Abstract
In the overall operative structure, the fantastic folktale archives significant narrative episodes that talk about animals. This is also the case of the fox. As regards the act of story-telling and the area of the fantastic of the Romanian folktales, this animal has a less important role than the one of the bear, wolf or snake. Nevertheless, the folklore memory and the imagination of the folktale’s creator/transmitter kept in mind and placed, most of the times under the sign of plausibility, details, facts and significances which have the fox as actant (main or secondary). Following the structure of the other studies, already published or in press, we review (in the mythologic folder) the main mythical dimensions ascribed to this animal by the imagery of several nations, then we mention, in the mythologic and folkloric folder, the most important folk beliefs concerning the fox (legends, superstitions, significances, etc.). The mythanalysis applied to the presence, role and significances of the fox in the Romanian fantastic folktale is naturally followed by several conclusions.
Keywords: mythologic bestiary, hermeneutics, Romanian fantastic folktale, fox.
Cuvinte-cheie: bestiar mitologic, hermeneutică, basm fantastic românesc, vulpe.