Christmas Day fox. Latton Foxes Series photo by The Revd Lynn Hurry

My friend Lynn sent me a couple of photos of one of the fox cubs in Latton Vicarage Garden.
A few of them are still there though have grown quite a bit since we last saw them here.
Lynn also sent me a poem she found online called Baby Jesus and the Fox.
It was written by Stephanie and was first published on her blogsite Books are Cool on December 4th 2011. Please visit her blog for other writings by her.

The fox stood at the top of the hill
In the freezing snow, so deep and still.
Then he began to travel down,
Something was calling him into town.

Normally he stayed well clear
But tonight he overcame his fear.
He knew exactly where to go
So he crept through the shadows, keeping low.

He found the stable fairly soon
And hid in a corner, in the gloom.
He watched with glowing amber eyes
And heard a tiny baby’s cries.

Soon Mary and Joseph fell asleep.
Now was the fox’s chance to peep!
He cautiously left his hiding place
And gazed at Baby Jesus’s face.

A chilly wind began to blow
Bringing another flurry of snow.
The cold made the fox’s whiskers quiver
And Baby Jesus began to shiver.

And so without a thought of danger
The fox jumped up into the manger.
He laid his golden, bushy tail
Over the baby, cold and pale.

The fox lay there for quite a while
Till Jesus warmed up, and began to smile.
He tickled the fox’s furry head,
Then surprised him when he suddenly said:

“Both you and I will be hunted down,
Your fate hounds’ teeth, mine a thorny crown.
Men hate us though we do no wrong,
And hatred is cruel, fierce and strong,

But love, like the love you’ve just shown me,
Will save us all eventually.”
Then Baby Jesus began to doze,
Still gently stroking the fox’s nose.

The pink of dawn began to glow.
The fox knew that he had to go.
He was puzzled by the baby’s words
But he knew it was goodness that he’d heard.

He quietly got up and slunk away,
To struggle through another day.
But when he got back to his wood
He found a pile of tempting food –

Bread and cheese, and meat and fish,
Everything a fox could wish!
As he ate he smiled in a foxy way:
Today was a truly magical day.

Another photo by Lynn of the Latton Cub.