The Grateful Foxes
by Unknown · from Tales of Wonder Every Child Should Know
Adapted Version
Long ago, a kind man lived. He loved all creatures. One day, he saw a little fox. It played on a green hill. Some boys came. They were not kind. They took the little fox. It was very scared.
The man said, "Let the fox go!" "No!" they said. "We want coins." The man gave them coins. The boys let the little fox go. His friend was surprised. His friend asked, "Why did you do that?" "I helped," he said.
The little fox had a hurt paw. The kind man found a green leaf. He put it on the paw. The paw felt better! He gave it some rice. Then he set the little fox free. It ran to its mother and father. The mother fox and father fox nodded. They said thank you with their eyes.
Many days went by. The kind man had a little boy. One day, his little boy got sick. He was very, very sick. No doctor could help him. Then one doctor said this. "Only fox cure can help." The man was sad.
The kind man loved all foxes. He did not want to hurt them. He asked a mountain man for help. "Please look for fox cure," he said. "Do not hurt any fox." "I will try," he said. He went.
One night, a man came to the house. "I bring the fox cure," he said. He gave them a small jar. Then the man left. The kind man was so happy! His little boy took the cure. He felt much better!
A few days later, the mountain man came. The kind man thanked him a lot. But the mountain man looked surprised. "I did not send any cure!" he said. The folks looked at each other. "Who sent it then?" they asked.
That night, the kind man had a dream. The mother fox came to him. She looked like a kind woman. "Do you think of me?" she asked. "You saved my little fox long ago. I am so happy you helped us. I came to say thank you."
"Your little boy was very sick," she said. "We wanted to help you. So we found a very special plant. It is a magic leaf. Only foxes know about it. It was a big gift from our folks. The father fox dressed like a man. He brought the magic leaf to you."
The kind man woke up. He felt very touched. Happy tears were in his eyes. He told his wife about the dream. She listened to each word. She felt very touched too. They both had tears of joy. They sat as one all night long.
The next day, they told all. They told their folks and friends. They told the whole village. "The foxes helped our son!" they said. All were amazed. "What a wonderful story!" they all said. The folks were very thankful.
The little boy was well now. He was strong again! He built a pretty little house. It was for the foxes. He put it in a nice spot. All thought of the kind man. All thought of the kind foxes. Being kind is very good. Even a little kindness helps a lot. It can bring big, happy surprises!
Original Story
The Grateful Foxes
ne fine spring day, two friends went out to a moor to gather fern, attended by a boy with a bottle of wine and a box of provisions. As they were straying about, they saw at the foot of a hill a fox that had brought out its cub to play; and whilst they looked on, struck by the strangeness of the sight, three children came up from a neighbouring village with baskets in their hands, on the same errand as themselves. As soon as the children saw the foxes, they picked up a bamboo stick and took the creatures stealthily in the rear; and when the old foxes took to flight, they surrounded them and beat them with the stick, so that they ran away as fast as their legs could carry them; but two of the boys held down the cub, and, seizing it by the scruff of the neck, went off in high glee.
The two friends were looking on all the while, and one of them, raising his voice, shouted out, "Hallo! you boys! what are you doing with that fox?"
The eldest of the boys replied, "We're going to take him home and sell him to a young man in our village. He'll buy him, and then he'll boil him in a pot and eat him."
"Well," replied the other, after considering the matter attentively, "I suppose it's all the same to you whom you sell him to. You'd better let me have him."
"Oh, but the young man from our village promised us a good round sum if we could find a fox, and got us to come out to the hills and catch one; and so we can't sell him to you at any price."
"Well, I suppose it cannot be helped, then; but how much would the young man give you for the cub?"
"Oh, he'll give us three hundred cash at least."
"Then I'll give you half a bu; and so you'll gain five hundred cash by the transaction."
"Oh, we'll sell him for that, sir. How shall we hand him over to you?"
"Just tie him up here," said the other; and so he made fast the cub round the neck with the string of the napkin in which the luncheon box was wrapped, and gave half a bu to the three boys, who ran away delighted.
