Grate into it fox’s liver
For magical, healing spice.
For a wildwood fox, search far and near,
And the princess’s ills will disappear.”
They gave her the broth of rice with the liver grated into it, and lo! she was well. And as she lay dreaming happily of Ito San and his great love for her, there came to her in her dream, a fox cub who said, “Dear Princess, I am that little fox you saved long ago from the cruel boys. My father and mother were not ungrateful. So my father gave you his liver to make you well, and my mother, who would not live without him, sends her red fur to keep you warm. And this is because you were kind to the little foxling who was their baby.”
Then the princess awoke, and upon the sleeping mat there lay, soft and warm and light, the skin of a red fox.
Footnotes
[38] A Japanese coin.
Transcriber’s Notes
Illustrations have been moved so they do not break up the paragraphs. Footnotes have been moved to the end of the chapter.