Once upon a time a little fox called Boxer was curled up safe and sound in the den where his father and mother had always kept him. He had been born there and he had never yet left it. It was safe and dark and warm and dry.

Every day his Mum and Dad would leave the den and go in search of  food, where they went Boxer did not know, nor did he particularly care, so long as they brought back delicious tit bits for him to eat. His favourite was duck eggs.

Boxer had some older brothers and they were allowed to go out with the parents now that they were big and strong and Boxer looked forward to the day when he would be allowed to venture further. He understood that there were all sorts of surprising thing in store for him, peculiar animals to see smells to smell and games to play.

One day when his brothers came back from the outside they began to tease him “You are small and weak you cannot come out of the den like us. You are not even a real Fox cub because you are black all over” This teasing worried Boxer and he went to his mum to ask her if it was true.

“Mum Mum they say I’m small and weak” he said

“You are, Boxer but it’s normal ” said his Mum

“But I’m not even brown like a proper Fox I’m black look at me”

“Oh so you are Boxer, well that is a mystery” his Mum replied looking at him closely in the very dim light of the Den.

Boxer was very unhappy, he began to think it would be better never to leave the den, that way he would never have to be ashamed to be so different from the other Foxes.

Finally the day came and Mum and Dad fox said “Come on Boxer, it’s time you had a peek outside”

“Oh no I have a headache I couldn’t possibly go today, maybe tomorrow” said Boxer, his Mum and Dad didn’t want to force

Boxer so he stayed inside.

The next day the same thing happened, and so it went on for a whole week, finally Mum and Dad decided they would have to force Boxer to leave the den. “Come on Boxer today’s the day out you go” PUSH.

Boxer was thrown into dazzling light, he heard all sorts of strange noises, he smelt all sorts of strange smells, he saw all sorts of strange sights. Then he heard his brothers he curled up out of shame. “What is wrong Boxer” they asked.

“Are you not ashamed of me?” he asked

“Why should we be” they said

“Because I’m black not brown”

They laughed and ran away, and Boxer looked for the first time at his coat in the bright sunlight, he was BROWN he wasn’t black at all. He was so happy, and he could tell that his brothers had had a very good laugh at his expense. Never mind he thought there is another baby on its way soon I can have my fun then.

Copyright TJB Feb98