12:27
The full, bluish white moon rose silently over Hinokamiyama.
The snow glittered blue. Again today it was frozen hard as white marble.
Shiro remembered his promise to the fox Konzaburo, and spoke quietly to his little sister Kanko. "This is the night of the foxes' lantern show. Shall we go?"
"Let's do! Let's go!" Kanko bounced and sang with excitement. "Bark, bark, little fox! Bark Konzaburo!"
Jiro, the second oldest brother, asked "Are you two going to play with the foxes? I'd like to go too, you know."