Kitsune (Japanese Fox Spirits)

These mischievous shape-shifters have always intrigued me since I first read about them in Mercedes Lackey’s Chrome Circle as a teenager.  They appear in Japanese folklore as trickster spirits with supernatural powers.  Sometimes they can be guardians as well as tricksters.

Tricksters are usually teachers.  They may not always be friendly but there are often benefits to experiences with them.  The classic example is Prometheus stealing fire from the gods and bringing it to humans.

Kitsune spirits can be separated into benevolent tricksters and malicious ones.  This sounds very much like the divide between the Seelie and Unseelie Court for the Fae.  Even though the Seelie are considered to be the “good” fairies, they are still amoral and potentially dangerous to humans.  A Seelie fae might invite a mortal Underhill for a feast but when the mortal returns, over a hundred years have passed.  Unseelie fae can actively hunt and hurt mortals who trespass on their realm.

The tricks they play are also similar to those described in Celtic and European folklore.  In Japan, they say it is a kitsune but in Europe, they might say it was a fairy.  They lead travellers astray, play tricks on cruel nobles or cast the illusion of money over worthless twigs and leaves.  (Fairy gold is supposed to similarly transmute back into leaves and dirt with the morning sun.)  They might help a particular household (like a brownie does) as long as they are treated with respect.

There is a sweet Japanese story about a man whose faithful dog does not like his wife.  The man is surprised but refuses to send away his dog.  One day, the wife is so frightened by the dog that she turns into a fox and flees into the snow.

The man calls after her, telling her that he loves her no matter what form she takes.  She comes back every night as a woman and leaves each morning as a fox.

 

 

 

Japan has two fox species on the island: the Hokkaido fox and the Japanese red fox.  Both live closely with humans and, like all foxes, often use clever tricks to scavenge for food and escape predators.

 

I have borrowed the beautiful artwork for this entry from some magnificent artists.  The sketch at the top is from Raven 211 on deviant art and the painting at the bottom is from Stephanie Pui-Mun Law's collection.