4 REDPAD THE FOX 
and needed more food she was forced to spend 
much tune on hunting excursions. Fortunately, 
however, as rabbits were to be had for the picking 
up in Knockdane Woods over the hill, and mice and 
rats were plentiful in the bog, the neighbouring 
poultry yards were not too severely taxed and Vix's 
nursery remained undiscovered. 
April was ushered in by a cool dark evening 
after heavy rain. The sunset was pale and stormy, 
blotted out by ragged clouds, and as Vix trotted 
home she heard the ' rail ' singing up the river. 
The ' rail ' is the name which the Fur Folk have 
given to the sound which is heard at night before 
a storm, and it is one of the most mysterious noises 
of the whole countryside. There may be no wind 
stirring at the time, but the Wild Folk hear the 
strange whining far away over the woods and bogs, 
and know that there is a gale blowing up from 
the sea. 
Vix's path lay by the reservoir, and here, startled 
perhaps by some night noise among the rushes, she 
paused. The reservoir had been built many years 
ago when Paddy Magragh's father had plenty of 
money, and much stock which required water. 
He caught the little brook which trickled through 
Vix's drain from St. Bridget's Tower to the bog, 
and turned its course into the big cement basin, 
