Sayings with the word fox

Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous
old fox quotes, fox sayings, and fox proverbs, collected over the years from a variety
of sources.

Fox and dog are members of the same family, but they have a separate lineage.

So, a fox cannot be entirely considered a dog. Instead, it can be treated as a member of the same family.

Fox is a member of the dog family. Foxes are clever and cunning. Foxes look a bit similar to dogs, but foxes have bushy tails and long fur. Foxes live in a pack and have been a part of the human imagination since time began. One of the purposes of foxes is to hunt for the pack and become the best amongst the lot. This is the reason that fox quotes are widely read and appreciated.

After you have gone through these best fox quotes, check out these wildlife quotes and [nature quotes].

Amazing Quotes About Foxes

Whether it be fox and the hound quotes or fox movie quotes, there are many quotes about foxes that are enjoyed by everyone. Here are some of the most famous fox quotes for you to enjoy.

1. “A fox can be smarter than a wolf.”

— Tamuna Tsertsvadze.

2. “The early bird gets the worm, and the early fox gets the bird.”

— Matshona Dhliwayo.

3. “With foxes we must play the fox.’

— ‘Criminal Minds’.

4. “If you deal with a fox, think of his tricks.”

— Jean De La Fontaine.

5. “Be like the fox who makes more tracks than necessary, some in the wrong direction. Practice resurrection.”

— Wendell Berry.

6. “A fox is a wolf who sends flowers.”

— Ruth Brown.

7. “The sleeping fox catches no poultry.”

— Benjamin Franklin.

8. “Let’s be perfectly clear, shall we. The fox is not a little orange puppy dog with doe eyes and a waggly tail. It’s a disease-ridden wolf with the morals of a psychopath and the teeth of a great white shark.”

— Jeremy Clarkson.

9. “Men have forgotten this truth.”

— Unknown*.

10. “Men have forgotten this truth, said the fox. But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”

— Antoine De Saint-Exupery

11. “The cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf.”

— Thomas Paine.

12. “I am sometimes a fox and sometimes a lion. The whole secret of government lies in knowing when to be the one or the other.”

— Napoleon Bonaparte.

13. “The prince must be a lion, but he must also know how to play the fox.”

— Niccolo Machiavelli.

14. “Men have forgotten this truth, said the fox. But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”

— Antoine De Saint Exupery.

15. “The fox provides for himself, but God provides for the lion.”

— William Blake.

16. “When I jog it’s like a dancing dog. Well, it’s more of a foxtrot.”

— Jarod Kintz.

17. “What a hungry fox constantly dreams of is a chicken!”

— Mehmet Murat Ildan.

18. “In a society where every man is fox-minded, you need to be foxier than the fox!”

— Mehmet Murat Ildan.

19. “A fox should not be of the jury at a goose’s trial.”

— Thomas Fuller.

20. “A prince must imitate the fox and the lion, for the lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.”

— Machiavelli.

21. “…Looks like a dog, behaves like a cat.”

— Erin Hunter.”

— Mehmet Murat Ildan.

22. “Anybody depending on somebody else’s gods is depending on a fox not to eat chickens.”

— Zora Neale Hurston.

23. “Never trust a fox.”

— Erin Hunter.

24. “The fox never found a better messenger than himself.”

— Irish Proverb.

25. “A fox is a wolf who sends flowers.”

— Ruth Brown.

26. “An actor is never so great as when he reminds you of an animal — falling like a cat, lying like a dog, moving like a fox.”

— Francois Truffaut.

27. “I was born with a different kind of morality. The morality of an animal — of a crow or a fox or an owl — and not of a normal human being.”

— Peter Swanson.

28. “I am sometimes a fox and sometimes a lion. The whole secret of government lies in knowing when to be the one or the other.”

— Napoleon Bonaparte.