The man's friend, upon this, said to him, "Well, certainly you have got queer tastes. What on earth are you going to keep that fox for?"
"How very unkind of you to speak of my tastes like that. If we had not interfered just now, the fox's cub would have lost its life. If we had not seen the affair, there would have been no help for it. How could I stand by and see life taken? It was but a little I spent—only half a bu—to save the cub, but had it cost a fortune I should not have grudged it. I thought you were intimate enough with me to know my heart; but to-day you have accused me of being eccentric, and I see how mistaken I have been in you. However, our friendship shall cease from this day forth."
And when he had said this with a great deal of firmness, the other, retiring backward and bowing with his hands on his knees, replied:
"Indeed, indeed, I am filled with admiration at the goodness of your heart. When I hear you speak thus, I feel more than ever how great is the love I owe you. I thought that you might wish to use the cub as a sort of decoy to lead the old ones to you, that you might pray them to bring prosperity and virtue to your house. When I called you eccentric just now, I was but trying your heart, because I had some suspicions of you; and now I am truly ashamed of myself."
And as he spoke, still bowing, the other replied, "Really! was that indeed your thought? Then I pray you to forgive me for my violent language."
When the two friends had thus become reconciled, they examined the cub, and saw that it had a slight wound in its foot, and could not walk; and while they were thinking what they should do, they spied out the herb called "Doctor's Nakasé," which was just sprouting; so they rolled up a little of it in their fingers and applied it to the part. Then they pulled out some boiled rice from their luncheon box and offered it to the cub, but it showed no sign of wanting to eat; so they stroked it gently on the back, and petted it; and as the pain of the wound seemed to have subsided, they were admiring the properties of the herb, when, opposite to them, they saw the old foxes sitting watching them by the side of some stacks of rice straw.
"Look there! the old foxes have come back, out of fear for their cub's safety. Come, we will set it free!" And with these words they untied the string round the cub's neck, and turned its head toward the spot where the old foxes sat; and as the wounded foot was no longer painful, with one bound it dashed to its parents' side and licked them all over for joy, while they seemed to bow their thanks, looking toward the two friends. So, with peace in their hearts, the latter went off to another place, and, choosing a pretty spot, produced the wine bottle and ate their noon-day meal; and after a pleasant day, they returned to their homes, and became firmer friends than ever.
Now the man who had rescued the fox's cub was a tradesman in good circumstances: he had three or four agents and two maid-servants, besides men-servants; and altogether he lived in a liberal manner. He was married, and this union had brought him one son, who had reached his tenth year, but had been attacked by a strange disease which defied all the physicians' skill and drugs. At last a famous physician prescribed the liver taken from a live fox, which, as he said, would certainly effect a cure. If that were not forthcoming, the most expensive medicine in the world would not restore the boy to health. When the parents heard this, they were at their wits' end. However, they told the state of the case to a man who lived on the mountains. "Even though our child should die for it," they said, "we will not ourselves deprive other creatures of their lives; but you, who live among the hills, are sure to hear when your neighbours go out fox-hunting. We don't care what price we might have to pay for a fox's liver; pray, buy one for us at any expense." So they pressed him to exert himself on their behalf; and he, having promised faithfully to execute the commission went his way.
In the night of the following day there came a messenger, who announced himself as coming from the person who had undertaken to procure the fox's liver; so the master of the house went out to see him.
"I have come from Mr. So-and-so. Last night the fox's liver that you required fell into his hands; so he sent me to bring it to you." With these words the messenger produced a small jar, adding, "In a few days he will let you know the price."
When he had delivered his message, the master of the house was greatly pleased and said, "Indeed, I am deeply grateful for this kindness, which will save my son's life."
Then the good wife came out, and received the jar with every mark of politeness.
"We must make a present to the messenger."
"Indeed, sir, I've already been paid for my trouble."
"Well, at any rate, you must stop the night here."
"Thank you, sir: I've a relation in the next village whom I have not seen for a long while, and I will pass the night with him;" and so he took his leave, and went away.
