Folksburywoods Story Blog

“It’s true, honey, your Daddy once met her during a hard winter. Many animals were dying. She appeared with gifts and spread warmth throughout the land,” said Mother Fox.

“Father, will you tell me about her, please?” the child begged.

Mr. Fox cleared his throat and then told the tale of his meeting with the Frost Fox.

“You see, son, back in the day, we were a sorry lot. Each winter brought hardship, and those unfortunate never made it to spring,” said the fox.

“You made it. Mother’s family too, so why was it so hard for the others?” questioned the boy.

“Wolves. They had come down from the mountain early to fatten up on the weak and helpless,” replied Mr. Fox.

Mr. Fox told his son that some families fled to a cave, but many refused to leave their homes. “The ones who stayed became meals for the beasts,” said Mr. Fox.

After the wolves cleared the valley, they tracked the rest to the cave and attacked.

“We had built defences to stop the wolves from entering,” Mr. Fox told his son.

Once the wolves realised they could not reach the animals, they fled back to the mountain.

“That was when you met her?” asked the boy.

“Yes, and if it weren’t for your father, we never would have,” Mrs. Fox said.

“Well, now, Gladis, it wasn’t quite like that,” Mr. Fox added.

The animals returned home to find everything destroyed by the beasts.

“The families moved into our home, and we shared what remained. I would go out each morning to scavenge what was not frozen,” Mr. Fox told his boy.

“That’s when you met her, right?” questioned the boy.

“Yes, son, that’s when I met the Silver Lady coming through the forest with her gifts in tow,” replied Mr. Fox.

“Your father led the Frost Fox back to his home. There, she handed out presents and gave the gift of a warm heart,” Mrs. Fox said.

“She did not stay long. In those days, many needed her gifts,” the boy’s father said.

“Did the Silver Lady talk to you?” asked the boy.

“As the Frost Fox left, she turned and looked me straight in the eye, and said, ‘Be of Good Cheer.’ Then she returned to the woods,” said the fox.

“The next year, things turned around. Hunger and cold stayed away from our village. We saw no more of her after that,” Mrs. Fox remarked.

“Yes, and let’s hope we do not need her visits anytime soon,” added Mr. Fox.

“I still would like to meet her someday,” said the boy.

“You just may, my boy,” muttered Mr. Fox as he finished carving the bird for that evening’s tea.

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