Fantastic Mr. Fox Quotes

Some people think that a fox is a wolf but it is not true.  A fox is a majestic animal that is part of many famous folk stories and sayings. Here are some funny ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ quotes from the famous movie ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’

29. “Mr. Fox: You scared the cuss out of us!”

— ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’.

30. “Mr. Fox: I understand what your saying, and your comments are valuable, but I’m going to ignore your advice.”

— ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’.

31. “Mr. Fox: Redemption? Sure. But in the end, he’s just another dead rat in a garbage pail behind a Chinese restaurant.”

— ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’.

32. “Mr. Fox: Honey, I am seven fox years old. My father died at seven and a half. I don’t want to live in a hole anymore, and I’m going to do something about it.”

— ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’.

33. “Mrs. Fox: [breaking the silence] Another book party?

Mr. Fox: Oh! I didn’t see you sitting in the dark there. [smiles nervously]”

— ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’.

Inspirational Fox Quotes And Sayings

Fox quotes are enjoyed by readers all over the world. Fox quotes can be funny as well as inspirational at the same time. Here are some more fox quotes and sayings for you to enjoy.

34. “We are not superior. There are no clear distinctions between us and animals.”

— Michael Fox.

35. “Man is the most dangerous, destructive, selfish, and unethical animal on earth.”

— Michael Fox.

36. “Animals teach us about the animals in ourselves. We need their spirits.”

— Matthew Fox.

37. “With foxes we have to act like foxes.”

— Thomas Fuller.

38. “We communicate like the burrows of foxes, in silence and darkness, underground. We are undermined by faith and love.”

— Henry David Thoreau.

39. “This is the big one! You hear that, Elizabeth? I’m coming to join ya, honey!”

— Red Foxx.

40. “Have you laughed at the tale of the fox and the grapes? I don’t, never. Because no wisdom appeared wiser than this, which teaches us to heal any desire by despising it.”

— Luigi Pirandello.

41. “Even if the donkey cuts his ears and puts a foxtail on it, he continues to bray.”

— Carlos Saweedra Weise.

42. “The fox of the foxes. A true fox calls immature not only the grapes it cannot reach, but also the one it has reached and taken away from others.”

— Friedrich Nietzsche.

43. “The country gentleman who gallops chasing a fox…the ineffable in pursuit of the inedible!”

— Oscar Wilde.

44. “If you want to play the lion’s share in life, you must wear fox skin.”

— Oscar Wilde.

Funny Fox Quotes

Usually, when we think about fox quotes, the picture of a red fox flashes in front of our eyes. Never think that  a fox is a wolf. Foxes are truly majestic creatures. Below are some amazing clever fox quotes for your perusal and more phrases such as a fox is a wolf who sends flowers meanings.

45. «A fox should not be of the jury at a goose’s trial.»

— Thomas Fuller.

46. “Just because you escape one trap, doesn’t mean you will escape the next.”

— Leigh Bardugo.

47. “The trap is loneliness, and none of us escapes it.”

— Leigh Bardugo.

48. “For you I’m only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, we’ll need each other.”

— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, ‘The Little Prince’.

49. “I can bear ugliness, he said. I find the one thing I cannot live with is death.”

— Leigh Bardugo.

50. “The trap is loneliness, and none of us escapes it.”

— Jeremy Clarkson.

51. “In order to make his departure, I believe he took advantage of a flock of wild birds.”

— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, ‘The Little Prince’.

52. “For me, you are only a little boy just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you have no need of me, either…You’ll be the only boy in the world for me and I’ll be the only fox in the world for you.”

— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, ‘The Little Prince’.

53. “On earth, one sees all kinds of things.”

— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, ‘The Little Prince’.

54. “They’re sleeping in there or else they are yawning. Only the children are pressing their noses against the windowpanes. Only the children know what they are looking for.”

— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, ‘The Little Prince’.

55. “The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves.”

— Sieh Dir An.

56. “One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli.

57. “Playing the fox to another fox.”

— Ancient Greek Phrase.

