Write a story about a fox spirit (a gumiho, jiǔwěihú, kitsune, or hồ ly tinh), inspired by, e.g. Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese folklore.

Posted in Fiction on Mar 10, 2023

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✍️ 41 stories

“Yowamushi: The Kitsune Wife” by :) :D

Submitted to Contest #189

He does not wield the power to cheapen me, yet he succeeds in doing so. Foolish curiosity provokes me to understand all his words and methods of expression. That noisome venom he spits is simply fascinating. I cannot stop thinking about it. Never has a human been able to lure me to their side with stupidity. Now there is a Koi-Kaze ring bonded to my finger and bizarre mortal interests that oppress my nature. I appear as a loving wife. I am a glad witness to his mistakes. I appear as the traditional Japanese woman, void of the foreigners’ ste...

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“Kitzuna and Natzuki ( 絆と梛月)” by Courtney Smith

Submitted to Contest #189

"Kitzu, dear, don't wander too far! It's almost dinner time and I'm making your favorite!" Kitzuna skids to a halt, looking over her shoulder where her mother stands, futon in hand and her sleeves tied back with a brightly colored tasuki (Kitzuna had taken the berries from the forest and dyed an entire pristine white cloth with them once upon a time. Her mother, laughing in delight, had turned the newly red and purple cloth into colorful strips for their hair ties and clothes). "Really mama?" Her mother's laugh rings through Kitzuna's soul. ...

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“A prison called Life ” by Carrie Jowers

Submitted to Contest #189

Contains mentions of sexual abuse and physical violence Rain pattered softly onto the gravel, the sky gradually growing darker. Trees littered the side of the path, leaves rustling along with the gentle brushes of wind. Everything seemed to stand still as time was stuck in a photograph. A crow called a warning to its kin; a danger was coming, it called, fly North or do not fly again. The Gumiho did not care for the birds nor their warnings, warnings that often left the tongue too late. A warning was only a preparation for Death....

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“Journey of Nimble” by Simone J Fry

Submitted to Contest #189

“I’ve got just the one for you love, a very rare find indeed. It’s waiting out the back to be taken home!” And with that the old lady tapped me on the head with a wooden stick and jumped with a light spring off the chair.I followed her through the den like “shop”, passing in between shelves, tightly packed from floor to ceiling with books, thousands of books, colourful and beautifully arranged! She led me behind a velvety curtain to a softly lit room, containing a small round table, a tall set of bookshelves and a ladder.“It’s right at the t...

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“Spirit” by Elijah Cooley

Submitted to Contest #189

Misaki ran from the growing flames, toward the small glimmer of daylight ahead. Her den rumbled, as if the Foo Dog, Arau, was digging above her. Misaki allowed herself a small smile. Arau was a great, and powerful, friend in times of need, and this definitely qualified. Misaki jumped across a burning log, singing the tips of her tails, and barreled into the daylight. Arau bounded over to Misaki, smiling as if this was a great game. If only. The Huntsman was coming. And Misaki had to run. Misaki growled at Arau, telling her to go away. Howeve...

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“The Fox of Vietnam ” by Kavil Wagh

Submitted to Contest #189

Le Loi crouched in the bushes, his fox-symbolled bronze armlet fastened to his hand. He was behind the enemy camp and had waited for this moment for a long time. He spent eleven years battling with the Ming dynasty, starting in 1407. For 1100 years Chinese tried to rule over Vietnam, and each time they entered Vietnam, they faced defeat. This time it was Le Loi's chance to realise this dream. His army men were alert for his signal, ready to ambush the Ming patrol column built beside the Chu River in Vietnam. In front of him are woo...

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“Livers Tried and True” by Tracy Alele

Submitted to Contest #189

It had been a mystery to Ari how the tasteful delights at Madam Su’s had gotten so bland. Her cravings for sweet pungent smelling livers were now rarely met by Su’s famous liver onion gravy. And it always had. Small delectable pieces of liver cut up and coated in a lovely thick caramelized onion sauce. She had been going there for years and so she was sure something wasn’t right.For years, the quaint little human society in District 6 lived oblivious to the fact that supernatural beings walked among them. Spirits and apparitions that haunted...

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“Beneath the Essence Fog” by Sonder Son

Submitted to Contest #189

"Crow's eye view." Joy's words raced to the sky, protected by the blanket of her whisper. Her tome responded with a radiant glow. Shreds of crow feathers cradled between its pages dissolved into golden dust, spilling onto the forest floor like sand from a shattered hourglass. Joy's essence reserve ignited within her, and she sensed the spiritual energy evaporate from her skin, prickling her body with icy needles. Then, in the recesses of her mind, she detected the presence of a new, vast essence reserve. Another fellow Mythfarer? She...

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“Tails of Tragedy” by Dylan Patrick

Submitted to Contest #189

The medley of the summer wind sang a tune of good fortune. Though this day was like any other for me and my daughters, Yena and Frost, it would be like a dream day for anyone who lived outside of our bubble, my family’s slice of paradise, untouched by the scourge of the outside world. I admit, though, I sometimes had fun with Humans that strayed too far from their lumbersome lodgings. Humans and Quasis (half animals) mix like oil and water, as the former like to say. The more worlds collided. the more tragedy was invited to each other’s door...

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“Su Daji: the beginning” by Dottie C

Submitted to Contest #189

River could sense something was amiss the moment he entered the gambling den. On the surface, it was buzzing with activities, the smell of alcohol heavy in the air while thick tobacco smoke hung above heads like permanent clouds—a good combination to keep patrons going all day and night. “Welcome, sir!” The enthusiastic waiter waved him to come in further, a mischievous grin on his face, a stained table rag slung across one shoulder. “Wine,” River responded curtly and headed toward the small, empty table in the corner; his feet a...

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“Yūdaina” by Richard Banks

Submitted to Contest #189

1Akihiko and Geoff had moved plenty of crates whilst working together at Mandigold Magic. In fact, Mandigold himself had once described them as the business's safest hands ("the only hands outside of my own I trust with my precious things!"), so their manager's insistence on overseeing the transportation of his latest arrival made the two of them incredibly nervous. "What'ya think it is, Aki?" Geoff whispered, the reverse lights of the delivery vehicle turning the corner into the loading bay. It edged backwards into the parking spot at ...

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Write a story about a fox spirit (a gumiho, jiǔwěihú, kitsune, or hồ ly tinh), inspired by, e.g. Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese folklore.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 41 stories

“Yowamushi: The Kitsune Wife” by :) :D

“Kitzuna and Natzuki ( 絆と梛月)” by Courtney Smith

“A prison called Life ” by Carrie Jowers

“Journey of Nimble” by Simone J Fry

“Spirit” by Elijah Cooley

“The Fox of Vietnam ” by Kavil Wagh

“Livers Tried and True” by Tracy Alele

“Beneath the Essence Fog” by Sonder Son

“Tails of Tragedy” by Dylan Patrick

“Su Daji: the beginning” by Dottie C

“Yūdaina” by Richard Banks

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story where a character must continue to tell their tale to a listener to avoid unsavory consequences.

Write a story inspired by this quote from Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy: “In the middle of the journey of our life I came to myself within a dark wood where the straight way was lost.”

Write a modern version of "The Tiger, the Brahmin, and the Jackal," in which someone suffers from their own good deeds and must turn to an unlikely source for help.

Start your story with “It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark.” (Hans Christian Andersen, “The Little Match Girl”)

Contest #189

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

281

Contest entries

121

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: