The Sly Fox
Symbolism and Spirit Animal. As much as I'm writing about the fox, I am doing this to learn about the symbolism of the natural world. This information I found on random websites, books, and fold tales.
The fox as a symbol is cunning, playful and resilient among other things. It is said the fox comes to you during challenging and difficult times.They remind you to step forth into this time with wisdom. Foxes have an intimate knowledge of their surroundings and just like the native Americans and the Celts we can take from them to remind ourselves to pay attention and to learn as much as we can about our environment.
The independent creatures to me feel like the Norse God Loki. They always seem to be smirking mischievous. Shapeshifting and playfully causing trouble behind the trees. Humor in Wisdom.
Once high in the winter mountains I was camping. The night was bitter cold and they day wasn't much better. On high altitude nights sleep doesn't ever seem to happen. You lay there cold and tired, but only ever on the edge of sleep. Occasionally you will catch yourself dreaming and that's how you know you slept for at lease some moments. I got up to walk across camp to check on my people and that when I saw a white fox. She was raiding our trash. I remember silently locking eyes with her. I grabbed some food and tossed it away from camp, so she could forage safely. Silent and fearless while I was slightly on edge. Part of me was calm, but the other part of me was reminded this is a wild animal and if it is scared it may want to defend itself. The whole experience was magical. The next morning she peaked out of the woods and ran through camp again, but this time there were so many people that she didn't stay long.
A story from the Snoqualmie of Washington, USA (Source Website)
Long ago, Snoqualm, the Moon, had a spider make him a rope out of cedar bark and stretch it from the sky to the Earth. One day Fox and Blue Jay found the rope and climbed up to where the rope was fixed to the underside of the sky. Blue Jay pecked a hole in the sky and they climbed through to the sky world. Blue Jay flew to a tree while Fox changed himself into Beaver and swam in a lake. Moon had set a trap in the lake which caught Beaver. Moon skinned him and threw the body in the corner of the smokehouse. That night when Moon was asleep Beaver got up and put his skin back on. He looked around. He took a few of the trees, and the Moon's daylight making tools, some fire, and the Sun which was hidden in Moon's house. He changed back into Fox then he found the hole that Blue Jay had made and took the things to Earth. He planted the trees, made daylight, gave the fire to the people, and put the Sun in it's place. When Moon awoke he was very angry. He found the tracks that led to the hole. He started down but the rope broke and he fell to the Earth in a heap where he became a mountain. One can see the face of Snoqualm on one of the rocky cliffs. Today it is called Mount Si and it is near Northbend, Washington.
Art Tools Used in my Sketchbook include:
1- Zebra F701 Series STEEL pen
1- Zebra M701 Series STEEL pencil
A couple small watercolor brushes
Sennelier Watercolor paint
Dr. Ph. Martin's Hydrus Watercolor