|
This article discusses foxes in culture. ==Cultural connotations== In many cultures, the fox appears in folklore as a symbol of cunning and trickery, or as a familiar animal possessed of magic powers. In Dogon mythology, the pale fox is the trickster god of the desert, who embodies chaos.〔http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/african-mythology.php?deity=OGO〕〔http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/Carnivora/Canidae/Vulpes/Vulpes-pallida.html〕 The Medieval Norman adventurer Robert Guiscard was nicknamed ''"Robert the Fox"'' as well as ''the Resourceful'', ''the Cunning'', ''the Wily'' - underlining the identification of such qualities with foxes. The term "foxy" in English is defined as meaning - as the obvious "having the qualities of a fox" - also "attractive" and "sexy", as well as "red-haired".〔(Foxy ) in Wiktionary〕 And "to outfox" means "to beat in a competition of wits", the synonym of "outguess", "outsmart" or "outwit".〔(Outfox ) in Wiktionary〕 In Finnish mythology, the fox is depicted usually a cunning trickster, but seldom evil. The fox, while weaker, in the end outsmarts both the evil and voracious wolf and the strong but not-so-cunning bear. It symbolizes the victory of intelligence over both malevolence and brute strength. There is a Tswana riddle that says that "''Phokoje go tsela o dithetsenya''" translated literally into ''Only the muddy fox lives'' meaning that, in a philosophical sense, ''only an active person who does not mind getting muddy gets to progress in life.'' In early Mesopotamian mythology, the fox is one of the sacred animals of the goddess Ninhursag. The fox acts as her messenger. In Chinese, Japanese, and Korean folklores, foxes (''huli jing'' in China, ''kitsune'' in Japan, and ''kumiho'' in Korea) are powerful spirits that are known for their highly mischievous and cunning nature, and they often take on the form of female humans to seduce men. In contemporary Chinese, the word "huli jing" is often used to describe a mistress negatively in an extramarital affair. In Shinto of Japan, kitsune sometimes helps people as an errand of their deity, Inari. The Moche people of ancient Peru worshiped animals and often depicted the fox in their art.〔Katherine Berrin & Larco Museum (1997). ''The Spirit of Ancient Peru:Treasures from the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera''. New York: Thames and Hudson.〕 The Moche people believed the fox to be a warrior that would use his mind to fight. The fox would not ever use physical attack, only mental. The Bible's Song of Solomon (2:15) includes a well-known verse ''"Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom"'' which had been given many interpretations over the centuries by Jewish and Christian Bible commentators. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Foxes in popular culture」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|