Fantastic Mr. Fox
12 Apr 2025
The red fox is an established Appleton resident that can be seen in the woods and fields around here. Foxes have lived in Britain for aeons - fossil evidence shows that they were already present in Britain during the Late Pleistocene, possibly as far back as 40,000 years ago — so they were prowling the cold Ice Age landscapes alongside mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, and cave lions.
Foxes thrive in a wide variety of habitats: forests, grasslands, mountains, deserts, and even cities. Urban foxes are especially clever, living off human food waste and using gardens and parks as their territory.
Foxes communicate using a variety of vocalizations (they can make over 40 different sounds), as well as body language and scent markings to mark their territory. They are mostly solitary hunters but they do live in small family groups called leashes or skulks. Family groups often include a mating pair and their pups.
Foxes use dens (also called "earths") mainly for raising their young and sheltering in harsh weather. They often take over abandoned burrows from other animals like badgers or rabbits. Once the pups are grown, they’ll often leave the den and sleep out in the open
Foxes are found in myths and legends across many cultures. They almost always represent:
- Cleverness and trickery
- Magic and transformation
- Mischief, but also wisdom
In Europe: The Clever Trickster
The fox appears often in Aesop’s fables as a symbol of cunning and wit.
Reynard the Fox is a famous trickster character in European medieval tales. He’s a sly, clever animal who outsmarts other creatures and sometimes even humans.
In Native American Legends
Many Native American tribes feature foxes in their folklore. Depending on the tribe, foxes can be wise helpers, guides, or sly tricksters.. For example, the Blackfoot and Apache stories often describe foxes as creators of fire, stealing it from the gods to give to humans — much like Prometheus in Greek myth.
In Nordic Mythology
While wolves take centre stage in Norse myth (like Fenrir), foxes are still seen as clever and elusive creatures.
In Scandinavian folklore, foxes are thought to create the fox-fire (like will-o’-the-wisps) with their tails, lighting up the night.
Photos courtesy Alex White
Alex has written a book "Get Your Boots On" available on Amazon
