# Smirre Fox — The Wonderful Adventures of Nils character guide > Smirre Fox in The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Smirre, Mr. Smirre Fox, Mr. Fox **First appearance:** 0004-the-wild-geese ## Snapshot An ear-shortened fox who hunts the goose flock with sly persistence, amused by the tiny boy who dares to grab his tail and call him a thieving dog. ## Who they are Smirre is the novel's recurring predator, a plunderer feared throughout the district who is not above raiding farmyards for chickens and geese. His first encounter with Nils — being mistaken for a dog, then teased and dragged by the tail until his prey escapes — humiliates him into a personal vendetta against the flock. He is cunning, patient, and genuinely dangerous, but his vanity and his taste for mockery keep tripping him up, making him both a real threat and a comic foil for Nils's growing cleverness. ## Relationships ### [Akka](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/characters/akka) _rivalry_ Akka and Smirre Fox are bitter enemies, with Smirre relentlessly hunting the geese and Akka outwitting him at every turn. ### [Agar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/characters/agar) _rivalry_ Agar, a watchdog, and Smirre Fox are enemies, with Agar protecting the farm from Smirre's predatory raids. ### [Akka](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/characters/akka) _rivalry_ Akka and Smirre Fox are bitter enemies, with Smirre relentlessly hunting the geese and Akka outwitting him at every turn. ### [Agar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/characters/agar) _rivalry_ Agar, a watchdog, and Smirre Fox are enemies, with Agar protecting the farm from Smirre's predatory raids. ### [Akka](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/characters/akka) _rivalry_ Akka and Smirre Fox are bitter enemies, with Smirre relentlessly hunting the geese and Akka outwitting him at every turn. ## In the story ### [Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/night) Steals a goose from the ice, is pursued by Nils, and after losing the goose, tries to catch Nils but fails. ### [Goose-Play](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/goose-play) Smirre is the antagonist who captures Nils and is then tormented by the wild geese's repeated flyovers, leading to his exhaustion and humiliation. ### [In Övid Cloister Park](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/in-vid-cloister-park) Smirre Fox chases the wild geese on Saturday, forcing them to flee to Vittskövle, where Morten is stolen. ### [The Great Crane Dance on Kullaberg](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/the-great-crane-dance-on-kullaberg) Smirre Fox breaks the peace of the play-day by attacking a goose, resulting in his exile from the animal gathering. ### [By Ronneby River](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/by-ronneby-river) Pursues the wild geese relentlessly, enlisting a marten and an otter to attack them. He demands Nils be thrown down to him and vows vengeance. ### [Karlskrona](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/karlskrona) Smirre is mentioned as the reason the geese cannot stay inland, though he does not appear in this chapter. ### [The Trip to Öland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/the-trip-to-land) Smirre Fox is mentioned as the persecutor of the wild geese, whose pursuit prompts the detour to Öland. ### [Hell's Hole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/hell-s-hole) Implied as one of the three foxes that chase Morten and fall into Hell's Hole. ### [The Crows](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/the-crows) Smirre manipulates the crows into capturing Nils, continuing his vendetta against the boy. ### [The Earthen Crock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/the-earthen-crock) The one-eared fox who bargains with the crows to capture Nils. ### [The Cabin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/the-cabin) Breaks into the cabin, kills Garm Whitefeather, corners Nils, is driven off by fire, then taunts Nils from outside. ### [The Old Peasant Woman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/the-old-peasant-woman) Smirre Fox is mentioned as the threat that forces the travelers to seek a safe sleeping place; Nils fears he will attack them before morning. ### [The Swans](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/the-swans) Deviously sends a false message via Agar to lure the geese into danger. ### [The New Watchdog](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/the-new-watchdog) Pursues Nils relentlessly, is kicked by men, and is ultimately caught and chained by the watchdog at Nils's direction. ### [The Meeting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/the-meeting) Mentioned as having been imprisoned at Skansen; Nils helped him gain freedom by ensuring he was chosen for relocation to an island. ### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/endnotes) Described as a cunning fox. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/characters/smirre_fox - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/characters