The Man Who Was Changed Into a Fox

Name: The Man Who Was Changed Into a Fox
Author: Basil Hall Chamberlain

A young man named Pauson is transformed into a fox by a witch's curse, and he must learn to navigate his new life as a creature of the wild.

By Basil Hall Chamberlain · First published 1920 · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Fable · 405 words

First lines

A certain man's conduct was as follows: he went to every place, making it his business to do nothing but tell lies and extort things from people. Then, after a time, when wanting to extort again, he went on to another place. While walking along he used to think of what lies he could tell. Afterwards he heard a voice. It was not human language. He walked saying "Pau! pau!"[C] When he looked at his own body, it was a fox's. Then he thought that, whether he might return to his own village, or go to another place, the dogs would kill him. So, with tears, he went away from the road into the mountains. There he found a large, leafy oak-tree. He lay down crying beneath it.

What this Textopian page supports

The Man Who Was Changed Into a Fox is listed on Textopian as a short story by Basil Hall Chamberlain, dated 1920 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Basil Hall Chamberlain
Date: 1920 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Fable
Length: 405 words
Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Man Who Was Changed Into a Fox by Basil Hall Chamberlain
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Man Who Was Changed Into a Fox?
How does this short story by Basil Hall Chamberlain fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Fantasy — The story involves a man turning into a fox, which is a scenario that involves magic and is typical of fantasy genre.
Adventure — The protagonist goes through a series of events and challenges after being transformed, which is a common attribute of the adventure genre.
Fable — The man's metamorphosis into a fox can be viewed as a metaphorical lesson, akin to the moral teachings often found in fables.