The Fox and the Hound
Walt Disney’s 1981 movie The Fox and the Hound tells the story of the unlikely friendship between a fox and a dog. The motely duo are raised together by a no-nonsense farmer. Despite the many challenges they face, not least their animals instincts and the pressures of society to be enemies, their friendship endures. The animated movie was based on a 1967 book of the same name – and the original source material is far from sweet and sentimental.
In the book, which was written by Daniel P. Mannix, the young fox cub is indeed raised by a farmer. He even grows up alongside dogs. Eventually, he goes back to the wild. But he returns to the farm sometimes, coming back to mock the dogs. The fox consistently taunts the pets, boasting of his intelligence and cunning. This angers the dogs and one day, one of the pack breaks free from his chains. The dog faces the dog but is hit by a train and dies. The devastated farmer vows revenge and sets out to capture and kill the fox.
In the following chapters, the farmer and his dogs find the fox’s family. They kill his mate. They also kill his children. But they never manage to capture the wily fox. But that doesn’t mean the book finishes with a happy ending. In the dark original version, the fox dies of stress and exhaustion, all alone in the woods. Meanwhile, the farmer’s favourite dog gets old and needs to be shot to be put out of his misery. Understandably, the Disney screenwriters decided to make some serious changes to make their movie suitable for young audiences.