Week 9 Story: The Fox of Norman
Many people don't know this. It's certainly not something that is advertised to the public. But there is an Ancient Myth here in Norman, Oklahoma. It is believed that this land was once home to Fox spirits. The foxes came in different colors such as red, white, and silver. In fact, legend states that the silver foxes were the most mischievous and intelligent of the three because it learned how to speak like a human. Using this ability they would often play tricks on any passer byes. Whenever someone, would walk along their pathway they would often call out "Hey You!". As the passer by looks around and sees no source of the voice, he would turn back around and then the foxes would jump out of the bushes and scare the traveler causing him to run away. One day, a rancher named Walker came along their path. However when the one of the foxes attempted his prank, Walker was unafraid of the fox and whipped the fox with a whip he used on his cattle. Wounded and now afraid of the rancher, the fox ran away. As he ran Walker called out to the fox, told him his name was Walker and that this was now his road.
A few month's later, a Native Village noticed the chief's daughter was acting strangely. The shaman determined that she was possessed by an evil spirit. Trying to cleanse the spirit from the girl using a traditional ritual, the spirit revealed himself and said that he was unafraid of the shaman. The only man he feared was a rancher named Walker and his whip. Upon hearing this, the chief sent out his best warriors to search for this Walker. Once found, Walker approached the chief's daughter and called out to the evil spirit. Seeing his greatest fear, the fox left the girl's body and fled in fear, but not without receiving a lash from Walker's whip. Walker told the chief that the fox would not return and everyone would be safe. However, the chief was angry and sent his absolute best warrior after him.
After three long years of searching, the warrior gave up being called back by the chief. However, as it turns out the fox was found sleeping under a tree by a man named David. David was a hunter famed for his large knife and his skills with it. Loading his gun and lining up his shot, the sound him cocking back the hammer on his rifle startled and awoke the fox. The fox pleaded for his life, saying that the hunter would only get $100 for his pelt and if the hunter would let him live, he would give him eternal youth. Upon hearing this, the hunter let the fox live and received his eternal youth. He then asked the fox if he would travel with him on his travels and cease his trickster lifestyle. Agreeing, the fox and hunter lived together as best friends until the hunter died in a historic battle in
Texas. Eternal youth is not the same as true immortality. Heartbroken at the loss of his friend, the fox went into hiding never to be seen again.
Author's Note: First I wanna talk about the setting. I chose Norman to meet with the request on the home page of Canvas to try and give it an OU theme. In the original story, the holy person who was sent to cleanse the girl in the village used a picture of a deity. Same as in my story, the fox was unafraid of the methods used to exorcise him. The first encounter between the rancher, originally a farmer, and the fox the fox was wearing a disguise but the farmer saw through it. Just like in my story, the one to find the fox after sometime under a tree was a random hunter. I did not really like the ending to the original story because the hunter killed the fox for no other reason it seemed than to get his pelt and he only got exactly what the fox said he would. I changed the ending because I felt that someone wouldn't pass up greater treasures that a mystical fox would offer and seeing as how the hunter had no real reason to kill the fox it seemed heartless to kill him anyways to me. I hope everyone enjoyed the once again Nod to real history in this story even though it was only one historical figure.
Bibliography: Story source: The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).
A few month's later, a Native Village noticed the chief's daughter was acting strangely. The shaman determined that she was possessed by an evil spirit. Trying to cleanse the spirit from the girl using a traditional ritual, the spirit revealed himself and said that he was unafraid of the shaman. The only man he feared was a rancher named Walker and his whip. Upon hearing this, the chief sent out his best warriors to search for this Walker. Once found, Walker approached the chief's daughter and called out to the evil spirit. Seeing his greatest fear, the fox left the girl's body and fled in fear, but not without receiving a lash from Walker's whip. Walker told the chief that the fox would not return and everyone would be safe. However, the chief was angry and sent his absolute best warrior after him.
After three long years of searching, the warrior gave up being called back by the chief. However, as it turns out the fox was found sleeping under a tree by a man named David. David was a hunter famed for his large knife and his skills with it. Loading his gun and lining up his shot, the sound him cocking back the hammer on his rifle startled and awoke the fox. The fox pleaded for his life, saying that the hunter would only get $100 for his pelt and if the hunter would let him live, he would give him eternal youth. Upon hearing this, the hunter let the fox live and received his eternal youth. He then asked the fox if he would travel with him on his travels and cease his trickster lifestyle. Agreeing, the fox and hunter lived together as best friends until the hunter died in a historic battle in
Texas. Eternal youth is not the same as true immortality. Heartbroken at the loss of his friend, the fox went into hiding never to be seen again.
Fox Spirit
Online Source
Author's Note: First I wanna talk about the setting. I chose Norman to meet with the request on the home page of Canvas to try and give it an OU theme. In the original story, the holy person who was sent to cleanse the girl in the village used a picture of a deity. Same as in my story, the fox was unafraid of the methods used to exorcise him. The first encounter between the rancher, originally a farmer, and the fox the fox was wearing a disguise but the farmer saw through it. Just like in my story, the one to find the fox after sometime under a tree was a random hunter. I did not really like the ending to the original story because the hunter killed the fox for no other reason it seemed than to get his pelt and he only got exactly what the fox said he would. I changed the ending because I felt that someone wouldn't pass up greater treasures that a mystical fox would offer and seeing as how the hunter had no real reason to kill the fox it seemed heartless to kill him anyways to me. I hope everyone enjoyed the once again Nod to real history in this story even though it was only one historical figure.
Bibliography: Story source: The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).
Hi Jake!
ReplyDeleteI love your idea of centralizing your story here in Norman, OK. I like how in your story the fox was scared of the rancher, Walker, because of his whip. I wonder, even though he was afraid of the whip, he continued to be a trickster. But what did make him change his ways, was the hunter who almost killed him for his pelt? Was it because they became friends, or because he didn't want to die? I enjoyed your story!
Hi, Jake!
ReplyDeleteSo first of all great work with this story! I really liked your character, Walker. Walker just seems like a perfect name for a super tough no-nonsense rancher. Also, I agree with you that it was heartless to kill the fox. I think that having an ending where the hunter and fox find a compromise was very creative.
Great work!
Hi Jake! I thought your story was really creative and I like the changes that you made to the original myth! I thought the way you made the foxes be OU colors was a cute touch, and silver fox is an awesome snow cone flavor haha! I was glad to see you didn't have the hunter kill the poor fox, and I think it's really cute that you had them be friends that go on adventures together! Great work!
ReplyDeleteJake, I like how you made the setting in Norman to make it more relatable. Also, I enjoyed how you changed the ending to make it to something you like. There have been multiple stories this semester where I’ve had to do this. Overall, I like how you changed the story to make it your own style and I enjoyed reading it.
ReplyDelete