Long ago, in a world where the seasons walked the earth as animal spirits, there lived a young fox. Like all fox kits, he was born in the spring and lived with his mother and siblings. The most important thing about this kit was his burning curiosity. From the moment he was able to, he asked questions of every creature he met. He asked the elk why they had antlers, the fish why they swam, the birds why they flew; he even asked the mice why they tasted so good. But by far his favorite questions were about the three season spirits. And indeed, at that time, Summer, Winter, and Spring were the only seasons who walked the world, forcing all the creatures to spend Summer’s season preparing for Winter’s flight. Even the trees had to rush to drop their leaves. This exact event is what led the fox kit to ask a question his mother could not answer: “How do the trees know when to shed their leaves? Surely they cannot count the moons like we can?”
But his mother did not know, so the fox went off to ask someone else. He asked the old badger and all the squirrels, but none of them could answer. Finally, he realized what he should do. He’d go ask the brown bears; surely they would know! So he asked the very oldest of the giant beasts, but even she could not answer him. “We bears are beasts of Summer. We know nothing of Winter’s cold. But I’m sure the wise owl could answer such a question.”
Of course, thought the fox as he ran off. How could I forget to ask the wisest of all birds! He ran to the old tree where the owl made his nest, then paused with his mouth open wide. To wake the owl in the middle of the day would be rude, so the kit sat down to wait for dusk. He did not wait long; soon the sky darkened and two yellow eyes opened within the hollow tree. The owl swooped out on his old gray wings, looking down at the young fox, and asked, “What are you searching for, child? Why have you come to my tree?”
The kit explained his plight. But for all the owl thought, he had no answer for the young fox. He said only, “I do not have an answer, but I might know who does. There are birds who flee from Winter’s path. They may know the answer to your question.”
The kit thanked the owl, then ran home. The next dawn he was off again, asking all the birds which ones flew ahead of winter. He asked the bluejays, and the swallows, until one told him that he was searching for a robin. But the only robin the fox knew of nested high in the trees, where a fox’s paws could not climb. Well, such things would be true for any other fox, but after several falls the fox kit reached the top of the tree. From there he spotted the robin building a nest and called out, “Tell me, robin, do you have the answer to my question? How do the trees know when to drop their leaves?”
The robin looked over at this strange fox kit. “Why, of course I know. It is because of I, and the other birds who fly with me. We sing to the trees that winter is coming.”
The fox was ecstatic to have his question answered, but he quickly realized it had only left him with more questions. “Then what happens if the birds can’t sing, or if they are sick and cannot fly?” he asked.
“Well,” replied the robin, “that is what causes a famine.” And then he returned to his work.
The fox kit clambered down the tree, already thinking of what this meant and what he could do. It was not long until he had an idea, and he ran back home to tell his family what he planned. This young fox kit had decided he would create a new season between Summer and Winter. His family was not surprised by this, as they had always known his curiosity would take him far away. They said farewell and off the kit went to ask for the Seasons' blessings.
He walked for quite a while before he came across his first spirit, the great Elk known as Spring. The fox proposed his idea and the Elk listened silently, with the whole herd gathered around. Spring thought for a bit, then lowered his head and those great flower-covered antlers. “If Summer and Winter can be called opposites, then I see no reason I should not have the same. I will give you a moon and some colors to show when your season has come.”
The fox took the gifts and off he went, until he reached Summer’s deep den. To the huge grass-furred bear he explained his season’s purpose. She replied, “You have Spring’s gifts and I will trust his judgment. You shall have my harvest moon, to prepare all beasts for Winter’s cold.”
He thanked Summer, and headed away at once to meet the owl of Winter in her snowy hollow tree. The owl had already heard of the fox’s idea, so when he arrived she was waiting and told him right away, “I hope you know what you are doing, but either way you’ve made your choice. I will give you a moon, and a piece of my wind and rain.”
So with his three moons and his season, the little fox ran off. And as he ran he called to the trees, “Winter is coming this way!” And the leaves changed to yellows and reds, and the wheat grew golden and ripe, and the rain stuck those leaves to the fox’s fur, until his pelt was covered all over.
And that is the tale of the leaf-pelted fox, who became the season of Autumn.
But his mother did not know, so the fox went off to ask someone else. He asked the old badger and all the squirrels, but none of them could answer. Finally, he realized what he should do. He’d go ask the brown bears; surely they would know! So he asked the very oldest of the giant beasts, but even she could not answer him. “We bears are beasts of Summer. We know nothing of Winter’s cold. But I’m sure the wise owl could answer such a question.”
Of course, thought the fox as he ran off. How could I forget to ask the wisest of all birds! He ran to the old tree where the owl made his nest, then paused with his mouth open wide. To wake the owl in the middle of the day would be rude, so the kit sat down to wait for dusk. He did not wait long; soon the sky darkened and two yellow eyes opened within the hollow tree. The owl swooped out on his old gray wings, looking down at the young fox, and asked, “What are you searching for, child? Why have you come to my tree?”
The kit explained his plight. But for all the owl thought, he had no answer for the young fox. He said only, “I do not have an answer, but I might know who does. There are birds who flee from Winter’s path. They may know the answer to your question.”
The kit thanked the owl, then ran home. The next dawn he was off again, asking all the birds which ones flew ahead of winter. He asked the bluejays, and the swallows, until one told him that he was searching for a robin. But the only robin the fox knew of nested high in the trees, where a fox’s paws could not climb. Well, such things would be true for any other fox, but after several falls the fox kit reached the top of the tree. From there he spotted the robin building a nest and called out, “Tell me, robin, do you have the answer to my question? How do the trees know when to drop their leaves?”
The robin looked over at this strange fox kit. “Why, of course I know. It is because of I, and the other birds who fly with me. We sing to the trees that winter is coming.”
The fox was ecstatic to have his question answered, but he quickly realized it had only left him with more questions. “Then what happens if the birds can’t sing, or if they are sick and cannot fly?” he asked.
“Well,” replied the robin, “that is what causes a famine.” And then he returned to his work.
The fox kit clambered down the tree, already thinking of what this meant and what he could do. It was not long until he had an idea, and he ran back home to tell his family what he planned. This young fox kit had decided he would create a new season between Summer and Winter. His family was not surprised by this, as they had always known his curiosity would take him far away. They said farewell and off the kit went to ask for the Seasons' blessings.
He walked for quite a while before he came across his first spirit, the great Elk known as Spring. The fox proposed his idea and the Elk listened silently, with the whole herd gathered around. Spring thought for a bit, then lowered his head and those great flower-covered antlers. “If Summer and Winter can be called opposites, then I see no reason I should not have the same. I will give you a moon and some colors to show when your season has come.”
The fox took the gifts and off he went, until he reached Summer’s deep den. To the huge grass-furred bear he explained his season’s purpose. She replied, “You have Spring’s gifts and I will trust his judgment. You shall have my harvest moon, to prepare all beasts for Winter’s cold.”
He thanked Summer, and headed away at once to meet the owl of Winter in her snowy hollow tree. The owl had already heard of the fox’s idea, so when he arrived she was waiting and told him right away, “I hope you know what you are doing, but either way you’ve made your choice. I will give you a moon, and a piece of my wind and rain.”
So with his three moons and his season, the little fox ran off. And as he ran he called to the trees, “Winter is coming this way!” And the leaves changed to yellows and reds, and the wheat grew golden and ripe, and the rain stuck those leaves to the fox’s fur, until his pelt was covered all over.
And that is the tale of the leaf-pelted fox, who became the season of Autumn.