Japanese Ghosts Week 7 Discussion Questions
1. Fox as messenger of Inari (Deity of Rice Harvest) or Fukutenjin (Heavenly Deity of Good Fortune)
2. Fox possession (illness and hysterical) (10th c. onwards)
3. Foxes taking the shape of human beings (12th c. onwards)
4. Fox ownership (12 c. but prejudice kicks in 17-19th c.)
B. Analyze the medieval stories listed below according to the four forms given above by answering the following questions:
1. In each story, what form does the fox take (of the four listed above)? What powers does it have?
2. According to each story, how should you deal with a fox? Does this contradict other stories? Which ones and why?
3. What seems to be the moral or point of each story? Again, does this contradict other stories? Which ones and why?
4. What function do these foxes appear to have in medieval society? Can you see any cultural anxiety or problem they may be addressing?
"Enough is Enough" [#80, p. 114]
"Yam Soup" [#83, p. 118]
"Fox Arson" [#205, p. 298]
"The Foxes Ball" [#206, p. 299]
"Not Really a Tree at All" [#208, p. 303]
"The White Fox: Four Dreams" [#209, p. 304] [Don't worry about #3 on this one -- but why do you think the Buddhist monk Myoe writes down a dream about a fox?]