（解説文要約）
おとぎ話の様な絵ですが、作兵衛翁は「実際にあった出来事です」と強く言っています。
明治33年、ガス爆発で大やけどをした坑夫の家に、夜中に突然、20人ほどの見舞客が訪れました。
その中の医師が、悲鳴を上げる患者の包帯をすべて解いてしまい、患者は亡くなってしまいました。
翌朝、炭坑の役員や医師が調査した結果、キツネの仕業だと判明。

キツネは火傷の皮膚を好むので、

患者の家族が目が悪いこと、家が暗いことにつけこみ、皮膚をそぎ取ったと考えられてしまったようです。
当時、山林にはキツネが多く生息していました。

 

In 1900 after a gas explosion in one mine, a coal miner suffered grave injuries. 
While recuperating at home, the injured man received a large group of well wishers in the middle of the night. 
Among these, a doctor stepped forward and started to peel off the bandages of the burnt coal miner. 
Screaming in pain, the miner soon fell victim to the extreme burns and passed away that evening. 
On investigation from the mine officials and other physicians, the miners’ death was declared to be the wrong doing of foxes.
Many believed foxes loved to eat burnt human skin.
The miner’s family had bad eyesight and as the house was very dim, the foxes most likely took advantage of them.
Folk legend claims that foxes and raccoons sometime take the shape of humans and trick people. 
Many foxes inhabited the nearby mountains during this time.
While the story seems unrealistic, Sakubei insists that it is true.