First Tale

Once upon a time, there lived an old fox with his wife, Mrs. Fox. Mr. Fox was clever and experienced in the ways of the world, but he had grown somewhat set in his ways with age. One day, he stretched himself out under a tree and lay very still.

Mrs. Fox went upstairs to her chamber and shut herself in. Her servant, a young cat with bright eyes and nimble paws, attended to the household duties. As the day wore on, word spread through the forest that old Mr. Fox was ill, perhaps even at death’s door.

Soon, suitors began to arrive, hoping to win the paw of Mrs. Fox, for she was well-known for her beauty, wisdom, and the comfortable den she kept. The cat heard a knocking at the front door and went to see who it was.

There stood a young fox with bright red fur and a bushy tail. He bowed elegantly and said, “What is Miss Cat doing? Is she sleeping or waking? Is she busy or taking her leisure?”

The cat replied, “I am neither sleeping nor waking, neither busy nor at leisure. I am mourning, for old Mr. Fox is lying at the point of death.”

“If that is so,” said the young fox smoothly, “please tell Mrs. Fox that a handsome young fox is here, eager to court her.”

The cat nodded and trotted up the stairs. Tap, tap, tap, she went with her paw at Mrs. Fox’s door.

“Who’s there?” called Mrs. Fox.

“It is I, your faithful cat,” came the reply. “There is a suitor waiting below.”

Mrs. Fox asked, “What does he look like, my dear cat? Does he have nine bushy tails, like my late husband?”

The cat went down and asked the young fox, “Do you have nine bushy tails?”

“No,” replied the suitor, somewhat confused. “I have but one fine tail, as nature intended.”

The cat returned upstairs and reported to Mrs. Fox, “He has but one tail, madam.”

“Then I will not have him,” declared Mrs. Fox. “Send him away.”

The cat returned to the young fox and said, “Mrs. Fox regrets to inform you that you do not meet her requirements. Good day to you.”

The disappointed suitor left, and soon after, there came another knock at the door. This time, it was a wolf, with thick gray fur and sharp teeth, attempting to look as gentle as possible.

The cat asked him the same questions, and when she inquired about his tails, the wolf proudly displayed his single bushy tail. Again, the cat reported to Mrs. Fox, and again, the widow declined the suitor.

Throughout the day, many more animals came calling—a bear, a lion, a stag, a hare, and others from the forest. Each time, the cat asked about their tails, and each time, Mrs. Fox refused them, for none had nine tails like her dear departed husband.

At last, there came another fox. This one was older, with streaks of silver in his red fur. When the cat inquired, this fox claimed to have nine beautiful bushy tails. The cat ran upstairs in excitement.

“Madam! There is a fox below with nine tails, just like your late husband!”

Mrs. Fox’s eyes brightened, but she was cautious. “Open the windows and throw out the old fox,” she commanded, referring to her supposedly dead husband.

The cat did as she was told, and with the help of other servants, the body of old Mr. Fox was removed from the house. As soon as he was gone, Mrs. Fox came downstairs to meet her new suitor.

But as the wedding feast was about to begin and all were making merry, there came a heavy knock at the door. When the cat opened it, there stood old Mr. Fox, very much alive and quite indignant! He raised his stick and drove all the wedding guests away, including the nine-tailed suitor, who turned out to be nothing more than a cunning fox who had tied extra tails to himself to win Mrs. Fox’s paw.

Mrs. Fox realized her mistake and begged her husband’s forgiveness, which he eventually granted. And so they lived together once more, though perhaps with a bit less trust than before.

Second Tale

There is another tale told about Mrs. Fox that goes somewhat differently.

When old Mr. Fox died—truly died this time—Mrs. Fox once again found herself besieged by suitors. She remained in her chamber, mourning, while her servant, the cat, attended to visitors.

The first to arrive was a wolf. He knocked loudly and announced himself.

The cat looked down from the window and asked, “Do you wish to wed our mistress? What skills do you bring to this household?”

“I can howl beautifully beneath the moon,” replied the wolf. “Mrs. Fox would be much entertained.”

The cat went to Mrs. Fox and reported the wolf’s arrival. “He says he can howl beneath the moon, madam.”

Mrs. Fox shook her head. “Tell him, my dear cat, that if he wishes to court me, he must know how to catch a plump rabbit for dinner. My late husband could catch ten rabbits in a night without making a sound.”

The cat delivered this message, and the wolf, who was indeed skilled at howling but less adept at silent hunting, hung his head and departed.

Next came a bear, lumbering up to the door with a gift of honey. The cat again inquired about his skills.

“I can climb the tallest trees to fetch honey,” rumbled the bear proudly. “Mrs. Fox would never want for sweets.”

The cat reported this to her mistress, who considered it thoughtfully before replying, “Honey is pleasant, but tell him that if he wishes to court me, he must know how to slip unseen into a henhouse. My late husband could steal the fattest hen without ruffling a single feather.”

The bear, who could not enter a henhouse without causing a tremendous commotion, acknowledged his limitations and left.

A parade of animals followed—the stag, the hare, the lion, and more—each boasting of various skills, but none possessing the specific talents Mrs. Fox required.

Finally, a young fox arrived at the door. When the cat inquired about his abilities, he replied modestly, “I can catch rabbits silently, steal hens without raising an alarm, and fish trout from the stream with my paw. I can also dig comfortable dens with many secret exits, and I know every path and hollow in this forest.”

The cat, impressed, hurried to tell Mrs. Fox, who decided to see this promising suitor for herself. She dressed in her finest clothes and came downstairs to meet him.

The young fox bowed deeply. “Fair Mrs. Fox,” he said, “I have admired you from afar for many seasons. Though I cannot claim to equal your late husband in experience, I am eager to learn and would dedicate myself to your happiness.”

Mrs. Fox was pleased with his honesty and humility, qualities her first husband had sometimes lacked. “You seem a worthy fox,” she said. “But before I decide, I must see your skills for myself.”

She set him three tasks: to catch a rabbit without making a sound, to steal a hen without raising an alarm, and to fish a trout from the stream using only his paw. The young fox accomplished each task with grace and cleverness, earning Mrs. Fox’s approval.

A proper wedding was arranged, attended by selected friends from the forest. During the feast, the young fox leaned close to his new bride and whispered, “I may not have nine tails like the impostor who came before, but I promise you loyalty, provision, and companionship for all our days.”

Mrs. Fox smiled, having learned from her earlier experience. “One honest tail is worth more than nine false ones,” she replied wisely.

And so they lived together in the comfortable den, raising several litters of cubs who inherited their father’s skills and their mother’s wisdom. Whenever young foxes in the forest became too boastful or deceptive, their parents would tell them the tale of Mrs. Fox’s wedding, reminding them that true worth comes not from grand claims, but from genuine abilities and honest character.