Maung Su Shin - The Lonely Fox and Other Short Stories

Lonely fox

February has arrived. The winter sun has covered everything in sight, and the snow is shining brightly. In other years, at this time of year, all the animals on this mountain range would be sleeping peacefully. But this year, there is one creature that is not happy about sleeping.

Even though the warm spring breeze was still far away, a fox named “Konkechi” emerged from the long hole he had dug. The little fox was deep in thought. Before you start to argue that foxes don’t think, it’s important to note that foxes also have feelings. Konkechi often makes a “keen” sound when he is particularly happy or sad. Foxes also have things to worry about right now.

The winter had been so long that it seemed as if it would never end. Therefore, Konkechi was so sleepy and unhappy that he could not even close his eyes, lost in thought. Therefore, when he came out of the long hole where he had been hiding, his eyes were weak and the corners of his eyes were red. His fur was wrinkled. The silvery color of his tail, which he had always been proud of, had also faded.

One of the things that has always stuck in Konkichi's mind is a golf course. You might ask, what is the connection between a fox and a golf course?

Last spring, a golf course was built here in the mountains. Conkey watched with interest as the men walked around the course, swinging the ball with their clubs. These were called “businessmen.” They wore their white ties, dressed neatly, and worked their way back and forth from Monday to Friday. As soon as the workday was over, they would come out onto the lawn and

They usually throw white balls into the air and roll them into holes in the ground.

Konkichi used to watch the good guys playing golf from the grassy fields. Then a thought would come to his mind. "We foxes have a hard life, and it's boring. We have to hunt rabbits and catch and eat mice. If we get into the farmer's chickens, he'll have to run away and chase them."

"Oh... I want to be a human being, and I want to live the life of a businessman. What should I do? Why can't I just be a human being? Well... if I could..."

This problem was the reason why Konkechi was confused and sleepless all winter.

While we were learning about Konkechi's winter dream, he came out to the entrance of his den and sat there, motionless and still.

He thought about it for a long time, then suddenly stood up, shaking his head from the tip of his beak to the tip of his tail. Then he shouted, "I'm going to quit being a fox," and his voice echoed throughout the forest. Konkichi thought to himself, "From now on, I'm going to be a human being."

"I'm going to make you a human being," he said to himself. Konkichi decided to chant a mantra called "Ken-Pon-Tan." This secret mantra was a chant known only to the fox world, and it was a mantra that could turn foxes into humans.

If a fox puts an oak leaf on its head and says “Kein,” it will be able to talk to a human. Then, if it says “Pon,” the fox can become the human it wants to be. At that point, the only thing that is different from a human is its long tail. Finally, if it says “Tan,” the tail will disappear. The fox who says this mantra will become a human and will never be able to return to being a fox. Konkechi’s mother repeatedly warns him not to say those three words. However, he cannot listen to her. He has already made up his mind to do what he wants.

So the little fox took a dry oak leaf from his hole and placed it on top of his head.

“Konkechi... you know what you're doing,” his mother said from somewhere in the hole. Then she said, “My son... I know what you've been thinking all winter, but I don't think life as a human is as fun as some onlookers think.”

Konkichi said, “Mother... I have lost my mind. Anyway, I want to be a human being. There is no food in this mountainside even in winter, and people with guns are still fighting. I have given up on all that. I am going to go to the city and become a businessman. With the money I earn in business, I will buy delicious rabbit meat and send it to my mother.” He finished his words hurriedly, raised his pointed beak to the sky, and began to chant.

“Heh heh...my son Konkichi,” his mother shouted. “And I haven’t told you yet, hundreds of our fox friends have chanted this mantra and become humans, and they have also left this mountain, and I don’t know what happened to them after that. So, son...think again, please forgive me, mother.”

Before his mother could finish speaking, Konkechi shouted, “Mom, I’m leaving.” Then, holding the small oak leaf above his head with his right front paw, he began to shout, “Kein-pon-tan.”

At that moment, in the place of the fox named Konkechi, a young man stood with his right hand raised and placed on his head. The young man was tall and tall, wearing a gray suit worn by businessmen and a red tie. Konkechi, who had become a man, slowly lowered his hand raised to his head and timidly examined the red tie around his neck. Then, when he threw his hand back, he found that he no longer had a tail. He could now speak in a human voice. His future as a human was about to be bright. Thinking of this, he felt happy and joyful, knowing that he would no longer be a fox.

