King (Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump)

"... there lived a foolish king who decided that he alone should have the power of magic."

- The King's description

The King was the male protagonist in the Beedle the Bard story ''Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump'.

The Brigade
"...commanded the head of his army to form a Brigade of Witch Hunters, and issued them with a pack of ferocious black hounds"

- The Brigade of Witch Hunters

The Muggle king in the story wanted to keep all the magic in the world for himself. In order to do so, he thought that he would need to gather all the witches and wizards in the world, so he formed the Brigade of Witch Hunters and gave them packs of wild dogs.

An Instructor of Magic
"Wanted by King, an instructor of magic"

- The King's Proclamations

Soon after he created the bridage, he wanted to learn how to use magic, so he called for someone with magical ability to teach him. No real witches or wizards respond, but a charlatan pretends to be a wizard, and teaches him, despite not knowing any magic himself.

While the King and the charlatan were practicing "magic" with their twigs, they heard Babbitty laughing hysterically from her cottage. This enraged the King, who demanded that the charlatan perform in front of his subjects to show off his new abilities. The charlatan tries to back out by saying he has to go out of town, and can't help him, but the King threatens to send the brigade after him and should anyone laugh at him, the charlatan's head will be cut off.

The next day, with help of Babbitty, the King and charlatan perform "their magic". They astonished the crowd by making a hat disappear, levitating a horse, but when one of the brigade asked if the King can make his dead dog return to life, the King tries. Babbitty does nothing, because she knows no magic can raise the dead. The crowd laughed at the King, and the King wanted to know why the spell isn't working. The charlatan pointed to the bush, and said that a wicked witch was blocking them. Babbitty ran from the bush, and when the hounds chased after her she "disappears", 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 witches and wizards can't 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.

Witches and Wizards
Witches and wizards in general, loathed the King for that because of him setting up the Brigade of Witch Hunters, they had to go ito hiding.

The Charlatan
The charlatan regarded the King foolish, and used to the best of his abilities to trick him into giving him a large sack of gold, serval large rubies and a silver chalice so that the charlten could buy wands and other magical necessities for "their lessons" After the King found that the charlatan was a fraud, he became furious and sent him to the dungeons.

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 dog return to life, the King tries. Babbitty does nothing, because she knew that no magic could raise the dead. 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. Babbity told the petrified King thta 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 witches and wizard would feel like an axe stroke in his side. The King promised that he would issue a proclamation at once, protecting witches and wizards of the kingdom and to erect a staue of Babbitty] on the stump.

Personality and traits
"At that, the King fell to his knees too, and told that he would issue a proclamation at once, protecting all the witches and wizards of the kingdom, and allowing to practise their magic in peace"

- The Foolish King

The King is a foolish muggle who both covets and fears magic. He is ignorant of the true nature of magic and wizards. Therfore, thinks that he thinks he could become a wizard by waving a wand and saying a few simple incantaions. He is also known to be quite guliable, therefore in the story, he swallows the preposterous suggestions of both the charlatan and Babbitty. He is quite selfish as he demonstraed in the story, by not caring about how many witches and wizards he has to kill, to get want he wants.

Appearances

 * The Tales of Beedle the Bard