The Tale of the Fox (French: Le Roman de Renard, German: Reinecke Fuchs) was stop-motion animation pioneer Ladislas Starevich’s first fully animated feature film. The film is based on the tales of Renard the Fox. Although the animation was finished in Paris after an 18-month period (1929-1930), there were major problems with adding a soundtrack to the film. Finally, funding was given for a German soundtrack by the UFA —Goethe had written a classic version of the Renard legend— and this version had its premiere in Berlin in April 1937.

Vladislav Starevich (August 8, 1882 – February 26, 1965) – see our previous article, was a Russian and French stop-motion animator notable as the author of the first puppet-animated film (i.e. The Beautiful Lukanida (1912)). He also used insects and other animals as protagonists of his films. His name can also be spelled Starevitch, Starewich and Starewitch.

Plot Summary: In the kingdom of animals, the fox Renard is used to tricking and fooling everyone. Consequently, the King (a lion), receives more and more complaints. Finally, he orders Renard to be arrested and brought before the throne. He continues to fool the other animals and eventually thwarts their attack on his castle, which contains many traps.