Adam's Fox Box: Fox Fire

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"You've actually seen it?" the scholar whispered, although there was no reason for him to do so. The common room of the inn was very large, and it was very crowded this cold, wintry night. Indeed, had he shouted, it was likely others could not easily overhear his conversation.

Thirty or more villagers were drinking, gambling, eating, wenching, or engaged in various combinations of these activities, most of them near the large fire in the centre of the room. The scholar and his companion, a woodsman, had a table to themselves some distance from the crowd.

"It should not seem so unusual," the woodsman replied. "I make my home in the forest."

"But such a thing -- is it real? How can it be?" The young student betrayed a great urgency in his voice.

He had been waiting several days to speak to someone who knew about this particular curiosity, and he had it in mind all the while to be very calm, skeptical, and professional when this moment arrived, but all his plans vanished in an instant when the innkeeper directed this woodsman to his table. Here was someone who had actually seen the Fox Fire!

The woodsman paused for a moment, staring into the bottom of his drink as if he could read the future by doing so. "What is your interest in the matter?"

"I am a student and I currently live in the capital. My master is compiling a volume of folk legends and I have journeyed to the countryside to gather tales."

"You are fortunate the innkeeper happened to remember me. Had you asked any other of our fine citizens here about this subject they would either have laughed at you or regarded you as a meddlesome stranger who would be better off where he came from."

"I specifically asked the innkeeper to speak to someone who would be knowledgeable about the Fox Fire, since I have no real information about the legend. But you not only know about it but have seen it?"

The woodsman finished his drink in one gulp. "I wish I could tell you I have not seen it. Look at these people around you. They are a simple enough folk, and they must seem very stupid and uncultured to one like you who lives in the city. Yet they are happy with their lives, keep to themselves, and help one another as needed. But those like me who live deep in the forest are destined to live close to nature in relative solitude. We see many things one might rather not. At times it is as if we have an uneasy truce with nature."

The student signaled to the innkeeper for another round of drinks. "You certainly do not speak like an uneducated man. Why do you live such a life?"

The woodsman smiled shyly, perhaps embarrassed by the compliment. "My father saw that I received a little education in a monastery when I was a child. It was his hope that by the time I grew up he could afford to open a shop in this village. It would have been an easy life compared to our labour in the forest. But my mother became very ill, and my father spent all his savings on medicines for her. She eventually died anyway, and my father died shortly after, of a broken heart, I think. But do not think I dislike my life in the forest. As I said, there may be queer or even frightening things seen there, but it is a rewarding life as well. It is peaceful, quiet, and supplies me with nearly all my needs. I must come to the village from time to time for certain goods, but I have grown accustomed to the woodland solitude and prefer it. It is as natural to me as your city life is to you."

As his companion spoke the scholar took notes with his pen and ink. "But what about the Fox Fire...?"

The woodsman shrugged his shoulders. "There is a full moon tonight. Anything I can tell you would be insignificant when compared to the event itself. You may see it for yourself if you wish."

The student's eyes fairly glowed. "Amazing!" He paused for a moment and became wary. It would not be impossible for his cordial companion to actually be a highwayman planning to waylay him when far from aid.

"I haven't much money to offer you," he said apologetically. "It is the lot of the student to be ever a hair's breadth from the begging bowl..."

"I expect no payment. It will not take me far out of my way. But what do you plan to do with the information?"

"I had intended to add it to my master's collection of legends, but if I see that such a thing is no mere fairy tale, I am sure he and others will want to see it as well."

The woodsman's manner became somewhat pensive. "Such a thing would hardly be beneficial to the forest. There are some things there that people should not concern themselves with."

"As a scholar, I must disagree," the young man retorted. "Any knowledge should be shared so the whole community may benefit."

"Your community may benefit," the woodsman replied, "but I do not think these villagers would agree that such interference is beneficial. They have a hard life as it is and wish to be left alone. A few coins in exchange for being under the scrutiny of city folk and dealing with the problems they would surely bring is hardly fair. You know as well as I their status cannot be changed by knowledge alone. Still, if we are to see the Fox Fire, we should be off. It will take a little time to arrive at our destination, and it is already dark. It is best to see when the moon is high, so we must hurry."

"What should I take with me?"

"Only your winter travelling clothes and a lantern. You may sleep at my home and return to the village tomorrow. It is about five miles to the site, and but one more from there to my dwelling."

The scholar quickly went to his room and donned his winter garb. He borrowed a lantern from the innkeeper and met the woodsman outside. A light snow began to fall as they left the village, adding to the snow already on the ground and covering their tracks behind them.

They left the road after the village was out of sight and switched over to a narrow path. The path soon ceased to exist after they entered the thick of the woods. The scholar found he was hopelessly lost and trusted to his guide to show him the way. His lantern bobbed ahead of him like a wintry firefly.

The woodsman had been silent throughout the journey, and the student felt himself grow more excited as he realised they must be getting near their destination.

"Before we see it, what else can you tell me of the Fox Fire?" he asked.

His companion was intent upon the way ahead, but answered politely. "The fox is supposed to be able to change shape. They often take the form of humans, sometimes to cause mischief and sometimes to test men. They gather on nights such as this, or, some say, when it rains while the sun shines. There are many stories about the shape changers living among humans, as a reward for some service or for some reason known only to the gods. The Fox Fire itself, however, is caused by the magical radiance of their bodies as they change shape. And such a gathering as we are about to see is very rare indeed. I cannot tell you why they do it, but the Fox Fire is often associated with the disappearance of someone. Who can say what motivates the woodland spirits? Their ways are so different from those of men."

The woodsman abruptly turned to face the scholar. "There is still time to turn back if you wish," he said sternly. "We do not have to go on."

The young man shook his head. "I am not afraid," he said simply.

The woodsman paused again, as if giving the youth another opportunity to reply, then turned and continued walking. After a short time, he stopped suddenly and motioned to the scholar to approach carefully. They were at the top of a small rise which looked down into a huge clearing. The full moon was directly above them, and the snow in the glade reflected the light all around, so the scene took on the appearance of a forum, the tall trees standing silently as if on guard.

"See," the woodsman whispered as he pointed to the glade. "They are arriving already."

In the centre of the glade was a fox, but it soon became evident it was not an ordinary animal but indeed a fox spirit. Its body glowed with the Fox Fire, a light even whiter than the pure snow still falling lightly around them. And it had many tails, nine that the scholar could count. This must be the lord of the fox spirits, he thought. He moved a little ahead of his companion to see better. He crouched low and peered from behind a tree.

Other fox spirits emerged from the borders of the glade and trotted to the centre of the clearing. Some came alone, others in twos or threes, and there was even a group of five. Some also had more than one tail, though none as many as the first fox spirit. Fortunately, none emerged near the place where the student and the woodsman hid, and their hiding place remained undiscovered.

The collective glow of the Fox Fire became very bright. It seemed that the fox spirits spent a great deal of time frolicking and socialising with one another, as if the gathering were simply a friendly meeting of creatures in kind, but a low howl from the fox lord brought them to silence. They gathered around him in a large circle, and each howled or barked a greeting in turn. He spoke to them, and after a time, they all sang as if in chorus.

"They have received the will of their lord," the woodsman whispered.

"I guessed that," the scholar whispered back while keeping his eyes on the gathering ahead. "It seems very sad. I get the feeling they intend to do something they already regret. If the Fox Fire portends what you say it does, they must be preparing to lure some poor fellow to his doom."

"Yes," the fox-woodsman said as he placed a furry paw on the scholar's shoulder in sympathy, "I know. And I am ever so sorry."