The parents lost no time in sending to let the physician know that they had procured the fox's liver. The next day the doctor came and compounded a medicine for the patient, which at once produced a good effect, and there was no little joy in the household. As luck would have it, three days after this the man whom they had commissioned to buy the fox's liver came to the house; so the good wife hurried out to meet him and welcome him.
"How quickly you fulfilled our wishes, and how kind of you to send at once! The doctor prepared the medicine, and now our boy can get up and walk about the room; and it's all owing to your goodness."
"Wait a bit!" cried the guest, who did not know what to make of the joy of the two parents. "The commission with which you entrusted me about the fox's liver turned out to be a matter of impossibility, so I came to-day to make my excuses; and now I really can't understand what you are so grateful to me for."
"We are thanking you, sir," replied the master of the house, bowing with his hands on the ground, "for the fox's liver which we asked you to procure for us."
"I really am perfectly unaware of having sent you a fox's liver; there must be some mistake here. Pray inquire carefully into the matter."
"Well, this is very strange. Four nights ago, a man of some five or six and thirty years of age came with a verbal message from you, to the effect that you had sent him with a fox's liver, which you had just procured, and said that he would come and tell us the price another day. When we asked him to spend the night here, he answered that he would lodge with a relation in the next village, and went away."
The visitor was more and more lost in amazement, and, leaning his head on one side in deep thought, confessed that he could make nothing of it. As for the husband and wife, they felt out of countenance at having thanked a man so warmly for favours of which he denied all knowledge; and so the visitor took his leave, and went home.
That night there appeared at the pillow of the master of the house a woman of about one or two and thirty years of age, who said, "I am the fox that lives at such-and-such a mountain. Last spring, when I was taking out my cub to play, it was carried off by some boys, and only saved by your goodness. The desire to requite this kindness pierced me to the quick. At last, when calamity attacked your house, I thought that I might be of use to you. Your son's illness could not be cured without a liver taken from a live fox, so to repay your kindness I killed my cub and took out its liver; then its sire, disguising himself as a messenger, brought it to your house."
And as she spoke, the fox shed tears; and the master of the house, wishing to thank her, moved in bed, upon which his wife awoke and asked him what was the matter; but he, too, to her great astonishment, was biting the pillow and weeping bitterly.
"Why are you weeping thus?" asked she.
At last he sat up in bed, and said, "Last spring, when I was out on a pleasure excursion, I was the means of saving the life of a fox's cub, as I told you at the time. The other day I told Mr. So-and-so that, although my son were to die before my eyes, I would not be the means of killing a fox on purpose; but asked him in case he heard of any hunter killing a fox, to buy it for me. How the foxes came to hear of this I don't know; but the foxes to whom I had shown kindness killed their own cub and took out the liver; and the old dog-fox, disguising himself as a messenger from the person to whom we had confided the commission, came here with it. His mate has just been at my pillow-side and told me all about it; hence it was that, in spite of myself, I was moved to tears."
When she heard this, the good wife likewise was blinded by her tears, and for a while they lay lost in thought; but at last, coming to themselves, they lighted the lamp on the shelf on which the family idol stood, and spent the night in reciting prayers and praises, and the next day they published the matter to the household and to their relations and friends. Now, although there are instances of men killing their own children to requite a favour, there is no other example of foxes having done such a thing; so the story became the talk of the whole country.
Now, the boy who had recovered through the efficacy of this medicine selected the prettiest spot on the premises to erect a shrine to Inari Sama, the Fox God, and offered sacrifice to the two old foxes, for whom he purchased the highest rank at court of the Mikado.
Story DNA
Moral
Acts of kindness, even small ones, can be repaid in unexpected and profound ways, sometimes requiring great sacrifice from those who are grateful.
Plot Summary
A kind man rescues a fox cub from some boys, tending its wound and releasing it. Years later, his son falls gravely ill, requiring a fox's liver for a cure, but the man refuses to intentionally harm a fox. A mysterious messenger delivers the needed liver, curing the son, but the source remains unknown until the mother fox appears to the man in a dream. She reveals that she and her mate, out of profound gratitude for his past kindness, sacrificed their own cub to save his son. Deeply moved, the family honors the grateful foxes, and the recovered son builds a shrine to the Fox God in their memory, making their story a legend.
Themes
Emotional Arc
compassion to sorrow to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story reflects traditional Japanese beliefs about foxes and the importance of compassion and gratitude, often found in folk tales where animals exhibit human-like virtues.
Plot Beats (12)
- Two friends on a moor witness boys capturing a fox cub.
- One friend, out of compassion, buys the cub from the boys to save its life, despite his friend's initial confusion.
- The kind friend and his reconciled companion tend to the cub's wound and release it back to its parents, who appear to bow in thanks.
- Years later, the kind friend's son falls gravely ill, and a physician prescribes a live fox's liver as the only cure.
- The father, unwilling to kill a fox, commissions a mountain man to procure a liver if one is found by hunters.
- A mysterious messenger delivers a fox's liver, claiming it's from the commissioned man, and the son recovers after taking the medicine.
- The commissioned mountain man later visits, expressing confusion and denying any knowledge of sending a liver, leaving the family bewildered.
- That night, the mother fox appears to the father in a dream, revealing she was the fox whose cub he saved.
- She explains that to repay his kindness, she and her mate sacrificed their own cub, and the father fox disguised himself as the messenger to deliver the liver.
- The father wakes, weeping, and recounts the dream to his wife, who also weeps.
- The family, deeply moved, spends the night in prayer and shares the miraculous story with their community.
- The recovered son erects a shrine to Inari Sama (the Fox God) and honors the grateful foxes, whose story becomes widely known.
Characters
The Tradesman (Rescuer of the Fox Cub)
A man of good standing, likely of average height and build for a Japanese tradesman of the era. His features would reflect a life of comfortable living, not manual labor, with a well-maintained appearance.
Attire: Wears a traditional Japanese kimono made of fine silk or cotton, perhaps in muted tones like indigo, grey, or brown, indicating his status as a 'tradesman in good circumstances'. He might wear a haori (short jacket) over it for outdoor excursions, and tabi socks with zori sandals.
Wants: To live a life guided by strong moral principles, to alleviate suffering, and to protect innocent life. Later, to save his son.
Flaw: Can be overly rigid in his moral judgments, leading to temporary estrangement from his friend. His deep empathy can also lead to profound sorrow.
Starts as a man of strong principles, tested by his friend's initial misunderstanding. His principles are reaffirmed and deepened by the foxes' sacrifice, leading to a profound spiritual understanding and a stronger bond with his family and friend.
Compassionate, principled, firm, generous, deeply empathetic.
The Tradesman's Friend
Similar in age and social standing to the Tradesman, likely of average height and build for a Japanese man of the period. His features would suggest a more pragmatic or perhaps less overtly emotional disposition.
Attire: Wears a traditional Japanese kimono of good quality, perhaps in a slightly different color or pattern than his friend's, indicating his own comfortable status. He would also wear a haori and zori sandals.
Wants: To understand his friend's motivations, to maintain their friendship, and to enjoy leisure.
Flaw: Prone to misjudging others' intentions, especially those driven by deep moral conviction.
Begins by questioning his friend's 'eccentric' act of saving the fox, but through his friend's firm explanation, he realizes the depth of his friend's compassion and his own misjudgment, leading to a strengthened friendship and greater admiration.
Initially pragmatic, curious, somewhat skeptical, but ultimately admiring, loyal, and capable of deep respect.
The Fox Mother
A sleek, healthy red fox, with rich russet fur, a bushy tail tipped with white, and agile, slender legs. Her size would be typical for a mature fox, but her demeanor would convey intelligence and deep emotion.
Attire: None, as she is a fox. However, when she appears in human form, she is described as a woman of 'one or two and thirty years of age', implying a graceful, mature appearance. Her human form would likely wear simple, elegant Japanese attire, perhaps a plain kimono in earthy tones, reflecting her connection to nature.
Wants: To protect her cub, and later, to repay the kindness shown by the Tradesman, even at the ultimate cost.
Flaw: Her overwhelming love for her cub and her profound sense of gratitude lead her to make a tragic sacrifice.
Begins as a protective mother, then transforms into a grateful benefactor. Her arc culminates in the ultimate sacrifice of her own child to save her human benefactor's son, demonstrating the profound depth of her gratitude and the tragic nature of her love.
Devoted, grateful, self-sacrificing, intelligent, deeply emotional.
The Fox Father
A strong, mature red fox, with vibrant russet fur, a thick, white-tipped tail, and powerful legs. His presence would be commanding and watchful.
Attire: None, as he is a fox. In his disguised human form, he would appear as a 'man of some five or six and thirty years of age', dressed as a humble but respectable messenger, perhaps in a simple dark kimono and haori, with a traveling hat (kasa).
Wants: To protect his cub, and later, to assist his mate in repaying the kindness shown by the Tradesman.
Flaw: His devotion to his family and his mate's plan leads him to participate in a tragic sacrifice.
Begins as a watchful, protective father. His arc involves his transformation into a key agent in the repayment of the debt, demonstrating his loyalty and resourcefulness.
Protective, grateful, resourceful, loyal, stoic.
The Tradesman's Son
A young Japanese boy, ten years old, initially frail and weakened by illness, but later recovering to a healthy appearance. He would have the typical features of a child of his age and ethnicity.
Attire: While ill, likely wears simple, comfortable sleeping kimonos. After recovery, he would wear a child's kimono, perhaps in a cheerful color, suitable for a boy of his social standing.
Wants: To recover from his illness. Later, to express profound gratitude to his saviors.
Flaw: His severe illness makes him vulnerable and dependent.
Begins as a passive victim of illness. His miraculous recovery through the foxes' sacrifice transforms him into a devout and grateful individual, establishing a shrine to honor them.
Initially suffering and passive due to illness. After recovery, he shows gratitude and devotion, symbolized by his act of building a shrine.
The Fox Cub
A small, fluffy red fox cub, with soft russet fur, large, curious eyes, and a small, pointed muzzle. Initially, it has a slight wound on its foot.
Attire: None.
Wants: To play, to survive, to return to its parents.
Flaw: Physical vulnerability to human cruelty and injury.
Begins as a playful, innocent creature, becomes a victim of human cruelty, is rescued and healed, and then tragically becomes a sacrifice for a greater good, though this is not directly shown from its perspective.
Playful, innocent, vulnerable, grateful (implied by its actions after release).
Locations
Moor at the foot of a hill
A vast, open moorland with sparse vegetation, leading up to the base of a gentle hill. The ground is likely covered in ferns and wild grasses, with some exposed earth or rocks. The air is fresh and clear, typical of a spring day in rural Japan.
Mood: Initially peaceful and natural, then tense and urgent during the fox cub's capture, finally relieved and grateful.
The two friends encounter the foxes, witness the cub's capture by village children, and intervene to save it. They later treat the cub's wound and release it.
Tradesman's Japanese House
A well-maintained traditional Japanese residence, likely a 'machiya' or 'buke yashiki' style, indicating the tradesman's good circumstances. It features sliding shoji screens, tatami mat flooring, and a 'tokonoma' alcove where the family idol stands. The interior is clean, orderly, and reflects a comfortable, liberal lifestyle.
Mood: Initially anxious and desperate due to the son's illness, then filled with relief and joy, and finally profound sadness and gratitude.
The son is gravely ill. The fox, disguised as a messenger, delivers the cub's liver. The son recovers. The mother fox appears in a dream to explain her sacrifice, leading to the family's deep gratitude and the establishment of a shrine.
Shrine to Inari Sama on the Premises
A newly erected, small, and aesthetically pleasing shrine dedicated to Inari Sama, the Fox God, located in the prettiest spot within the tradesman's property. It would feature a miniature torii gate, a small offering box, and possibly stone fox statues ('kitsune') guarding it.
Mood: Reverent, peaceful, and deeply grateful.
The recovered son builds this shrine to honor the two grateful foxes, offering sacrifices and prayers, and ensuring their spiritual recognition.