58.“The too-clever fox, finally caught.”

— Leigh Bardugo.

Fox Sayings And Nature Quotes

Fox quotes are very much related to nature quotes and are enjoyed by people all over. Famous writers like Ruth brown have penned many such fox quotes. Read on for some of the best fox quotes and sayings.

59. “Each species is a masterpiece, a creation assembled with extreme care and genius.”

— Edward O. Wilson.

60. “Our task must be to free ourselves…by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.”

— Albert Einstein.

61. “Some of nature’s most exquisite handiwork is on a miniature scale, as anyone knows who has applied a magnifying glass to a snowflake.”

— Rachel Carson.

62. “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”

— Frank Lloyd Wright.

Wildlife Quotes And Fox Quotes

Whether it be fox quotes or wildlife quotes, you can simply never have enough of them especially from authors like Ruth Brown, Thomas Fuller, and William Blake. Read on for some of the best fox quotes for you to enjoy along with inspirational wildlife quotes.

63. “All I really wanted to do was wildlife photography.”

— Nigel Dennis.

64. “Humankind’s greatest priority is to reintegrate with the natural world.”

— Jonathon Porritt.

65. “Habitat for wildlife is continually shrinking – I can at least provide a way station.”

— Peter Coyote.

66. “An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.”

— Martin Buber.

67. “One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.”

— William Shakespeare.

*Do you know where this quote originates? We’d love to hear from you at [email protected]

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for fox quotes, then why not take a look at funny animal quotes, or farm quotes.

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“Men have forgotten this truth,” said the fox. “But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.” – Antoine de Saint Exupery

“I am sometimes a fox and sometimes a lion. The whole secret of government lies in knowing when to be the one or the other.” – Napoleon Bonaparte

“The fox condemns the trap, not himself.” – William Blake

“The fox provides for himself, but God provides for the lion.” – William Blake

“The sleeping fox catches no poultry.” – Benjamin Franklin

“The fox changes his fur but not his habits.” – Anonymous

“Women and foxes, being weak, are distinguished by superior tact.” – Ambrose Bierce

“Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” – The Bible

“A fox is a wolf who sends flowers.” – Ruth Weston

“A fox may steal your hens, sir, / . . . If lawyer’s hand is fee’d sir, / He steals your whole estate.” – John Gay

“And just like a midsummer nights breeze, she ran away, into the moonlight, a fox, proud and strong. The lone wolf walked away, saddened she was gone.” – Jason Winchester

“He is like the fox, who effaces his tracks in the sand with his tail.” – Niels Henrik Abel

“When I jog it’s like a dancing dog. Well, it’s more of a foxtrot.” – Jarod Kintz

“What a hungry fox constantly dreams of is a chicken!” – Mehmet Murat ildan

“In a society where every man is fox-minded, you need to be foxier than the fox!” – Mehmet Murat ildan

“Many foxes grow gray, but few grow good. – Benjamin Franklin

“A fox should not be of the jury at a goose’s trial.” – Thomas Fuller

“An election is coming: Universal peace is declared and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry.” – George Eliot

“A prince must imitate the fox and the lion, for the lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.” – Machiavelli

“With foxes we must play the fox.” – Thomas Fuller

“The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” – Archilochus

“Where the lion’s skin falls short it must be eked out with the fox’s.” – Lysander

“She devoured stories with rapacious greed, ranks of black marks on white, sorting themselves into mountains and trees, stars, moons and suns, dragons, dwarfs, and forests containing wolves, foxes and the dark.” – A.S. Byatt

“Sometimes it was possible for me to believe he had practised an enchantment upon me, as foxes in this country may, for, here, a fox can masquerade as human and at the best of times the high cheekbones gave to his face the aspect of a mask.” – Angela Carter

“‘Badgers!’ said Lucy. ‘Foxes!’ said Edmund. ‘Rabbits!’ said Susan.” – C.S. Lewis

