It is also responsible for foxfire - the old name for the Aurora Borealis and the phosphoric light given off by decaying plant matter. In Scandinavian myth, the fox is a trickster, using guile to catch its prey (or just mess with others for the hell of it). Examples of these (the kitsune, the kumiho/gumiho, and the huli jing) should be listed under that trope.Įuropean foxes tended to be very intelligent tricksters, often anthropomorphic, which sometimes had supernatural powers. Thus, the number of tails is an easy shorthand for how old and powerful an Asian fox spirit is. Typically such fox spirits gain a new tail, and increase their power, every 100 years until they reach the full nine. These spirits, which fulfill the same role as The Fair Folk do in European mythology, are clearly based on the same myths. Asian Fox Spirit: Many Asian mythologies include many-tailed, shapeshifting foxes.These myths and legends have both appeared in altered forms in modern stories and have influenced our own view of fox traits, leading to fox Animal Motifs. In Japan, marsh-lights are sometimes referred to as Kitsune-bi meaning "fox fire." In Scandinavian myths, foxes created the Northern Lights, called Fox Fire. Supernatural: The mysterious and eerie cry of the fox has led to many mythological versions having mystical or supernatural powers beyond shapeshifting.However, in Slavic languages, the name of the species is a feminine noun so the archetypical fox is more often female than not in Slavic tales. The feminine association is much weaker in Western European culture where the archetypical fox tends to be represented as male. The Chinese version, the huli jing, was believed to be made up entirely of feminine energy (yin or jing), and had to consume masculine energy (yang) to survive. Even if a shapeshifting fox takes the form of a human male in eastern culture, odds are high that they are Bishōnen.Īs mentioned above, Asian fox spirits were often depicted as female. A shapeshifting fox will assume the form of an attractive female. For these reasons, they are often associated with the feminine as well as sex appeal, although subversions do exist. Feminine: Foxes are nocturnal and associated with the Moon they are also extremely graceful animals, like cats.Quite often, the assumed form is human but retains some foxlike characteristics.Īsian nine-tailed fox spirits and Inuit fox spirits can transform into humans, usually beautiful girls. Shapeshifter: In keeping with being able to deceive, some legends paint foxes or fox spirits as shapeshifters, able to assume other forms under certain conditions or even at will.In Aesop's Fables, the fox uses flattery to steal cheese from the crow. This is often closely related to the trickster version of the fox. Using cunning or treachery, a fox will outwit a human or other animal to steal what it wants. Thieves: Since foxes sometimes steal from humans, this depiction is not surprising.There is also the extensive tale of Reynard the Fox, who outwits multiple foes with cunning. It does tend to be more clever than wise, and often ends up the victim of its own pranks.Įxamples of trickster foxes appear in Native American, Asian myths about nine-tailed fox spirits, and Aesop's Fables. In this guise it may be benevolent, teaching a lesson to the deceived, but more often it is only out for its own amusement or advancement, or even completely malicious. Trickster: Since the fox is very clever, it is often depicted as a trickster, using cunning to get what it wants.Wisdom and Intelligence: In folklore and myth, the fox is often depicted as a very wise or clever animal. It's not a surprise that their mythological counterparts draw their inspiration from these traits. Foxes are nocturnal hunters, with an eerie, haunting cry, and a reputation for almost supernatural cunning and cleverness. Animals frequently appear in folklore and mythology, and their traits are often exaggerated or Flanderized to make a supernatural or intelligent version of themselves.
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