The Egg Tree and the Fox's Quest

Sometimes it is difficult to know that what we have always wanted, we have had all along. This was an important lesson that a young fox named Rory learned many years ago. You see, Rory was no ordinary fox. Unlike the kinds of foxes that you and I are familiar with, Rory was born from an enchanted tree that grew eggs the way that some trees grow apples or oranges.

From this tree, many different animals were born. Some of these hatchlings were birds, some were cats, some were rabbits, and some of the larger eggs even hatched deer. Every spring, the eggs would grow and then the creatures would hatch from their eggs and find their mothers to take care of them.

Overlooking this tree was a very wise owl named Harmony. She was the guardian of the tree and made sure that no danger would ever come to any of the eggs. Occasionally a snake or a weasel would try to make their way up the tree and steal the eggs before they hatched, but old Harmony was always quick to protect the brood before any danger came to them.

One particular spring after all the eggs had hatched, and all the baby animals had found their mothers, one last egg remained. This egg was Rory the fox, and Rory loved being inside his egg so much that he did not want to come out. Finally when the weather turned warm, Rory decided that he would crack open his egg and see the big outside world that awaited him. When he climbed out however, not one other egg remained, and no mother fox could be found to take care of him.

Immediately, Harmony the owl took notice of poor Rory, and decided that she would take care of him until he could take care of himself. So for many weeks while Rory grew, he lived high in a treetop in a large owl’s nest. Harmony would bring fish for Rory so that he could grow into a strong and clever fox. Harmony grew to love little Rory very much, and Rory was grateful that he was being taken care of.

However, a curiosity began brewing within Rory. He felt very different from his lovely and wise caretaker and wanted to find other foxes like him. Harmony knew that all the foxes had traveled far from the enchanted tree and it would be a difficult quest for Rory to find his kind alone. So, one afternoon, Harmony found a large red balloon for Rory, so that he could fly across the countryside and have a bird’s eye view of everything around him. “This will be the easiest way for you to spot other foxes,” Harmony said.

So, with a large red balloon tied around his belly, Rory “flew” across the countryside in search of his kind in hopes that this would make him happy. He saw many things during his journey that he had never dreamed of. Horses grazed in fields of green, and there were stone houses with smoke billowing from chimneys. He saw elk, and moose, and entire packs of wolves from below. Everyone he saw seemed to be so happy to be with their own kind. “I’m so lonely up here,” Rory thought, “Hopefully I will find some other foxes and finally be at home.”

Soon, a strong wind began to blow and the balloon was hurled over a city with many buildings. Rory had never seen such a sight in his life, and wasn’t sure what to make of it. As he passed over the city, a crow flew beside him and said, “Why you’re a funny looking bird. What on earth do you think you’re doing up here?”

“I’m searching for other foxes so that I can finally be at home,” Rory replied. The crow thought this was very funny and laughed to himself.

“Well you’re not going to find any foxes up here,” the crow said, “Why don’t I help you down to the ground so that you can find what you’re looking for. And with that, the crow pecked at the balloon until pop! Poor Rory was then flung down, down, down until he luckily landed in a soft pile of hay being carried by a wagon. Now Rory was certainly in a predicament. The wagon was being pulled by two large horses, and an old man with his granddaughter sat up front and steered the horses.

Rory was very afraid as he had never been so close to humans before, and without his red balloon he was sure that he would never be able to see any foxes and find a family of his own. When he landed in the hay, the granddaughter turned around to see what the noise was and saw the young fox cowering in the pile of hay. Immediately she pitied the fox, and knew that if her grandfather found him, that Rory would be in some serious trouble. She waited until the horses stopped at the farm and then quickly went to the back of the wagon while her grandfather went inside.

“How did you get into our wagon?” The little girl asked Rory, “You must have fallen from the sky. Here, let me take care of you, and maybe I can help you find your way home.”

“I’m looking for other foxes,” said Rory. “I am looking for a place to call home.”

“Well there are no foxes here,” said the girl, “We are farmers, and most farmers do not like foxes at all. But I will hide you in the barn for one night and then hopefully help you find who you’re looking for.” So, for that night, hungry and tired, Rory slept in a pile of hay in the barn. In the morning the girl returned. “How did you travel so far to get to our city?” The girl asked Rory.

“I flew,” said Rory, “My owl mother gave me a red balloon so that I would have a better view of the countryside.”

“Well that does seem like a good idea,” said the girl, “Here, take one of my balloons, and hopefully you will be able to continue on your journey. But I wonder, if you already have a mother, why do you want so badly to find another one? It sounds like she loves you very much, despite being an owl.” But regardless, the little girl tied the balloon around Rory’s belly and up, up, up he flew back into the cloudless sky.

Rory thought about the kind advice the little girl had given him, and he wondered if perhaps what he was looking for he already had. Harmony loved Rory like he was her own son, and even though she was not a clever fox, she was very, very wise. Rory began to miss Harmony, and wondered if he had made a mistake venturing so far from home.

At last however, Rory spotted a group of foxes down below. They were frolicking and playing in the long grasses of a meadow, their bushy tails wagging in the sunshine. They all looked very happy, and Rory forgot all about the advice the little girl had given him. Suddenly, his balloon got caught in a tree. Ordinarily, this would have caused trouble for most foxes, but since Rory was born from a tree, he was an expert tree climber. He left the balloon safely in the branches, and bounded over to where the family of foxes were playing.

“Who are you?” One of the foxes rudely snapped at poor Rory.

“You’re not part of our clan,” shouted another.

“My name is Rory,” said Rory, “I’m looking for other foxes just like me so that I have a place to call home. Won’t you be so kind as to let me play with you?”

“I am sorry,” said the mother fox,” but even though you are a fox just like us, you are a stranger here and are obviously from far away. You are very odd to us, and we cannot let you join us. Besides, we think that it is very strange indeed to see a fox flying with a balloon in such a way.”

“Well where I came from, flying is normal,” replied Rory.

“Perhaps,” the mother fox said,” you should go back to where you came from. It seems that maybe you had a home there already.”

Sadly, Rory climbed back up the tree, which the other foxes thought was immensely strange being that foxes do not climb trees. Rory fastened the red balloon over his belly once more and hoped that the breeze would take him back to where he came from. He was tired, hungry, and discouraged. He missed Harmony and her wisdom very much.

All night long the balloon floated through the air. Rory saw all sorts of night creatures on his journey under a blanket of stars. There were bats, and there were even other owls, but not his beloved Harmony. Finally, as the sun broke over the hillside, Rory noticed a familiar tree.

Rory’s eyes widened with excitement as he grew closer to this beautiful tree, ripe with fresh eggs that had yet to hatch. Hovering over the tree was the familiar wingspan of his old companion. With her wide, owl eyes, Harmony recognized the curious looking fox suspended from the balloon and flew over to him. She pulled the balloon back over to the large nest and Rory finally was able to settle down.

“Did you find what you were looking for, my dear Rory?”

“Well, yes I did. I saw all kinds of countryside and met all kinds of interesting creatures. I even found other foxes. But I realized that what I’m looking for is right here.”

Touched by his words, Harmony wrapped her large feathered wings around the young fox and hugged him tenderly. Rory had found his home, and had found the mother to take care of him.

In the months that followed, many eggs grew from the tree and hatched. Some of these eggs had rabbits, some had squirrels, and some even had deer. But now the eggs were especially safe because not only did they have a very wise owl watching over them, but they also had a clever little fox. Rory had finally found his home and his purpose in life.