Beatrice Deer

When a mysterious fox falls from heaven one day, she discovers a human family in the course of her exploration. Following along after them for years, she becomes familiar with their ways, and when the eldest son, Irniq, heads off on his own, she sheds her fox skin and becomes his wife. Irniq isn't sure of what to make of this unexpected wife who turns up in his tent one day, but being lonely, he accepts her into his life. His complaints about her musty odor however, hurt her deeply, causing her to leave once again. It is only then, when he has lost his unusual wife, that Irniq realizes who and what she was...

This traditional Inuit tale is retold by Beatrice Deer, an Inuk folk singer from Canada who has also performed it as a song. The story itself reminds me strongly of similar tales from other folk tradition, in which an animal becomes wife to a human man, until his questioning leads to the revelation of her secret, and to her departure. The one that springs immediately to mind, in this respect, is the Japanese tale of The Crane Wife, but there are others as well. As someone who loves foxes (their depiction in children's literature is an interest of mine), and who enjoys almost everything published by Inuit-owned Inhabit Media, I picked up The Fox Wife with great anticipation. I was not disappointed, finding the story engaging and the artwork from D.J. Herron appealing. Recommended to all young folklore enthusiasts and fox lovers, and to readers looking for children's stories with an Inuit cultural setting.… (mehr)