uick quiz - what comes to your mind when you see or hear the word 'fox'? Sex? Intelligence? A Trickster? A sexy Vixen? In human society, foxes represent all these traits and more, but have you ever stopped to wonder why we respect these animals for their minds and not their muscles?
Like the Coyote, the Fox has a reputation for being a clever trickster. The word 'shenanigan' is believed to be derived from the Irish phrase 'sionnachuighim' which means I play the fox. The Dogon people of Mali see the Fox as a clever trickster that has remarkably thrived in the harsh desert thanks to its wit and intelligence. In the European context, it's no wonder why many of Aesop's famous fables feature the mentally astute fox that is always able to turn any situation to its advantage. To the Greeks, the Teumessian Fox was so clever, that the animal destined never to be caught. In the Middle Ages, Reynard the Fox was a popular figure in children's stories that spent his days outfoxing those around him. To this day, Reynard is still a childhood favorite for kids across Europe. Even Judaism and Christianity make reference to the fox. In Ezekiel 13:4, false prophets are likened to foxes and they are rebuffed for not having earned the right to speak in the name of the Lord.
The Fox became known for its wisdom and mental strength. To the Moche people of ancient Peru, the Fox was a fierce warrior, not because of its physical strength, but because of its ability to master the mind. The Fox is a symbol of psychological warfare and outfoxing a fox was believed to be a sign that you had the mental fortitude to withstand any challenge. This idea is also seen throughout Finnish mythology. The image of the Fox was, and still is, used to teach children that cunning and wit can be used to overcome even the most difficult obstacles in life.