Fox

The name of the game is derived from the words of the accompanying song and the main character, the fox. The combination of the form of a procession and the selection or exclusion of one of the participants is perhaps a reminiscence of ancient behaviors associated with agrarian magic (protection of fields and farms from predators) and folk beliefs about foxes. The fox was, and still is, a symbol of cleverness, cunning and deception. By imitating the fox one tried to take over its cunning, but also to outwit it, which symbolically weakened its powers. In children’s play the role of the fox passes from child to child, so everyone has a chance to be both the cunning fox and to chase the fox around the circle. The earliest description of this game comes from Gołębiowski: “Everyone stands in a circle, but everyone keeps his hands in it, one walks with a question until he passes it to someone elaborately; this one beats his neighbor and has the right to chase him by beating him, until, having gone round the circle, he stands in the place from whence he came, he gives the question back again to whom he pleases, and so the game goes on”. (Games and Plays, 1831, p. 75).

In a version closer to our times, the first fox from the group is usually chosen by drawing lots; sometimes one of the children announces himself. The fox holds in his hand a handkerchief, a questionnaire twisted from a handkerchief, or any other object resembling a fox’s tail. The other children sit on the ground in a circle (without contact) and sing:

The fox walks by the road,

quietly puts his feet up,

quietly sneaking around,

“The fox walks by the road.

The fox walks by the road,

Has no arm or leg

Whoever the fox dresses

He doesn’t even expect it.

Depending on the variant of the game, children sitting on the ground have their hands stretched back or rest them on their knees (thighs), they are not allowed to look behind themselves and peep at the fox. If a child turns around and looks back, the fox has the right to reprimand him with a question. When the children are sitting with their arms stretched out behind their backs, the fox unexpectedly slips a stick or a handkerchief into one of the children’s hands. The chosen child chases the fox around the circle and tries to catch it before it reaches its place in the circle. If he fails, he takes over the role of the fox and the game begins again. When the attribute is a scarf, the fox puts it on the head of one of the children or puts it in his hands. The children then chase after the fox to catch and outwit him.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)