“Down the violet wind slid syrinx melodies, wild as foxes, mad as love, strange as wakening.” – Cecilia Dart-Thornton

“Our first point of discussion is the hunt. (…) My idea is to start the film with an image of the vixen locked out of her lair which has been plugged up. Her terror as she’s pursued across the country. This is a big deal. It means training a fox from birth or dressing up a dog to look like a fox. Or hiring David Attenbrorough, who probably knows a few foxes well enough to ask a favour.” – Emma Thompson

“Sometimes since I’ve been in the garden I’ve looked up through the trees at the sky and I have had a strange feeling of being happy as if something was pushing and drawing in my chest and making me breathe fast. Magic is always pushing and drawing and making things out of nothing. Everything is made out of magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes and squirrels and people. So it must be all around us. In this garden – in all the places.” – Frances Hodgson Burnett

“What I took to be the norm — taut, smooth, supple — was the transient special case of youth. To me, the old were a separate species, like sparrows or foxes.” – Ian McEwan

“When I am alone I can become invisible. I can sit
on the top of a dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds,
until the foxes run by unconcerned. I can hear the almost
unhearable sound of the roses singing.” – Mary Oliver

“To One who wandered by a lonely sea, and sought in vain for any place of rest:
‘Foxes have holes, and every bird its nest. I, only I, must wander wearily,
And bruise my feet, and drink wine salt with tears.’” – Oscar Wilde

“Children picking up our bones
Will never know that these were once
As quick as foxes on the hill.” – Wallace Stevens

Fox Proverbs

“Let every fox take care of his own tail.” – Italian

“You will catch the fox with cunning, and the wolf with courage.” – Albanian

“He who has to do with foxes must look after his hen-roost.” – German

“Old foxes want no tutors.” – Dutch

“So you tell me there are wolves on the mountain, and foxes in the valley.” – Spanish

“It is a stupid goose that listens to the fox preach.” – French

“An old fox understands the trap.” – Unknown

“A client twixt his attorney and counselor is like a goose twixt two foxes.” – Unknown

“A foolish fox is caught by one leg, but a wise one by all four.” – Serbian

“Relatives are the worst friends, said the fox as the dogs took after him.” – Danish

“When a fox preaches, take care of your geese.” – Unknown

“What the lion cannot manage to do the fox can.” – German

Symbolism of Fox in Literature

Fox, as symbolism in literature, has been used in European and East-Asian cultures and stories for centuries. Foxes are represented as tricksters, sly or cunning animals. In Chinese, Korean, and Japanese folktales, foxes are powerful spirit beings. They are prominent characters in literature, media, films, and even games. The famous fox in literature is Mr. Fantastic Fox, written by Roald Dahl, is one of the most loved characters in books as well as animated films.  Also, another children’s animated tv show, Dora, the explorer, uses Fox Swiper, who represents a sneaky and sly personality, and competes with Dora in her quests. The phrase as sly as a fox and outfox are inspired by ‘fox’ and mean that a person is cunning and can beat others in intelligence, respectively. The word ‘fox’ has its roots in the word ‘fuhsaz’ means fox in proto-germanic language, which is derived from the German word ‘Fuchs’; the Old Norse word ‘Foa’ and also the Sanskrit word ‘puccha’ means tail.

Cleverness

In Africa, the Fennec village red fox symbolizes cleverness. Fox is also a symbol of cleverness in South African culture. According to Asian culture, the fox symbolizes intelligence, cunningness as well as mischief. Moche culture from Northern Peru, South America, believes the fox is a symbol of cleverness and is widely used in their artworks.

Luck

As per Japanese folklore, the fox symbolizes good fortune and good luck for a career. In Cambodia, people believe that seeing the fox is a sign of bad luck. Also, if a fox crosses paths with a person, it is a symbol of good luck. This belief is spread across Africa, Canada, Australia, and European countries. According to the Celtic culture, the Black fox is a symbol of bad luck. According to Russian superstition, stepping on Fox droppings is a symbol of good luck. This superstition was also believed by the tennis legend Maria Sharapova.

