Lady into Fox

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Lady into Fox was David Garnett's debut novel, published in 1922. This short and enigmatic work won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and the Hawthornden Prize a year later.

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Sylvia Tebrick, the 24 year-old wife of Richard Tebrick, suddenly turns into a fox while they are out walking in the woods. Mr. Tebrick sends away all of the servants in an attempt to keep Sylvia's new nature a secret, although Sylvia's childhood nurse returns. While Sylvia initially acts human, insisting on wearing clothing and playing piquet, her behavior increasingly becomes that of a fox. Eventually, Mr. Tebrick releases Sylvia into the wild, where she gives birth to five cubs, whom Tebrick names and plays with every day. Despite Tebrick's efforts to protect Sylvia and her cubs, she is ultimately killed by dogs during a hunt; Tebrick, who tried to save Sylvia from the dogs, is badly wounded, but eventually recovers.