Janacek was so moved by the final scene upon seeing its first production that he asked the conductor to perform it at his funeral; when he died three years later, in 1928, the Brno opera company did perform it.
"Dashwood Fox" was not the character's original name; in both the original novel and the opera he was Zlatohrbitek, which translates to, according to the source, "Goldenstripe" or "Goldenback". It is unknown why his name was changed in the animated film.
Rudolf Tesnohlidek was approached to write the libretto for the adaptation of his novel, but refused; he agreed only to write lyrics for one song.