Gongitsune (Gon, the Little Fox / ごんぎつね)

A long time ago...

A mother fox and her baby lived upon a mountain.

Isn't the weather lovely?

Don't go too far.

Just make sure you can see the red flowers.

Their den was as the base of a large, old camellia.

To the little fox, the place where he could see the deep red camellias,

was the same as being in his mother's warm embrace.

You were stung by a bee?

It's a little swollen, but once we take it out, the pain should go away.

It's okay. Because your mother is with you.

But, you're a boy, aren't you?

I can't be looking after you like this forever.

If you want to get food by yourself, you'll have to be strong, won't you?

Surrounded by his kind mother's love,

the little fox was happy every day.

But one day...

Be strong. Be strong for me.

Gon the Little Fox

The little fox waited patiently inside the den for his mother to return.

Day, after day, after day...

He believed that if he stayed beneath the red flowers, his mother would return.

But one after the other, the red flowers fell.

And in the end, a single flower remained.

The lightning had destroyed the camellia.

The den was destroyed.

It was gone without a trace.

"My mother would never return."

Is what the little fox thought.

The little fox was carried down river,

and before he knew it, he had arrived at a village where humans lived.

Quickly!

It's sweet!

The children dropped a sweet potato.

He ate it carefully, and found it to be so delicious, that he savored every last bite.

The little fox, who was full of food, stayed the night beneath the shrine.

And fell into a deep sleep.

Alright, I've got an idea.

A little fox, huh?

He was scared as well.

Oh, I've forgotten something.

Oh, my stomach...

Hey.

I've finished making the hoe for Yasuke.

Good job.

Can you deliver it later?

Okay.

Hey, look.

I wonder if I can make that fox my apprentice...

I'm back, Ma.

Hyoju, what happened to your face?

No, nothing, nothing at all.

Just a little run in with a little fox.

A little fox?

We're having potatoes again, please bear with it.

What? They're my favorite food.

That aside, after you eat something, will you lie down for a while?

Hey, Ma, please will you let me do it.

I'll do work at night, since you can't do it any more.

Just like that, Ma.

Oh, that reminds me, Yasuke said this little fox has quite the appetite.

Ma, huh?

For someone to be that big to say "Ma, Ma, Ma."

I can't stand it!

You're a boy, aren't you?

I can't be looking after you like this forever.

You'll have to be strong, won't you?

By the way, Yasuke, how is your wife doing?

Oh, she's doing fine. But she was almost scared into giving birth.

Are you serious?

Yeah!

When she turned around, the little fox was copying her.

He was walking around holding out it's stomach like this.

It's not something to laugh about!

It devastated a field and Shinbei's house.

Its pranks are really something.

When I catch that little fox...

It's only a child, but it will make a nice scarf for my wife.

Yasuke, don't you feel sorry for it?

Why?!

Didn't it destroy your potato fields?

Only a little bit.

Since its mother hasn't come to the village,

Gon mustn't have any parents.

Gon?

It's the name I gave him.

What's that got to do with anything?

When my parents died, I found a doting wife so I could protect my house.

But... Gon has such kind eyes.

Listen here Hyoju, you'll never find a wife if you keep acting like that.

Hey! If you don't hurry, they'll be here before we're finished.

Festival, festival, festival.

Oh Gods, thanks to you we have had a bountiful harvest this year as well.

We will be having this auspicious festival in your honor. Thank you.

Please keep us safe next year...

What came after that again?

...and in good health.

And in good...

It's so we don't all die from a disease.

And there you have it... I mean, thank you for your help.

Now, oh Gods, the members of the village will pay their respects.

But that's really strange...

Are you sure you didn't forget them?

What are you talking about? Of course not.

Yasuke, are you still talking about that? Just forget about it.

Why don't you just have some of ours.

That reminds me, Yae, you know Oito from the next village, don't you?

I do, she's lovely, isn't she?

What do you think, Hyoju?

I can't settle down yet, I've still got work to do.

What are we going to do with you?

And you're supposed to be the son of the best shooter in town?

If your father could hear you say that, he'd be brought to tears!

Look over there!

It's that little fox again!

So it was him whole s-stole all of our food?!

Le-Let go of me! I'll get him, just you watch!

Please stop it, Yasuke, can't you just forgive him?

It's still just a baby, don't you feel sorry for it?

Just because it's a baby doesn't mean I have to go easy on it!

Yasuke, today's our annual festival, just forgive him.

Just think, the Gods are watching you.

You'd regret it.

Fine.

Thank you, Yasuke.

Just because it's the festival.

Alright, I've decided. I'll live in this village.

Potatoes, potatoes! There are no potatoes!

Potatoes.

I give up...

I'm hungry...

Dearie, look, it's moving.

Really? Let me see.

It's moving. It's moving!

Hey, I'm your papa!

Can you hear me?

Hey, it's your papa!

Radishes don't taste very nice. I wonder what those red ones are...

He must've eaten a chili pepper.

It's so spicy!

People eat that kind of thing?

They're monsters!

Hooray! Hooray!

She did it! She did it!

Hooray! Hooray!

Hooray! She did it! She did it! She did it! She did it!

She did it! Hooray! Hooray! She did it!

I'm sorry, Hyoju...

What?

I'm always getting worse...

I'm sorry...

What are you saying?

Look, Ma, the sweet potatoes are done.

Darling, the tea is ready.