The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-15
JAPAN'S QUAINT FOXES.
TFrom the New York Herald.l

IF'rOm the New York Herald.
In Japan, with its quaint, gentle peo-
pie and its quainter, gentler beliefs,
even the foxes are not the same as they
are in other countries. Here a fox is
a plaything, a creature to be harried
and torn to pieces by dogs for sport. In
Japan it is well to address fox by the
most honorable titles, to treat him kind
", place food for him and be very glad
when he goes. For in Japan foxes have
great power, and it is not well to Of
fend them. Many are the tales the lit
tie people Whisper-whisper for fear the
foxes will hear and take offenSe-abOut
the deeds of mari, the fox.
They are popularity supposed to take
up their abode with those whom they
fancy-and, alaSi also with those whom
they do not fancy And sometimes it is
hard to decide which is the happier.
For the foxes must be fed. And as there
are always many in a family and they
do not visit Singly much rice must be
consumed for them. Good luck comes
from their arrival, however, but it is
liable to be changed into the direst ILL
fortune at any moment. For the foxes
are exceedingly sensitive, and word
carelessly spoken, nay, even thought
sometimes, will serve to send them off
in huff, and then all sorts of misfor
tunes will follow. When a man is
seized with fit in Japan they say: He
is afflicted with foxes" or He has made
an enemy of the foxes"
Only half Of the good done by foxes
is genuine. The story is told of wo-
man who kept 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. The wo-
man would place the coins in a drawer
and think no more of them. \ One day
the woman entered the shop, bought
her rice, but as she turned her back
the shOpkeeper saw a long white tail
hanging below her dress. She cried out
and the woman disappeared. Rushing
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 there
in. Families supposed to be afflicted
with the friendship of the foxes are
rather left alone by the rest of the
peasants, as it is never certain when
the unwelcOme guests will transfer their
affections and their presence-to 9TH
erS. And the villagers do not care to
place temptation in their way. Families
not having foxes are not allowed to
marry into those having them, as when
the foxes attach themselves to family
it includes in it's affections all members,
even to those most remote. One of the
most famous families in Japan claims
it's supremacy to be due to the good
influence of the foxes who have taken
up their abode in that family.
All over Japan you will see images
of the foxes-Old gray foxes, with their
noses Clipped and their ears broken
off; older foxes still. with a growth of
moss on their backs; sly, alert foxes.
with noses perked smartly in air; great
foxes and little foxes, sages and clowns,
all kinds and degrees the
| prevalence of this belief in the land of
| the wistaria. and the fan, and also
showing in what respect the fox is
held.
1t is curious to note that in all coun-
tries the fox above all other animals
has been considered to exert great in
! fiuence and power. All nations have
| legends of which the cunning and in
| telligence of the fox is the theme.