Storytelling: The Fox-Woman and the Hunter

There once was a hunter who lived alone in a cabin in the woods. He was a very kind man who longed for a companion. Sadly he had been victim of a childhood accident that left him an orphan and with his face badly deformed. No woman had ever taken the time to look past his physical appearance and get to know the man inside.

There once was a fox who was also a woman, or a woman who was also a fox, rather. She had been cursed by a jealous witch, forcing her to spend some time each day in fox form. She was really a very beautiful woman with bright eyes and a an alluring smile. Although she was very beautiful, she had a lingering musky odor due to the part of her life she spent as a fox. Because of this, she spent her life alone, choosing her fox form more often than her human form. Men could not stand her musky smell. She longed for love as well, and one day, she came across a lonely hunter which changed both their lives forever.

The fox woman had observed the poor hunter, leaving his house in the mornings to hunt and coming back home to an empty house. She felt bad for the man because she knew what loneliness was like. She thought she could make this man happy, and he could be the companion for which she was looking. She decided to give him a chance. She watched him leave his house one morning, and then she sneaked in and shed her fox-skin. She began tidying the house and washing the man's clothes and cooking him a meal. By the time the hunter came home she had turned his house into a warm, welcoming place- something he never thought possible. He was struck by her beauty instantly. She flashed him a smile when he crossed the threshold, confused by the situation but not scared. He saw her fox-skin hanging on a line in the washroom. "Is this yours?" the hunter asked.

The Fox-Woman in her Fox Form, online source

Looking ashamed, the fox woman simply answered, "Yes." She explained her story as the man listened intently. The fox-woman was worried he would send her away, but he only grabbed her hand and began explaining his own life story. She gave him the same amount of attention as she listened to him explain. When he finished, she flashed him that breathtaking smile that he had fallen in love with just hours before. She got up to serve him the meal she had made him, and the two ate dinner together, something that neither of them had done in years. The joy they both found in each other's company was beautiful. Once their meal was over, the fox-woman washed the dishes while her husband watched her, admiringly.

Once night fell, the fox-woman began to look worried. Her new man asked her what was bothering her, and she explained that she had to put her fox-skin on for three hours. She told him she would love if he would prefer, but he would not have this. The fox-woman put on her fox-skin and the two cuddled on the couch by the fire until she could return to her human form. The two retired to bed and lived happily ever after.

Bibliography: Fox-Woman from Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson, link to online source

Author's Note: The original story tells of a hunter who comes home after an outing to his house being taken care of as if he had a wife, but he does not have one. So, he goes off on a fake outing to determine who it was who did it. He watches a fox enter and thinks it is just looking for food, but when he goes in to check, he sees a beautiful woman and a fox-skin hanging. So, they live together for a while, but the man can't stand her musky smell, so she leaves an never returns. I didn't like this sad ending, nor did I like the fact that the man was so shallow that he did not appreciate her efforts. So, I decided to make my story all about what matters on the inside. This is why I added the detail about the man having a deformity and gave them a happy ending.