Protection

According to the ancient Native American culture, foxes represented protection. Fox also symbolizes self-protection as foxes have excellent capability to defend themselves from predators.

Independence

Foxes are also symbols of independence because they are smart and have their own mind. Foxes can’t be tamed or controlled by anyone. The Native Americans, who believe in astrology and possessing animal spirits, considered the red fox to symbolize independence. Also, if a person is born between November 23rd and December 21st, are believed to have the personality of the Red Fox.

Cunning and Sly

In Chinese culture, the fox represents cunningness. Also, Native Americans symbolize the fox as a cunning trickster. In East Asian and European cultures, it is believed that the fox is a symbol of cunningness due to their hunting skills. However, foxes are also considered evil. As per Chinese, Japanese, and Korean folklore,  foxes are considered symbols of cunningness and powerful spirits named: Huli Ing in China, Kitsune in Japan, and Kumiho in Korea, respectively. In Celtic culture, Druids tribes considered foxes as cunning spirits who bring luck and magic. African Fennec fox symbolizes cunningness and cleverness. Fox symbolizes trickster as well as cunningness in areas like the Africa Dogon tribal community as well as Bulgarian and Russian folklore.

Dreams

Blue foxes in dreams indicate that a person is looking for a soulmate. In a dream black fox symbolizes life’s mysteries and challenges. The red fox in the dream symbolizes cruelty in the person or close one. Dreaming of the grey fox is also considered a symbol of confusion, uncertainty, and disorder. White fox represents the betrayal of family and friends. According to Ancient Asian folklore dreaming of foxes also symbolize death and devastation. In Native American culture, if a person dreams about the fox, it represents healing and spiritual guidance. Muslims believe that dreaming of the fox is a warning of a person who might be playing tricks on them, lying, or even deceiving them.

Creativity

Fox symbolizes creativity and passion as per the famous children’s story, Mr. Fantastic Fox, written by Roald Dahl. Native Americans believe the fox is also a symbol of intelligence, passion, and creativity because of their survival in the wilderness and hunting skills. In Japanese cultural myth, the fox represents abundance, intelligence, and creativity.

Wisdom

The Cree tribe, a Native American tribe from Canada, strongly believes the foxes are a symbol of wisdom.  One of the famous folklore narrates stories of the Fox Woman, who represents the spirit of great wisdom. Additionally, Native Americans considered that having the personality of foxes makes a person wise. Thus, the fox also stands as symbol of wisdom, passion, intelligence, and creativity. The red fox symbolizes wisdom and fertility.

Examples of Fox as Symbolism in Literature

Example #1

Fox/Fire Song By Margaret Atwood

Dear man with the accurate mafia
eyes and dog sidekicks, I’m tired of you,
the chase is no longer fun,
the dispute for this territory
of fences and hidden caverns
will never be won, let’s
leave each other alone.

I saw you as another god
I could play with in this
maze of leaves and lovely blood,
performing hieroglyphs for you
with my teeth and agile feet
and dead hens harmless and jolly
as corpses in a detective story

In this poem, Margaret Atwood compares a man with a fox. It implies that the man may have been unfaithful and cunning. He may also have caused harm to the speaker as she describes and wants to repay his action. Here, the fox is a symbol of cunningness and deceit.

Example #2

The Three Foxes by A. A. Milne

Once upon a time there were three little foxes
Who didn’t wear stockings, and they didn’t wear sockses,
But they all had handkerchiefs to blow their noses,
And they kept their handkerchiefs in cardboard boxes.

They lived in the forest in three little houses,
And they didn’t wear coats, and they didn’t wear trousies.
They ran through the woods on their little bare tootsies,
And they played ‘Touch last’ with a family of mouses.

