Household Tales · Chapter
The Wedding of Mrs. Fox explained
Old Mr.
What happens
Old Mr. Fox feigns death to test his wife's fidelity. Mrs. Fox's maid, the cat, receives a series of suitors, each lacking the nine tails of the late Mr. Fox, until a young fox with nine tails appears. Mrs. Fox agrees to marry him, but in the first story, old Mr. Fox rises and drives them out. In the second story, after old Mr. Fox's actual death, various beasts woo Mrs. Fox but fail to meet her standards until a young fox with red stockings and a pointed mouth succeeds, and they marry.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Marriage
Mrs. Fox's insistence on a suitor with nine tails mirrors social expectations of matching status and attributes in marriage.
Jealousy and Envy
Old Mr. Fox's feigned death stems from jealousy and suspicion of his wife's fidelity.
Characters to notice
- old Mr. Fox
Pretends to be dead to test his wife's loyalty; later drives out the wooers.
- Mrs. Fox
The widow who evaluates suitors based on their resemblance to her late husband.
- Mrs. Cat of Kehrewit
The maid who serves as gatekeeper and messenger for Mrs. Fox.
Key passages
“He stretched himself out under the bench, did not move a limb, and behaved as if he were stone dead.”
He lay motionless under the bench, pretending to be dead.
Old Mr. Fox's deception to test his wife.
“But has he nine as beautiful tails as the late Mr. Fox?”
Does he have nine tails as fine as the deceased Mr. Fox?
Mrs. Fox's criterion for accepting a suitor.
“Sweep me the room as clean as you can, Up with the window, fling out my old man!”
Clean the room thoroughly and throw out my old husband through the window.
Mrs. Fox's command to prepare for her new wedding.