The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-08
THE QUAINT FOXES or JAPAN.

In Japan. with its quaint, gentle people
and lis qualnler, geatler beliefs, even the
foxes ore not the same as they are in
other countries. Here fox IS a play rg.
a creature TO be harried ana torn to pi IS
by dogs for sport. In Japan it is wen 10
address a fcx by The most honorable titles
to treat him with kindly, place food for
him and be very glad when he goes FOG
in Japan, foxes have great power. and II
is not wei o offend hem. Many are the
tales the little people whisper-whisper for
fear the foxes win hear and take offence
about the deeds of Inau The fox.
They are poDu,arfy supposed 10 take up
their abode with hose whom they fancy
and alas! also With hose whom they do
not fancy. And sometimes ii is hard to de-
eide which Is the happier, Far the foxes
must be fed. Ard. as there are always
many in a family, and they do not visit
singly. much tice must be consumed for
them Gosd ,uck comes on their ar wal,
however. but II is able 10 be changed INFO
the direst n fortune at any nom mt. For
the foxes gre exceedingly sensitive. and
word care,essly spoken ray, even
thought sometimes. will serve TO send
them off IN huff. and then all sors Of
misfortunes viii follow. When a man is
seized Ia a I'll in JaUan they say lie
is afflicted with foxes" or re has maie
an enemy of he foxes"
Only half of the good done by foxes is
genuine story is told of a women who
kept a little shop where rice was sold.
Every night a tall woman entered the
shop, bought some rice, laid two coins
down upon the counter and left without
saying a word. Tho woman would place
the coins IN drawer and think no more
of them One day the woman entered tho
shop bought her rice but as she turned
her back the shopkeeper saw long white
tail hanging below her dress. She cried
out and the woman disappeared Rush
ing to the drawer where she had placed
her money, she found some coins and
some dried leaves Half of the money she
had received was good; the other half
had been bewitched and had turned back
to dry leaves.
Sometimes houses will be Stunned by
the villagers because it is supposed that
foxes have taken up their abodes therein.
Families supposed 20 be afflicted with the
friendship OF the foxes are rather left
alone by the rest of the peasants as ii
Is never certain when the unwelcOme
guests will transfer their affeetions-and
their presence-to Others. And the villa
gers do not care to place temptation in
their way Families not having foxes are
not allowed 10 marry into those having
them. as when the foxes attach them
selves to n family ii includes in it's af-
fections all its members, even to those
most remote. one of the most famous
families in Japan csaims It's supremacy TO
he due to the good influence of the foxes
who have taken up their abode in that
family.
An over japan you will see Images of
the foxes-old gray foxes with their noses
chipped and Their ears broken off; older
foxes sim with a growth of moss on their
backs; sly, alert foxes, with noses pork
ed smarty in air; great foxes and little
foxes. sages and clowns all kinds and de-
grees-showing the prevalence Of this be-
lief In the land of the wistaria and the
fan. and also showing in what respect the
fox Is held.
1t IS curious 70 note that in all countries
the fox above all other animals has been
considered to exert great influence and
power All nations have legends OF which
the cunning and intelligence Of the fox
is the theme.