Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump, A Tale of Magic, Greed, Terror and Enlightenment |
 Dec 17 2008, 06:51 PM
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Ollivander's Apprentice Posts: 1,994 Joined: 7:39pm March 11, 2007 Location: wandering in the Forbidden Forest, listening for the Phoenix song     |
Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump In the tale "Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump," JKR gives us a story about magic, greed, terror, and enlightenment. Reminiscent of the darker days for Muggle-borns during Voldemort's reign in "Deathly Hallows," here we find persecution of the wizarding world by the Muggle world. This tale positions a wise old witch against a foolish Muggle king and a greedy Muggle charlatan, and we can imagine how Babbitty becomes a heroine in the eyes of children in the wizarding world. The story is a strong cautionary tale about human nature and its weaknesses. In the HP novels, JKR had focused on the persecution of Muggles by witches and wizards; here she turns the morality tale around so that the hunters are now the hunted. Summary Long ago, a foolish king decided that he alone would have the power of magic. He formed a Brigade of Witch-Hunters and all magical people went into hiding. The King also issued a proclamation seeking an instructor in magic, and a cunning charlatan saw his chance. The charlatan claimed to require gold, rubies, and a silver chalice to perform his educational training, and he received his bounty at once. The charlatan was, however, observed by a witch named Babbitty, who was the washerwoman at the palace. She alone saw the charlatan break off two twigs from a tree, and disappear into the palace. The charlatan gave one twig to the King, assuring him that the twig was a wand of great power - which would only work when the King was worthy of it. The King practiced daily, shouting nonsensical words at the sky while brandishing his twig. One morning, Babbitty watched the King and was overcome with mirth. The King was embarrassed, and insisted to his instructor that he was ready to perform real spells. The charlatan tried to convince the King to practice more, but Babbitty's laughter had stung the King greatly. By the next day, the King insisted, he would perform magic - or the charlatan would die. The charlatan was afraid, for his cunning could not save him now. The charlatan sought out Babbitty, and when he observed the King's sheets washing themselves, knew himself to be before a true witch. He demanded Babbitty's help, or else he would denounce her as a witch before the King. Babbitty smiled and agreed to help. The next day, all the Lords and Ladies assembled on the palace grounds to watch the King perform magic. Babbitty hid nearby inside a bush as the King prepared to perform his feats. First the King decided to make a lady's hat disappear - and Babbitty made it do so when the King brandished his twig. Next, the King chose to make a horse fly - and again, Babbity made it do so. Thirdly, the King decided to bring one of his witch-hunting hounds, which had died that morning, back to life. The foolish King waved his wand, but inside the bush, Babbitty smiled, for there is no spell that can raise the dead. As the King grew angry, the charlatan thought of one final way to save himself. He shouted that Babbitty was hiding inside the bush, and that her evil magic was blocking the King's spells. Babbitty fled from the bush, the King's hounds in hot pursuit. As she reached a hedge, she vanished from sight, and the pack of hounds bayed around an old tree. The charlatan yelled that Babbitty had turned herself into a tree, and suggested that the King cut her down. As the tree was felled, the Lords and Ladies cheered. As they turned to leave, Babbitty's voice came from the stump. She told them that no wizard or witch could be killed by an axe, and suggested that they try to kill the charlatan so to prove her right. As the axe was raised, the charlatan fell to his knees begging for mercy. The tree stump cackled as he was dragged away. The stump declared that the King would feel intense and unbearable pain for every stroke raised against a witch or wizard, and the King, petrified, agreed to protect all witches and wizards within his kingdom. Babbitty's voice then said that the King had to make amends to her, and erect a statue in memory of the poor washerwomen to remind him of his foolishness. The King agreed, and later erected a golden statue of Babbitty. When the grounds were deserted, an old rabbit with a wand between her teeth came out from the stump of the tree. Babbitty hopped far away, and no witch or wizard was ever harmed in that Kingdom. Questions Below are a few questions to start our conversation. Feel free to add your own thoughts, reactions, and questions! 1. The "greedy and foolish king" decides that he simultaneously wants to keep magic for himself and yet do away with the wizarding world. What does this say about how the wizarding world perceives Muggles? What do his actions say about what people fear - and what they desire? 2. Who or what does the charlatan represent to you? 3. The King expends great effort to learn magic, waving his "twig" and "shouting nonsense at the sky", to Babbitty's vast amusement. What do you think JKR is saying about humanity's efforts to capture the elusive? 4. The charlatan sees Babbitty as the "source and solution to his problems". His solution, however, is to demand her help - or be turned over the the Brigade. How do you think that the wizarding world characterizes the Muggle charlatan? 5. Babbitty remains unruffled by the prospects before her, and does actually help the charlatan at first. However, even she cannot raise the dead, and appears amused by the attempt of Muggles to do so. What do the King's - and the charlatan's - reactions to limits in both the wizarding and Muggle worlds say about them? What does Babbitty's reaction say about the wizarding reaction to Death? 6. After Babbitty disappears, and the dogs bark and scrabble at the base of an old tree, the charlatan whips the crowd into a frenzy, demanding that the tree be cut down....."because that is how you treat evil witches". The tree is indeed chopped down, to the cheers of the crowd of Lords and Ladies. What do you think JKR is saying about societal choices concerning treatment of those who are different? 7. Babbitty's cleverness results in the charlatan's being dragged away to the dungeons, revealed for what he truly was, and the king was rendered helpless at the prospect of great pain. (Later we learn that this threat is most likely the Cruciatus Curse). The wizarding world then gains its reprieve. Did the King and the charlatan learn and evolve....or not? Do you think that use of the Cruciatus Curse, which was not outlawed in the wizarding world at this time, would have been warranted by the wizarding community? 8. Which character(s) did you find the most heinous - the King, the charlatan, or the "crowd of Lords and Ladies"? Why? -------------------- *thanks, twiddlethosedials, for the siggy* |
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