They didn’t go shopping in the High Street shopses,
But caught what they wanted in the woods and copses.
They all went fishing, and they caught three wormses,
They went out hunting, and they caught three wopses.

One of the most beloved poems for kids describes the story of three foxes with human qualities and yet brilliant hunting skills where they are chasing and catching mice, worms, wasps, etc., in the woods. Here the three foxes are symbols of cleverness and talent.

Example #3

Fox By Alice Oswald

I heard a cough
as if a thief was there
outside my sleep
a sharp intake of air

a fox in her fox-fur
stepping across
the grass in her black gloves
barked at my house

just so abrupt and odd
the way she went
hungrily asking
in the heart’s thick accent

in such serious sleepless
trespass she came
a woman with a man’s voice
but no name

as if to say: it’s midnight
and my life
is laid beneath my children
like gold leaf

In this example, the poet is describing the visit from a fox who is looking for food in their house. The poet has displayed empathy for the fox, knowing it has to feed its family. Here the fox represents survival.

Example #4

The Fox By Kahlil Gibran

A fox looked at his shadow at sunrise and said, “I will have
a camel for lunch today.”  And all morning he went about looking
for camels.  But at noon he saw his shadow again—and he said, “A
mouse will do.”

This example is one of the most profound poems written by Kahlil Gibran. The poet describes the fox as a prideful creature who believes it is a large creature and realizes the truth at the end of the day. Here, the fox is a symbol of arrogance in the first verse and wisdom in the final.

Example #5

Red Fox By Frederic Prokosch

Red fox, moving, body close to the ground,
Moving with strange economy, without sound,
mind intent on the unstirring heather, intent
On your primitive path and the hard unfriendly ground,

Valuable beyond words seems your secret to me,
Red fox, that you should be able to judge a tree
By its trunk, and the sky by the greener sky in the water,
And the sea by the gray fog coming from the sea.

In the above poem, the poet is describing the red fox hunting instincts. In this example, the fox symbolizes survival and stealth.

Example #6

Fantastic Mr. Fox By Roald Dahl

“I therefore invite you all,” Mr Fox went on, ‘to stay here with me for ever.’

For ever!’ they cried. ‘My goodness! How marvellous!’ And Rabbit said to Mrs Rabbit, ‘My dear, just think! We’re never going to be shot again in our lives!’

We will make,’ said Mr Fox, ‘a little underground village, with streets and houses on each side – seperate houses for Badgers and Moles and Rabbits and Weasels and Foxes. And every day I will go shopping for you all. And every day we will eat like kings.’

The cheering that followed this speech went on for many minutes.”

In this example, Mr. Fox is inviting his friends and other neighboring creature to live with them under the three properties with a life-long supply of food. Here, Mr. Fox is a symbol of kindness and cunningness.

Example #7

The Little Prince By Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

“Nothing’s perfect,” sighed the fox. “My life is monotonous. I hunt chickens; people hunt me. All chickens are just alike, and all men are just alike. So I’m rather bored. But if you tame me, my life will be filled with sunshine. I’ll know the sound of footsteps that will be different from all the rest. Other footsteps send me back underground. Yours will call me out of my burrow like music. And then, look! You see the wheat fields over there? I don’t eat bread. For me, wheat is no use whatever. Wheat fields say nothing to me. Which is sad. But you have hair the color of gold. So it will be wonderful, once you’ve tamed me! The wheat, which is golden, will remind me of you. And I’ll love the sound of the wind in the wheat…”

In this classic story, the fox and the little boy talk about their life and their role in their lives. The fox uses a heart monologue to talk about hunting and being hunted by people. He also requests the boy to make him his pet animal while listing his skills and the things he wants. Here the fox is a symbol of innocence and friendship.

Example #8

Quote By Matshona Dhliwayo

A single fox can outsmart a dozen wolves.

In this quote, the fox is a symbol of wisdom as wolves are aggressive creatures while foxes are stealthy in their attacks.