Babbitty Rabbity

"If you fail to help me, I shall denounce you as a witch, and it will be you who is torn apart by the King's hounds!"

- The charlatan

Babbitty, better known as Babbitty Rabbitty is the protagonist of the children's tale, Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump in The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Babbitty was a wise old witch, who worked as a washerwoman for a foolish King.

An Instructor of Magic
"I must look most undignifified, to make the old washerwoman laugh so"

- The King

When a charlatan attempted to teach the king magic, her cackling made the king suspect the charlatan. The charlatan enlisted Babbitty's help in continuing his ruse through a demonstration by the King. The King cast spells, which were actually done by Babbitty who was hiding in a bush. When someone asked the King to resurrect a dog, the King nor Babbitty could oblige. This made the subjects ridicule the king. The king sentenced the charlatan to death, who turned around and accused Babbitty and said that a wicked witch was blocking them. Babbitty ran from the bush, and when the hounds chased after her she "disappeared", leaving the dogs barking at a tree.

The King's Promise
"You will erect a statue of Babbitty upon me, in memory of your poor washerwoman, and to remind you for ever of your foolishness!"

- Babbitty

The charlatan told the king and the crowd that Babbitty had turned into an apple, and that the tree must be cut down, because she is an "evil" witch. The king was wild, and the tree was cut down. As the crowd and the king started to leave, they heard a cackling coming from the stump. Babbitty told the king that real wizards and witches cannot be cut in half, and that they should cut the charlatan in half to prove it. The charlatan confessed he is a fraud, and the witch told them that the King is cursed, and he'll wish for death everytime a witch or wizard was harmed. Babbitty demanded a statue be built of herself, to remind them of what they've done. The King promised. Soon after, an old rabbit appears out of a hole in the stump, with a wand in it's mouth, revealing that she's an Animagus, and leaves the kingdom. Forever after, the statue of Babbitty remained on top of the stump.

The King
"Very good, but you have not yet made amends to Babbitty"

- Babbitty

Babbitty was the king's washer woman. She thought that the charlatan and King's "lessons" were ridilous and laughed at the king, causing the charlatan to become in danger. When the charlatan came to see her, he blackmailed Babbitty to perform the King's spells for him without his knowledge, or else he denouce her as a witch to the Brigade of Witch Hunters. Babbitty agreed. The next day, with help of Babbitty, the King and charlatan performed "their magic". But when one of the brigade asked if the King can make his dead hound return to life, the King tries in vain. Babbitty does nothing, because she knew that no magic could raise the dead. The charlatan told everyone that Babbitty was blocking King's spell and then Babbitty ran and hid under a tree, as a rabbit. However the charlatan told the King and the crowd that Babbitty had turned into an apple, and that the tree must be cut down, because she is an "evil" witch. After they cut the tree down, they heard the sound of loud cackling coming from the stump. Babbitty told the petrified King that by cutting a witch in half, he had unleashed a terrible curse upon his kingdom and every stroke of harm that he inflicted upon fellow wizards and witches would feel like an axe stroke in his side. The King promised that he would issue a proclamation at once, protecting wizards and witches of the kingdom and to erect a staue of Babbitty on the stump.

The Charlatan
"Cut her down, Your Majesty, that is the way to treat evil witches"

- The Charlatan

She thought that the charlatan and King's "lessons" were ridiculous and laughed at the King, causing the charlatan to become in danger. When the charlatan came to see her, he blackmailed Babbitty to perform the King's spells for him without his knowledge, or else he denouce her as a witch to the Brigade of Witch-Hunters. Babbitty agreed. The next day, with help of Babbitty, the King and charlatan performed "their magic". But when one of the brigade asked if the King can make his dead hound return to life, the King tries in vain. Babbitty does nothing, because she knew that no magic could raise the dead. The charlatan told everyone that Babbitty was blocking King's spell and then Babbitty ran and hid under a tree, as a rabbit. However, the charlatan told the King and the crowd that Babbitty had turned into an apple, and that the tree must be cut down, because she is an "evil" witch. After they cut the tree down, they heard the sound of loud cackling coming from the stump. Babbitty tells the crowd that real wizards and witches cannot be cut in half, and that they should cut the charlatan in half to prove it. The charlatan confessed he is a fraud.

Personality and traits
"...was watching the King and the charlatan from the window of her tiny cottage, and was laughing so hard she she soon sank out of sight, too weak to stand"

- Babbity's humour

Babbitty was a wise witch. She had a strong sense of humour as she cackles uncontrollably when the King and charlatan practice their "magic". She is also quite the quick-thinker, shown when she swfitly conjures an intelligent plan even though, at the time, she was fleeing from the Brigade of Witch-Hunters. She is a folk hero to young wizards and witches across the world, displaying ingenuity and cleverness.

Magical abilities and skills

 * Charms: Babitty was apparently good with charms. She could levitate a horse, vanish a hat and do her wash duties with magic.
 * Transfiguration: Babitty was presumably quite powerful as she mastered a difficult branch of Transfiguration and became an Animagus. She could transform into a white rabbit at will.
 * Dark Arts: (possibly) Babitty threated the King that each time he hurt a Wizard or Witch, it would hurt himself. Albus Dumbledore speculated that she could have inflicted this pain using the Cruciatus Curse, which was legal at the time.

Behind the scenes
"...some magical historians have suggested that Beedle modelled Babbitty on the famous French sorceress Lisette de Lapin, who was convicted of witchcraft in Paris in 1422"


 * In 1998, Ron Weasley mentioned being told the story of Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump by his mother when he was a child.
 * Magical historians have suggested that Lisette de Lapin may have been the inspiration behind Babbitty.
 * Babitty in her Animagus form is shown in several cover illustrations of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. The German version makes a mistake, as it depicts a brown rabbit instead of a white one.

Etymology
Babbitty might be the revised name for Babette, an French diminutive of Elizabeth.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * The Tales of Beedle the Bard