Happy Friday everyone! I’m thrilled to be here at the Raven Blog, and thank you for joining me. Each month I’ll be posting about a different shape-shifter. There are so many, I’ll never run out of ones to write about.
This month I’m going to share some facts about a very special kind of fox that has paranormal powers. They are called Kitsunes or Nogitsunes. While the legends and myths of these creatures are most prominent in Japan and China, they are also written about in many other countries including India. Typically a kitsune is depicted as a woman. Often times as a seducer, able to get into the heads of the men they choose, and have her way with them. They are known to be wise and live a long, long life.
A kitsune is not as powerful in their mortal form, but they have far more chances to experience pleasure as a human. They are likened to the Western concept of the succubus – beautiful, seductive, and able to draw life force out of their chosen victim. In some myths they are considered evil, while others depict them as good. Either way they are most noted as tricksters.
Their fox form differs from that of a regular fox in the amount of tails they have. The most powerful, the Nogitsune, can have up to nine tails. They are able to light a fire to see their way in the dark by rubbing their tails together. Other powers include breathing fire and creating illusions. It is said that while in their human form, the women’s faces still take on that of a fox, more often with their cheekbones, narrowed structure and the slant of their eyes.
There are many myths and legends found on the website depicting different types of kitsune. It can make for many hours of reading, which I found while researching about these unique foxes for my story Primed Suspect. Shape-shifters of any kind are always a catapult for my imagination and often keep me up late at night. For more about my book and upcoming releases, please stop by my website http://www.anncory.com. Next month I’ll be posting about another favorite shifter of mine: Nagas.
~Ann Cory
