The Skunk & The Fox: A Fable

INTRODUCTION: I dug this little gem out of the basement. It's in remarkably good condition, with a cover made of oddly garish wallpaper (according to the manufacturer it's called "Quantum") and the title penned on in purple marker. I think it's a pretty good example of my sense of humor in writing, even when I couldn't have been more than eleven or twelve years old; in fact, this story is rather MUTED so I wonder if we toned it down to make it more like a children's story. A note, I'm unclear about the placement of the apostrophe in the latter two occurrences of the word "don't"--it could be either that or "do'nt," as I tended to misspell words with "n't" in them back then.

Almost certainly from elementary school, likely around fifth or sixth grade (1987-89) since Mya is named as a co-author and I'm certain I knew her in sixth grade; not as sure about fifth.

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The Skunk & The Fox

A Fable
by
Mya S. [last name omitted]
&
Rachel H. [last name omitted]

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The Skunk & The Fox

A Fable
by
Mya S. [last name omitted], the author of 'Fighting'
&
Rachel H. [last name omitted], the author of 'King Kuts'

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The Characters

Fox
[Illustration: An anthropomorphic fox.]

Flying Squirrel
[Illustration: A flying squirrel. It has stripes like a chipmunk.]

Skunk
[Illustration: A skunk.]

Porcupine
[Illustration: A porcupine.]

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Once apon [sic] a time , there was a skunk. He lived in the big green forest, along with Fox and Flying Squirrel. Fox did not like Skunk, and Squirrel was scared of him. So no one would talk to him, and he was sad.

One day a porcupine moved into the forest. He came from the little green forest. Fox did not like him, either.

Some time later, the skunk and the porcupine became friends.

The fox said, "We should throw them out of the forest."

"No, we should'nt [sic]!" said Squirrel. "They are our friends!"

"Not mine!" said Fox.

Just then the skunk came up.

"Humph!" said Fox. He walked off with his nose in the air.

"What's wrong with him?" Skunk asked.

"A lot," Squirrel replied.

"I don't think he likes us," Porcupine said.

"Really?" said the skunk sarcastically.

"I have to go pack some nuts," said Squirrel.

While Squirrel was packing, he saw Fox coming back. Fox went over to Porcupine and Skunk. He said to Porcupine, "Why don't you leave?"

"Why don't you leave?" Squirrel said angrily. He walked over to Fox. "I'm so sick of you trying to get rid of them. So I'm going to get rid of you!" Squirrel nipped at the fox's feet and he ran off.

"Well," Fox said, "I can always find a better place to live!"

But the only place he could be allowed to live in was a forest full of porcupines and skunks.

Moral: Never judge a book by it's [sic] cover (or a skunk by it's [sic] smell).

[Illustration: Skunk, Porcupine, and Flying Squirrel (who is atop Skunk's head), their backs to the viewer, watching Fox as he walks away with a knapsack over his shoulder, beautiful trees and mountains around them. Flying Squirrel still has his stripes.]