Hazel is the chief protagonist of the story. Though not very large for a yearling, he’s confident, good-natured, and a natural leader. His plans for improving his rabbits’ fortunes have a daring quality, but somehow they always work out. Smart and respectful toward others, Hazel often plays the diplomat to smooth over conflicts, and he knows how to use each rabbit’s abilities to benefit the group. His overriding purpose is to build a healthy, robust warren with thriving members, focusing on their happiness rather than his power. He learns quickly and effectively applies his experience to the warren’s problems.

As he gains experience and achieves great things for his rabbits, he acquires the title “Hazel-rah,” or Prince Hazel. His exploits take on lives of their own and quickly enter rabbit lore, blending into the stream of stories about the legendary El-ahrairah. Despite this, Hazel is basically an ordinary rabbit with good common sense and strong social skills. He’s an example of how an ordinary member of a larger can rise to greatness if he keeps his wits about him, focuses on helping others, remains humble, and stays true to his dreams.