It’s a simple but lovely story about friendship which is almost ignored by many grown-ups.
Tod and Copper, the two leading actors, both have a miserable childhood. Before young Tod gets its pretty name, he is just a little lonely fox whose mother has already been shot by a hunter. If not for the help offered by Big Mama and the old lady, he'd probably be dead. As for little Copper, he has been chosen to be a hound dog when he is just a new-born baby.
Before they meet each other, their lives are both boring and disconsolate. That is why when Tod sees a butterfly flying in the air, he is so excited and it’s also the reason why when Copper smells something he has never experienced before, he determined to investigate thoroughly. They are curious of everything around them. So when they run into each other, magic things are doomed to be put on.
A fox and a hound, they are born to be enemies. But when they first meet, neither of them sees the natural boundaries between them. They play games together and swim together. Gradually, they establish a strong friendship. Though they enjoy playing around, they have to say goodbye when the old hunter come to search for Copper. “You’re my very best friend” Tod tells Copper before they separate, Copper also says the same thing to Tod and they make a deal to meet again tomorrow.
However, Copper doesn’t show up the next day, so Tod goes to Copper’ house to find out what on earth has happened to Copper. To his surprise, Copper has been tied up and couldn’t leave anymore. He turns to Chief who is taking a nap besides for joy. At the mean time, Chief wakes up and barks at Tod angrily. Just then, the hunter rushes out of his wood house with his gun in his hands, Tod is frightened to death and runs as fast as he can. But how can a fox run faster than a hound dog? Tod hides himself in a stump, old Chief is cheated by him successfully but young Copper finds him out at last. Copper looks into Tod’s eyes, after a minute, he makes his choice, he lets Tod go and directs the hunter to the wrong side.
Winter comes, Tod is forbidden to play outside in case he offends the hunter again, Copper is about to be taken to the forest with the hunter and old Chief for a real hunting. Tod wouldn’t be part from Copper. He successfully escapes from his house and runs after the hunter’s truck, but he can never catch up with it.
The cracking and shifting of ice in rivers finally puts an end to the endless winter. Little Tod has turned into a young fox, Copper, at the same time, has been trained into an excellent hound dog. Though warned by Big Mama, Tod still decides to visits Copper, because he believes that Copper is his best friend and he wouldn’t hurt him. He finds Copper, but they are no longer as intimate as before. To make things worse, the hunter finds Tod show up in his garden again. He is so angry that he shouts at Tod and tries to shoot him. Tod breaks into a run as soon as he hears the shooting. The hunter and Chief run after him tightly. They make a great mass in the hunter’s house. During the pursuing, Chief is knocked down by a running train and breaks his leg. Copper is full of regret and self-blame, he also swear to himself that he wouldn’t let Tod go any more.
Since Tod has made so much trouble, the old lady decides to send Tod to the forest. In the beginning, Tod is so depression. But he falls in love with Vixey who is a most gorgeous lady fox at the first sight and lives a happy life with her from then on. Nevertheless the hunter makes up his mind to kill Tod. He, together with Copper, goes into the forest to search Tod. They spare no effort to kill Tod, but finally put themselves into a great trouble. At this critical moment, it’s Tod who saves them.
Finally the whole story comes to a happy ending. All previous ill will has been removed. Long live the friendship between the fox and the hound!
