There Have Always Been Foxes — Maxine Trottier

When the young ones cannot sleep, we tell a story. When I first heard it I was only a kit, all warm and sleepy in the den, my belly filled with mother's milk. But I remembered, and so I pass it on.

The tale of Fortress Louisbourg began in 1713 on Cape Breton Island. What was a prized French fishing settlement became one of the mightiest fortresses in the New World. Over time Native Canadians, the French, and the English have each called the place home. France and Britain have battled for it, and both have possessed it. The ravages of time and history took their toll, but Fortress Louisbourg stands today, restored to its former majesty and open to thousands of visitors each year.

In such a setting, stories naturally take root and grow. But one in particular has been repeated by those who claim to have seen a fox dancing with a cat inside the fortress walls. It could well be true for, through time and change, there have always been foxes in this place.