Tales of Enchantment

Faith in Foxes

 One day, wandering the woods was a woman named Faith. She believed everything happened for a reason and that nothing was coincidence. And as faith would have it, Faith discovered something amazing.

Under the roots of an old tree were eight tiny rocks. Not just any rocks, statues- statues of tiny foxes. Faith collected them and took them back to her cottage. They had some dirt on them, so she drew a bucket of water from the well and carefully washed all eight statues. Happy with her work, Faith smiled.

Then she heard a little bark.

She looked down at the statues on the desk and one of them had come to life. It was pawing around, getting a feel of its surroundings. Faith couldn't believe her eyes. And then the second one started to move, and a third, and a fourth. Soon they were all alive, pouncing and waddling and yawning on her desk.

Faith was astonished. The next day, Faith brought her friend Rosie to her house to show her the magnificent splendor. But when Rosie saw the foxes, they were in their stone bodies.

Faith was confused, but Rosie took a look at the statues and did find them interesting. "What would you say if I took one of them?" she asked.

"I'd say..." Faith whispered and thought, "No."

"I'd only be taking one. You'd still have seven."

"I said no," Faith tried to put stubbornly. She had difficulties refusing anyone of anything, but these creatures came into her life for a reason, and Faith didn't want to separate them.

"If you won't let me have one, then I guess I'll just leave," Rosie huffed and stormed out of the cottage. Faith hated seeing her so upset, but these foxes were hers.

Faith watched the statues for hours, hoping they'd come to life again. She took care of them in the meantime, polishing them and cleaning off any dust. She set them on her windowsill so they could see the light.

Then when she wasn't looking, a wind came blowing and knocked off the statue at the end. It hit the ground and broke in two. Faith discovered it and was torn herself. She was filled with grief, and with a heavy heart, she found a burial place for the statue.

At this sudden sadness, the other statues crept to life and mourned over the loss of their brother, sitting around the grave. They comforted Faith in her hour of need. The horrid event made way for them to feel each other's pain, but as time went on, the sadness passed.

The statues came to life more often as Faith made sure to take better care of them. She left them food and water and played with them whenever they sprung to life. And in the night, the foxes would curl up in her bed with her and sleep soundly until morning.

Over time, the fox statues grew bigger, but their statues were still small. Soon, their life filled forms were the size of grown foxes. But no matter what size they were, Faith would carry their stone bodies around with her as she went through the woods. Occasionally, they jumped up alive and walked with her, never leaving her side.

One night, while the foxes were alive chasing fireflies, Faith noticed something in the distance. It was another fox, but it was unlike hers. This one was giant and had white glistening fur. It let out a howl and the seven foxes had howled back.

"Come inside," Faith cried and brought all her foxes into the house. She waited for the white to leave its perch, but it stayed where it was, staring through her window. Faith didn't know what to do. She did not know about this other fox. She looked at her foxes and saw them whimper and whine.

She opened the door to her cottage and the white fox was sitting outside her door. The little foxes barked joyously, so happy to see her. Faith knew they were meant to go with her.

Faith let her little foxes go and they followed their mother. Tears rolled down Faith's cheeks as she watched them disappear, but she forced a smile on her face.

With her foxes gone, Faith's house was empty. She was saddened for days until she found a surprise on her doorstep. A box of clay was left there by someone unknown. Faith didn't know who would give her this, but she had an idea of what to do.

Out of the clay, Faith fashioned eight little fox statues with enough clay left to make a ninth. With that extra statuette, Faith went to a friend's house. Rosie opened the door, and Faith parted ways with her last statue.