I've loved the Sampson tales all my life; many are clear analogues of other stories from the Indo-European tradition, like The King of the Herrings which reduces The Golden Bird to its consummate essence, and Frosty (which no matter where it crops up always features the uncommon boat motif either in part or in whole). But others are quite unique - an especial favourite is the rollicking bawdy domestic strife of Three Priests - & The Squirrel and the Fox is narrative perfection. Having been telling the latter in my work now for 20 years or more it always surprises me to read the Sampson text afresh. As for Jack being able to 'hear' the animals, the myth still persists that blind people have a more attuned sense of hearing. Whatever the case, as a narrative device it broadcasts the inevitable with delicious effectiveness.