“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
― Roald Dahl
“There’s the fox.” I say to Michael as I grab his arm.
We stand like two statues in the half-light of the morning, our eyes straining in the direction of where the fox appears to be playing with something on the far side of the olive trees.
“Don’t move.” He whispers, as the fox trots in our direction.
He stops to sniff around under one of the old olive trees, barely five metres from us. I can feel my heart thunder in my chest.
“Wow!” I whisper back. “This is so special.”
He looks up, sees us, and ventures even closer. Michael starts to talk to him in a quiet voice. He sniffs, stops two metres from us, backs off, comes closer, backs off again. An apparent ritual he repeats a couple of times. We are mesmerized, but after watching his antics for a while, I decide to walk to the car to fetch my camera. When I get back, he jumps onto the wall next to the house, cautious but curious.
Our interaction lasts less than ten minutes, but for a brief moment it feels like we’ve accidentally stumbled into a fairy tale.
Stories featuring foxes celebrate their cleverness, cunning, adaptability and resourcefulness. As spirit guides they are said to convey messages, wisdom and guidance. They act as reminders for us to make time to play, and to do what we love in a playful manner. But they also reveal themselves during times of unpredictable change, warn us to pay attention as things may not be what they seem, but also to assure us that our problems will soon be solved. Opportunity, magic, and pure luck are just some of the energies they are said to embody.
If one believes in magic, omens, and serendipity or not, an encounter like this touches not just one’s heart, but also one’s spirit.
A couple of mornings later, we have a similar experience, and one evening, again in the twilight hour when the veil of the world seems to thin, he appears a third time. We consider ourselves lucky, at the same time hoping his luck will last, as the gunshots that ring out at all hours of the day fill my heart with unease. The hunting season is in full swing.
Aug/Sept 2019 Visit
Written by: Jolandi
Lovely! Foxes are such fragile animals. As a teenager, while still living on the farm with my parents I wander our Freestate farm. During one of these walks I bump into a little fox. It was small, dainty and pretty. Both the fox and I were stunned scared for a couple of seconds, just staring at one another and then we both casually went on our different ways. It was special to me bit probably not to the fox. :-).
I love your recollection of your own encounter with a fox, Corlia. These moments are so special exactly because they rarely happen. Apparently foxes get quite tame, which cannot be a good thing when there are hunters prowling around. – Jolandi
In Japanese folklore, foxes are considered supernatural beings that can bring good fortune or disaster on a human, depending on its mood and how it was treated by the person. They’re also trickster spirits, playing practical jokes on the person unlucky enough to cross their path. A common story in Japan is of a man falling in love with a beautiful woman, only to notice one night she has a long, fluffy tail under her kimono! Apparently foxes can’t hide/transform their tails when they disguise themselves as humans.
Anyway, what luck you had, encountering that lovely fox. I hope too it safely survives the hunting season.
Thank you for sharing the information of Japanese folklore, Hangaku. So interesting! I think we will go with “bring good fortune”. 🙂 It is lovely to see wildlife on the land, especially as our aim is to live in symbiosis with nature. – Jolandi
Magical and those eyes are stunning. What a great photo and experience.
Indeed, Terri. And thank you. I got really lucky with that photo and was pleasantly surprised (and very pleased) that it came out so well. – Jolandi
The photo looks like a fine drawing – it’s so soft, and the eyes are magnificent. Well, so are the ears, the crouching body and paw, and the tail. Amazing overall. Lucky you to have seen him and have such close interactions. I have to think this foretells good things!
We would also like to think that it foretells good things, Lexie. We can do with some good luck at the moment. It really was fortunate that he jumped onto the wall, and stayed put, while I fumbled with my camera’s settings button in the half-light. So often these photographs end up being a haze of movement, so I will always treasure this shot. And moment. – Jolandi
Your photos are wonderful, Jolandi! How fortunate you saw him and he was brave enough to get so close!
Thank you, Clare. Good fortune indeed. And I am very grateful that he posed so nicely for me to get this shot. – Jolandi
This is so special. <3 I'm glad you have him, and he has you. We have the hunting season right here as well, they are after the boar. Only when the day is one big storm as today, gunshots are not heard. Beautiful photo!
Thank you, Manja. I think I love big storms then. 😉
He is gorgeous, Jolandi. I hope with you that he is safe.
I think so too, Tanja, and trust he will stay out of harms way.
Indeed it sounds like quite an experience. I’ve encountered several shrines to foxes in Japan, which suggests their importance. Sadly, hunters don’t have a similar value set.
Lignum Draco. Sorry; pressed the return key too early.
How lovely that there are shrines to foxes in Japan. It is a country I would love to visit, and now even more so.