King (Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump)

"... 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 one of Beedle the Bard's stories Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump. He was a foolish and gullible ruler who condemned magic, but then wished to learn it himself.

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 hounds.

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

- The King's Proclamations

Soon after he created the Brigade, the King wanted to learn how to use magic, so he caused proclamations to be read in every village and town across the land that are for someone with magical ability to teach him. No real witches or wizards responded because they were hiding from the Brigade, but a cunning charlatan came to the palace claiming to be a wizard with enormous skill. The charlantan performed a few simple tricks, which convinced the King of his magical powers. He taught him, despite not knowing any magic himself. He took the post of the King's teacher for purely self-beneficial reasons, such as money, rubbies, a silver chalice and fame.

While the King and the charlatan were practicing waving their twigs, hopping in circles, and chanting meaningless rhymes, 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 attempted to back out by saying he had to go out of town, and can't help him, but the King threatened 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 the charlatan performed "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 hound return to life, the King attempted in vain. 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 wasn'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 "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 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
"No true witch or wizard dared volunteer for the post, for they were hiding from the Brigade of Witch Hunters..."

- The status of the King's Instructor of Magic post

Witches and wizards in general loathed the King for that because of him setting up the Brigade of Witch Hunters, a organisation that hunted witches and wizards. When the King wanted to learn how to use magic, he called for someone with magical ability to teach him. No real witches or wizards dared to respond for they were hiding from the Brigade of Witch Hunters. Ultimately, the King was jealous of witches and wizards.

The charlatan
] "The charlatan gave one of the twigs to the King and assured him that it was a wand with tremendous power"

- The Charlatan

When the King called in any wizards or witches to teach him magic, a charlatan came to the palace claiming to be a wizard with enormous skill. The charlantan performed a few simple tricks, which conviced the King of his magical powers and he taught him, despite not knowing any magic himself. He accepted the post of the King's magic instructor purely to benefit his wealth and social standing.

When ordered by the King to perform magic in front of the people, the Charlatan went to Babbitty, knowing that she was a witch. He presuaded her to conceal herself inside a bush while the King gave his magical display, and to perform the spells for him, without his knowledge. Babbitty agreed. The next day, the charlatan and the King, with help from Babbitty, performed magic. The King does not succeed in bringing a dead dog back to life however, and the charlatan accused Babbitty of blocking his spells, so Babbitty fled. When Babbitty turned into her animagus and hid under a tree, it got chopped in half. But when she told the king that no witch or wizard could be chopped in half, and they should prove this by chopping the charlatan in half, the charlatan confessed that he was a fraud and was sent to the dungeon by orders of the King.

Babbitty
"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 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 witches and wizards 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. Therefore, he thinks that he could become a wizard by simply waving a wand and saying a few simple incantaions. Being guliable is also a trait that the King expresses, therefore in the story, he swallows the preposterous suggestions of both the charlatan and Babbitty. He is quite selfish as he demonstrated in the story, by not caring about how many witches and wizards he has to kill, to get want he wants.

Behind the Scenes

 * In 1998, Ron Weasley mentioned being told the story of Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump by his mother when he was a child.

Appearances

 * The Tales of Beedle the Bard