Fuchsleben Raphaela Salhofer

Fuchsleben Raphaela Salhofer

Once upon a time there used to be a magic world in the forests of our land. It was quiet there at some points and at some points it was so loud that you had to hold your ears to hear your own thoughts. It was sometimes laughter and sometimes tears. Sometimes newborns taking their first breath. But one of the forests inhabitants was very, very quiet. He sometimes wandered through the woods at night, when the sun was gone. This is his story. The fox lived alone in his cave in the forest, near a big tree. He liked living there. In the summer, it was nice and cool and during the wintertime when the storm blew outside, he cuddled into his nest of leaves and grass that he collected during the autumn when the magic painted the trees all funny. One night in autumn he couldnt sleep and went for a walk. Maybe to catch a mouse or two or to listen to the singing oft he mountains. Sadly there lived no second fox in this forest, so he had to live his foxlive alone most oft he times. At least, there are other animals living in the forest with me, he tought to himself chewing on a mouse he just cought. It got dark very soon and the fog was crawling down the mountains. He rested his tired paws near a lake and did a little yawn. A lot of irrlichter began to dance over the surface as he tipped his nose into the cold clear water. He jumped back and lied flat on the ground watching the lights dancing, feeling a little suspicous. Suddenly he saw a movement in the waves. There was a fish struggeling in the water! He could see its fishy tail moving, right next to a beautifull water lilly. It was the only one that was left. The other lillys withered and died weeks ago since the cold came creeping on every living being.

One of the ghost lights came down to sit on the flower, spreading his glimmering light through the darkness. The fish didn't see the fox who was now hiding behind a bush. There was always a special kind of feeling in the air when magic happened, like in this very moment. The fox held his nose high in the air, so he could smell the magic coming. Suddenly the fish concentrated really hard, he seemed to use all his power to do this one jump, high in the air. Even higher than any fish before. His fishy head bumped into the lillys flower petals. The fox gasped. Instead of falling down into the black water, the fish drowned in a glowing light and for a moment it was as plain as day. The water lilly opened in full bloom and with a loud scream you could see hands and eyes and lips and a whole body appearing, then falling back into the water. It almost looks like a human, thought the fox to himself and was about to run away. His little knees were shivering and he was trying not to breath to hard. Maybe he was afraid he could disturb whatever happened in front of him. Suddenly the big shimmering fishtail caught his attention. Like a normal fish but much bigger and prettier. He slowly came a little closer to the lake. Immediately the newborn dove back into the depths from where it came. The irrlichter were dancing like crazy, almost hysterically over the watersurface only to slow down after a while and fly back into to forest. Now the only thing that was left was silence and some milky moonlight. And as fast as it began the spectacle ended, leaving a very stunned fox behind. The next morning, the sun was shining down brightly on this cold autumn morning. All the other animals slowly woke from their slumber, stretching and yawning. Flustered and excitedly the fox jumped out of his cave to tell the other animals about what he had seen the other night. Jumping trhough the fallen leaves, he found a family of deers and some rabbits chatting and eating fresh clover together. With big excited eyes he told them the story word, by word as it happened yesterday night. He did not know which reaction to expect but the only thought on his mind was, to share the magic that he was witness of. "You must be crazy" they answered him after a while. "You are tricky, vulpine and sly. You only want our attention so you dont have to wander alone through the forest.", said a deer sharply.

"He just tells us creepy stories so our kids wont go to sleep at night. It s easier form him to eat them this way!"said a rabbitlady to her husband. He was different from the beginning, when he came down the mountain to live with us., said the deer with the most impressive antlers. This was the last word. The judge had spoken and the forest inhabitants walked away. But not without whispering and looking back at him. A mixture of disgust and fear in their eyes. Our fox moped in shame. He felt sad and left outside alone. Why wouldn t they believe what had happened. What if the truth was, that magic happened? That this was a part oft he world! Everyone kept on ignoring the fox for days. The days grew to weeks and the weeks grew to a month. And still, none of the other animals in the forest spoke a single word to him. He began to believe that they were right. Maybe he was just a little bit crazy. The word of one deer was worth more than thousands of truths. Only because ist antlers were so impressive? As soon as he walked up to someone, hoping to get a chance to talk this whole thing through, they went away, or flew away, or digged a hole into the ground and disappeared. So the fox stayed alone in his cave (that felt more like a cage indeed) during the day to sleep and only came out in the night-time where nobody could hurt his little soul. On another lonely night the fox sat by the lake again, looking at his own reflection in the water, when he heard a shu-hu behind him. He turend around. On a branche over his head a owl had appeared It s head turned 180. Are you here to make fun of me too? said the fox with a very sad voice and turned his head away, facing the big mountain on the other side of the lake. No., said the owl with a warm voice and a tiny giggle. Her eyes were milky blue and boldly shimmering in the moonlight. I know you did not lie to them., murmured the owl. The fox cringed. The other animals are just too afraid to look beyond of what they know. They dont want to see the moonlight on their selfs.,

countinued the owl in a dreamy manner. Even if its just the light of the sun aswell - but different. Maybe they are just to weak to take the truth about things. They dont know that the moon only reflects the brightness of the sun. Its not your fault, dear. Our red furred friend sighed. But does that help me? To know better and to see the magic and the truth I am still lonely and pushed aside. There is no way someone wants to live with that. Just because i experienced something that they never would, forces me to live in darkness and worst of all: alone. The owl shook her feathers. No need to despair!, she said. I have seen things too! The fox twiched his ears. Aren t you blind?, he said, almost a little bit angry. An amused gigglinged cut through the night. "You dont have to see, to understand the world. I had to become blind to see The owl flew down, to be closer to the fox. Come with me., she whispered. No need to feel lonely. I got nothing to lose anymore., said the fox, more to himself, looking down on the reflection of the moon in the water. Slowly the foxed followed the owls path into the night. So deep into the forest that the darkness swallowed their silhouettes. It was peacefull and quiet. Thats the story of how the fox became a night-creature..

Thanks to every a*****le that makes someone feel like this.

Fuchsleben von Raphaela Salhofer ist lizenziert unter einer Creative Commons Namensnennung - Nicht-kommerziell - Keine Bearbeitung 3.0 Unported Lizenz.