Week 9 story: The Fox on the Mountain
Once upon a time there was a sly fox who lived on a secluded mountain, which was overgrown with brush and nearly impossible to travel through. He was the only creature on the mountain and lived there by punishment after a young warrior caught him trying to trick the king more than fifty years ago. The king had mercy on the fox and sent him to live alone on the mountain rather than be executed in the royal chambers.
One day, a young woman wandered up the mountain alone. She was angry with her parents and ran away against their wishes to be alone with her thoughts. But on the mountain, she got lost and couldn't find her way home. Frightened and alone, she cried out, "Is anyone here? Can anyone help me?"
She waited for five minutes, then heard a rustle in the brush behind her. Out jumped the fox, his fur now streaked with silver in his old age. The woman took a step back and let out a yelp of fear. But the fox spoke softly to reassure her.
"Do not worry," he said. "I'm a kind fox, but I need your assistance. If you can help me, I will help you in return."
The young woman, envisioning no other choice, nodded.
"I will help you," she said. "Please, I don't know how to get home. I just need some guidance back to the main path."
The fox nodded. "Follow me," he said, and started toward the main path.
As they walked, winding through the brush and trees, the fox talked to the woman in an attempt to get to know her. He asked about her family, her wealth, her clothing, and anything else he could think of to determine her social status. He finally came to the conclusion that the woman was of a high status, and many people in the community would work hard to rescue her.
When the two reached the main path, the fox said to her, "Run down the path. When you reach the town, meet with the king and ask him to free me from this mountain in return for helping you. Then, recruit your youngest brother to come back here and accompany me home. You must come with him, because you now know the way."
The woman did as she was told, and when she returned with her brother, the fox led them to a cave far off the path.
"Let us rest here," the fox suggested. "Then, we can start our long journey back to the town."
The young woman and her brother agreed, and sat on a rock near the entrance to the cave.
Before they could notice he was gone, the fox darted up to the top of the cave and pushed a large rock off the top onto the brother. He intended to hit them both, but the rock did not land on the young woman and only killed her brother.
The fox knew he could outrun the young woman, so he rushed down the mountain back to the town. The king, not knowing what the fox had done, welcomed him back to the town, and the fox lived the rest of his years happily in the town.
The young woman was never able to find her way to main path. She returned to the cave to wait for her rescuers, but they were never able to find her. She eventually gave up and taught herself how to hunt so she could feed herself, and lived the rest of her life in the cave.
Author's note: This story is based on several Chinese fairy tales, such as The Talking Silver Foxes. Chinese fairy tales often feature foxes, and a common theme through them is the lack of a happy ending or a moral at the end, which is found in most western fairy tales. I wanted to write a story that featured a fox and did not have a happy ending or any type of lesson; just a story that doesn't end like one might hope.
One day, a young woman wandered up the mountain alone. She was angry with her parents and ran away against their wishes to be alone with her thoughts. But on the mountain, she got lost and couldn't find her way home. Frightened and alone, she cried out, "Is anyone here? Can anyone help me?"
She waited for five minutes, then heard a rustle in the brush behind her. Out jumped the fox, his fur now streaked with silver in his old age. The woman took a step back and let out a yelp of fear. But the fox spoke softly to reassure her.
"Do not worry," he said. "I'm a kind fox, but I need your assistance. If you can help me, I will help you in return."
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| "Woman and the Fox" by Eemil Karila. Source: Saatachi Art |
"I will help you," she said. "Please, I don't know how to get home. I just need some guidance back to the main path."
The fox nodded. "Follow me," he said, and started toward the main path.
As they walked, winding through the brush and trees, the fox talked to the woman in an attempt to get to know her. He asked about her family, her wealth, her clothing, and anything else he could think of to determine her social status. He finally came to the conclusion that the woman was of a high status, and many people in the community would work hard to rescue her.
When the two reached the main path, the fox said to her, "Run down the path. When you reach the town, meet with the king and ask him to free me from this mountain in return for helping you. Then, recruit your youngest brother to come back here and accompany me home. You must come with him, because you now know the way."
The woman did as she was told, and when she returned with her brother, the fox led them to a cave far off the path.
"Let us rest here," the fox suggested. "Then, we can start our long journey back to the town."
The young woman and her brother agreed, and sat on a rock near the entrance to the cave.
Before they could notice he was gone, the fox darted up to the top of the cave and pushed a large rock off the top onto the brother. He intended to hit them both, but the rock did not land on the young woman and only killed her brother.
The fox knew he could outrun the young woman, so he rushed down the mountain back to the town. The king, not knowing what the fox had done, welcomed him back to the town, and the fox lived the rest of his years happily in the town.
The young woman was never able to find her way to main path. She returned to the cave to wait for her rescuers, but they were never able to find her. She eventually gave up and taught herself how to hunt so she could feed herself, and lived the rest of her life in the cave.
Author's note: This story is based on several Chinese fairy tales, such as The Talking Silver Foxes. Chinese fairy tales often feature foxes, and a common theme through them is the lack of a happy ending or a moral at the end, which is found in most western fairy tales. I wanted to write a story that featured a fox and did not have a happy ending or any type of lesson; just a story that doesn't end like one might hope.
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteI am a sucker for unexpected endings. In this class I am so used to being able to see the end of the story. It will be happy and the evil-doer will be punished somehow. I love that the woman taught herself how to hunt and take care of herself, but if she could do that, then why couldn't she find her way back to town? Or at least to another town?
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteI really love this story. I love the originality and the non-traditional ending! Your prose is smooth and easy. It left me with no questions. Very well written. My only suggestion is a little more detail in the conversation as the fox and woman walked back to the main path. I also imagine the woman learning many fun way to skin and cook fox as she lived her life in the cave!
Great story!
Hey Emily, you did well in making this have an unhappy ending. It is funny how we come to expect a happy ending but media has somewhat brainwashed people into thinking that way. You did well in making this story your own. Even though the ending was unexpected and a sad I like how you made the woman strong in the end. She was able to fend for herself instead of just dying from incapability. Your stories are always a joy to read. Thanks!
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