The Berceuse of the Baby Fox

The Berceuse of the Baby Fox is the ninth episode of the 2006 anime series Kanon.

Synopsis
The episode begins with Yuichi and his family eating breakfast. Makoto’s physical strength continues to deteriorate, just as Mishio had explained to Yuichi in the previous episode. While out for a walk in the city, Makoto expresses her disdain for cold weather, to which Yuichi assures her it will get warmer soon.

At school, Yuichi attempts to find Mishio to talk to her about Makoto’s condition, though she doesn’t want any further involvement and ignores him. Yuichi then reminisces about the fox he cared for when he was a child, revealing that after nursing it back to health for two weeks he released it back into the wild at Monomi Hill.

After school Yuichi runs into Makoto, who had been waiting for him at the gate as usual. The two then go shopping after Yuichi offers to buy something for Makoto. She then spots a bell, which Yuichi agrees to buy for her despite wanting to get her a better gift. Passing by a photo booth, Yuichi suggests that Makoto have her picture taken, though she panics and takes offense when Yuichi says she is too shy around other people.

Later that evening, Akiko prepares curry for dinner, which Makoto has never had before. Makoto continues to struggle with using her hands to the point where Yuichi has to brush her teeth for her.

Yuichi goes back to Monomi Hill that night to reflect on what’s happening, only to find that Makoto followed him. She tells him about her faint memories of the past and how she was left alone. Yuichi embraces her and tries to get Makoto's mind off of the past.

After school the next day, Yuichi finds that Makoto never came home, prompting him to search all over the city for her. Akiko informs him that the nursery school Makoto had been working at hadn’t seen her since the day she brought Piro to work. Makoto comes back later that night and collapses from a fever.

When Yuichi starts to leave for school the next morning, Makoto begs him to stay, becoming more reliant on having him around.

Despite telling Yuichi that she didn’t want anything to do with Makoto’s situation anymore, she calls him and the two meet later. Mishio tells Yuichi that Makoto’s fever should have led to her death, though her feelings for Yuichi were strong enough that she continued to stay in her human form. She then tells him that the next time Makoto runs a fever, she will most likely not survive. Mishio explains the legend of the “youkou”, mysterious foxes from Monomi Hill that can take the form of a human. Society has viewed these creatures as a bad omen that typically bring misfortune to villages, though in reality they are kind.

At home, Yuichi admits to Nayuki and Akiko that Makoto is actually the fox he cared for as a child, which doesn’t surprise Akiko, suggesting that she may have had a similar encounter.

Over the next few days, Yuichi tries his best to keep Makoto happy as her behavior becomes less human. After reading a story to Makoto, she tells Yuichi that she wants to marry him.

Characters

 * Yuichi Aizawa
 * Nayuki Minase
 * Akiko Minase
 * Makoto Sawatari
 * Mishio Amano
 * Piro

Locations

 * City of Snow
 * Minase Residence
 * Monomi Hill
 * Yuichi's High School

Trivia

 * A Berceuse is "a musical composition usually in 6/8 time that resembles a lullaby".

Quotes

 * “I wish Spring would come and stay forever.” - Makoto
 * “It’s not like coming here will help me understand anything.” - Yuichi
 * “I was worried that you’d leave me behind again.” - Makoto
 * “Don’t try to remember. You don’t have to remember.” - Yuichi
 * “What should I do?” - Yuichi
 * “There’s nothing you can do.” - Mishio
 * “All I could do was watch it happen.” - Mishio
 * “You are going to go through painful times." - Mishio
 * “She loved the sound of bells, didn’t she” - Akiko
 * “It’s like a fairy tale, yet I’m not surprised at all.” - Akiko
 * “I will definitely come back to get you. And when I do, let us join together as one. Let’s get married. Until then, goodbye.” - Yuichi