Happy Thought for 27 June 2025

Have a Happy Thought: 

If you’ve ever woken up from a weird dream, and had to say to yourself, “okay brain in the real world, foxes are not monks”... you are not alone.

Apparently this was a very common problem throughout the middle ages in Europe, and beyond.

Here’s a statuette from Denmark, made around the 1530’s:

Image: Ivory figure, 6 cm tall,of penitent Reynhard fux, with a rosary between the paws. Dated to the time of the Reformation in Denmark (1530's) http://samlinger.natmus.dk/DMR/168006


And here is one from Japan:

Image: a kitsune statuette. Source https://www.instagram.com/p/DKH2lvVMYnt/


In fact, this idea of foxes as monks was so common that there was a popular cartoon character called Reynard the Fox, dating from as far back as the 12th century!

Image: Reynard the Fox in British Library MS  Royal 10 E IV, late 13th/early 14th century https://i0.wp.com/streetsofsalem.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/fox-reynard-royal-10.jpg

 

Reynard apparently travelled the lands, tricking fellow animals, and often humans, into joining his schemes.

Image: Reynard posing as a monk in order to access the chicken coop of a monastery Wolfe and von Klaubach illustrations from 1853. https://i0.wp.com/streetsofsalem.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/reynard-1853-a-fox-after-j-wolf.jpg

 

And while Reynard usually got away with it (whatever it was), he usually at least got in some sort of almost-trouble, being hauled up in front of monks or even animal courtrooms... before talking his way cleverly out of any real trouble.

Image: Bishop admonishing Reynard the Fox (@GallicaBnF, Fr. 919, 15th c.) https://nz.pinterest.com/pin/179932947591224033/



What’s really interesting is how closely this aligns with Native American stories of the Coyote as the trickster god.

Image: This illustration is a rendition of Coyote. Coyote is depicted playing the flute. ~ Source: Artwork © H. Kyoht Luterman. https://spokanehistorical.org/items/show/859#&gid=1&pid=2



Basically, foxes and coyotes are amazing creatures and you should trust them with all of your posessions. In fact, just follow them on whatever adventures they offer.*



* this last bit may have been written by a trickster fox



Read more about Reynard the Fox here: https://streetsofsalem.com/2013/03/02/reynard-the-fox/

Read more about Japanese none-tailed foxes: https://symbolsage.com/kitsune-fox-of-japanese-mythology/

Read more about the coyote in Native American creation tales: https://www.native-languages.org/legends-coyote.htm


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