‘THE CAT AND THE FOX. 213

when a child dies the stricken mother’s shadow on the wall is
thought to have the fox shape. Fox-stories are very popular.
“A young man on a stormy day met a beautiful lady out in the

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KITSUNE LEADING ASTRAY AN INNOCENT YOUNG CREATURE.

rain. He gallantly offered her his umbrella, but he noticed that
she did not wear a rainy-day suit, but an elegant party dress; and
the rain had not dampened it in the least. He suspected something
evil, and drawing his sword and strengthening himself by a prayer,
he aimed a fierce blow at her. Then he took to his heels and ran
home, returning, though, with others, to find a handsome fox that he
had severely wounded! Fearing consequences, he went and made
some temple-offerings.

“There is a funny fox-story of a man who boasted that he could
fool a fox; and when he saw one he addressed it as his sister, and