks with Hare's voice.
- Kestrel says "He's running away." without moving her beak.
| Series and Episodes |
|---|
| Series 1 (1993) • Series 2 (1994) • Series 3 (1995) |
| Series 1 episodes (1993) |
| The Wood in Danger • The Journey Begins • Through Fire and Through Water • False Haven • Snare for the Unwary • Who Shall Wear the Crown? • New Friends, Old Enemies • Friends in Need • Whistler's Quarry • Between Two Evils • A Deathly Calm • Pandemonium • So near and yet so far... |
| Series 2 episodes (1994) |
| A Heroes' Welcome • Winter • Survival • New Enemies • A Joke Backfires • Home Is Where the Heart Is • The Feud Begins • Like Father, Like Son • Narrow Escapes • Shadows • A Time of Reckoning • Blood Is Thicker Than Water • Reconciliation |
| Series 3 episodes (1995) |
| Comings and Goings • Out and About • Water, Water • The Missing Fox's Friend • Tiffs and Tempers • Adventure for the Birds • The Long-Tailed Visitor • Scared Silly by Snakes • A Bigger Oink • The Mole Game • The Worst Kind of Hurricane • Homeward Bound • Bully-Bully-Bully |