The cunning animal that all the fabulists have made one of their heroes was not always called Fox. Its real name in French was derived, as is fitting, from Latin; from vulpes, we had made goupil. In the northern languages, it was called and is still called Fuchs, Vos, Fox. At all times and in all countries, the name of the animal was synonymous with malice and trickery, and the Salic law designates it as an insult that entails a punishment. As for the word Fox, it was a man's name in the Germanic languages: Reinhart, Reginhart, Reginohald, Ragnohart; it meant counselor. It was translated into Latin as Reginaldus, into Gaulish as Regnier, and several historical figures have borne this name. ... I will first try to establish, without bias, the questions of origin; then I will study the works that belong to us. - [Author]

Language: French