While Konkichi was thus amused, his mother, the fox, stared at him blankly. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at him without blinking. Her transformed son looked at his sorrowful mother and said, "I'll be back soon, mother," and ran away.

“Heh heh...my son Konkichi,” his mother shouted. “And I haven’t told you yet, hundreds of our fox friends have chanted this mantra and become humans, and they have also left this mountain, and I don’t know what happened to them after that. So, son...think again, please forgive me, mother.”

Before his mother could finish speaking, Konkechi shouted, “Mom, I’m leaving.” Then, holding the small oak leaf above his head with his right front paw, he began to shout, “Kein-pon-tan.”

At that moment, in the place of the fox named Konkechi, a young man stood with his right hand raised and placed on his head. The young man was tall and tall, wearing a gray suit worn by businessmen and a red tie. Konkechi, who had become a man, slowly lowered his hand raised to his head and timidly examined the red tie around his neck. Then, when he threw his hand back, he found that he no longer had a tail. He could now speak in a human voice. His future as a human was about to be bright. Thinking of this, he felt happy and joyful, knowing that he would no longer be a fox.

While Konkichi was thus amused, his mother, the fox, stared at him blankly. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at him without blinking. Her transformed son looked at his sorrowful mother and said, "I'll be back soon, mother," and ran away.

Coming down from the hills, Konkechi soon reached the city streets. At that moment, he was afraid that someone would unexpectedly shout at him, “Ha... Hey, is this a fox? What kind of fox is walking around in a suit?” So he continued walking excitedly, not looking at anyone he met on the road. However, since no one in the city seemed to suspect him, Konkechi became bolder and walked with a stoop. He was so stooped that he was afraid he would fall backwards. In his mind, he was sure that he had finally become a human being.

Then he stood at a crossroads. All around him were tall, shiny buildings. As he looked towards one of the skyscrapers, he read a large poster hanging on the wall. The poster said:

Company urgently needs a staff member. Must be an animal lover. Must be under (25) years old. Good salary. Apply within. Todaung Clothing Fashion Company Limited

"Ha... this is for me," Konkechi muttered as he walked towards the building, pushed open the main door, and entered.

He went straight to the reception and asked the young woman sitting at the table in a loud voice, “Good evening, there’s a notice outside saying that a company employee is needed. Is that a businessman?”

The woman replied, "Well... yes, that's the way it is, but... wait."

Now, Konkechi had never heard of a resume in his life. So, with a twinkle in his eye, he said to the chairman, "Oh... excuse me, what's a resume? Actually, I don't have anything to show you today."

"Why... don't you know what a resume is? Are you talking nonsense?" the chairman glared at him, rolling a cigar in his mouth.

"No, sir, I'm not kidding. I don't really know what a resume is. Is it essential if you want to be a businessman?" he asked.

The company president looked at Konkichi with wide eyes and said, "Well... if you don't know what a resume is, it's a piece of paper that says who your parents are, where and when you were born, what school you went to, what job you have, etc."

"What did you do? How can you hire someone who doesn't know any of this? My company and yours can't work together. Now... go back, I don't have anything to pay you," he shouted.

Konkichi realized in his mind that this time he was gone. "If I lived in the hills and mountains, catching rabbits, and occasionally going down to the village to raise chickens, I would have nothing to talk about, and I would never have gone to school," he thought.

The chairman looked at the excited and confused Konkichi and said, "You're a fool, you're just a nameless idiot. If you enter this room, you'll at least have to say your name. Don't you know that?"

Conky Chi, who was having trouble thinking, stammered, “... Well... my name is not Anyata, Conky Chi, I live in the hills over there.

"My house is on a hill, so Konkichi can call me 'hill house,'" he said, and he was pleased with himself for leaving without a hitch.

"Well... my address is "Hill City" in a hole on a hill, that's where I live," he said.

Upon hearing that, the chairman frowned and said, “These names are strange, I’ve never heard of them before.” Then he looked at Konkichi’s serious and worried expression and said, “Well… then you must be a fox ghost from the mountains over there,” and laughed heartily.