The Bushy Tailed Relatives of Dogs are the most successful of all Predators. Called the “Brothers of the Wolves”, Members of the Fox Family are actually Cousins to the Canid (Dog and Wolf) Family. (Together with Wild Dogs, Foxes and Canids form the Canae Family.) Foxes’ adaptable nature, cunning and quickness have enabled Them to live in a wide variety of habitats.
People usually notice the thick furry tails (called “brushes”) of Foxes. These bushy tails are use for balance, and to steer the Fox the way a rudder does a boat. With the help of their brush, Foxes can maneuver sharply and change direction immediately.
Foxes’ hearing is so acute that They can hear Rodents moving underground. In addition, their long thin snouts allow Them to poke between rocks and under bushes in search of food. On their snouts, the sensitive hairs (vibrissae) help Foxes to feel objects that They cannot see. All these adaptations have made Foxes successful in expanding their range worldwide.
However for people, Foxes have many magical associations. Natural occurrences that seem “other worldly” are often associated with Foxes. The phosphorescent light that comes from decaying wood and can be seen at night is called “foxfire”. Meanwhile, Scandinavians regarded the aurora borealis as the “light of the fox”.
Because Foxes are the most visible at dawn and dusk, which is the time the magical world and the mundane word intersect, people think of Them as magical creatures. Foxes are not creatures of the deep forest but of the forest’s edge. Silently They appear and beckon people to explore the subtlety of world at dawn and dusk. Fox Family sparks people’s imaginations and introduces them to the world of magic.
Take time to read what the Individual Fox Family members have to teach.
Va. Carper
August 4, 2004