======Babbitty Rabbity======
=====Introduction=====
Babbitty Rabbity is the clever witch protagonist of the wizarding fairy tale, "[[Babbitty Rabbity and her Cackling Stump]]", one of the stories featured in //[[The Tales of Beedle the Bard]]//. An accomplished [[witch]] and an [[Animagus]], Babbitty lived her life disguised as a simple washerwoman for a foolish [[Muggle]] [[King]]. Her tale is a cautionary one, celebrated for its clear moral that [[magic]] cannot reawaken the dead, and for its illustration of resourcefulness in the face of persecution.
=====Biography=====
According to the tale, Babbitty was a washerwoman in the service of a foolish [[Muggle]] [[King]] who wished to keep all [[magic]] for himself. When the [[King]] hired a charlatan to be his private instructor in [[magic]], Babbitty overheard the charlatan's fraudulent claims and cackled with laughter. To avoid being exposed, the charlatan blackmailed Babbitty, threatening to reveal her as a [[witch]] unless she assisted him in a public demonstration of [[magic]].
Hiding in a bush, Babbitty performed several spells on the charlatan's behalf, such as making a hat disappear and levitating the [[King]]'s horse. The demonstration was a success until a captain in the [[King]]'s [[Brigade of Witch-Hunters]] challenged the charlatan to bring his deceased hound back to life. Knowing this was impossible, Babbitty refused to help further.
Accused of being a [[witch]] and threatened with being burned at the stake, Babbitty devised a clever plan. She had the charlatan ask for a tree to be sawn down. She then cried out that the stump should be used to prove that a charlatan could be sawn in half. When the terrified charlatan declared that Babbitty had cursed the stump, the stump began to cackle and speak. It demanded the [[King]] build a statue of Babbitty upon it and never harm a [[wizard]] or [[witch]] again. Amid the chaos, Babbitty transformed into her white rabbit [[Animagus]] form and escaped through a hole at the stump's base. The charlatan was exposed, the statue was built, and the story concludes that a stout white rabbit—presumably Babbitty—lived at its base forever after, guarding it.
=====Physical Appearance and Personality=====
The story provides no description of Babbitty's human form. In her [[Animagus]] form, she is a "stout old white rabbit."
Babbitty's personality is defined by her cleverness, courage, and wit. She is resourceful enough to outsmart a [[King]] and a con man, and brave enough to face down the threat of execution. Her decision to laugh at the charlatan shows a keen sense of humor and an intolerance for foolishness. Despite being blackmailed, she demonstrates great ingenuity in turning the situation to her advantage, ultimately securing her freedom and exposing the fraud.
=====Magical Abilities and Skills=====
  * **[[Animagus]]:** Babbitty was a skilled [[Animagus]], able to transform into a white rabbit at will. According to [[Albus Dumbledore]]'s notes in //[[The Tales of Beedle the Bard]]//, her story contains one of the earliest references to this form of [[magic]].
  * **[[Wandless Magic]]:** She performed all her spells without a [[wand]] while hidden, indicating a high level of magical proficiency and control.
  * **[[Charms]] and [[Transfiguration]]:** The spells she performed for the charlatan included a Vanishing [[Spell]] (on a hat) and a Levitating [[Charm]] (on a horse).
  * **Knowledge of Magical Principles:** Crucially, Babbitty understood the fundamental laws of [[magic]], particularly that it is impossible to bring the dead back to life. This piece of wisdom forms the central moral of her tale.
=====Possessions=====
The tale does not mention any significant magical or personal possessions belonging to Babbitty. Her primary asset was her own formidable magical ability.
=====Relationships=====
  * **The Foolish [[King]]:** As his washerwoman, Babbitty was his employee. She becomes his adversary when his foolish desire for [[magic]] and susceptibility to the charlatan's lies places her life in danger. She ultimately manipulates his gullibility to ensure her own escape.
  * **The Charlatan:** The story's main antagonist, this unnamed con man blackmails Babbitty to conceal his own lack of magical ability. His greed and cowardice stand in stark contrast to Babbitty's cleverness and bravery, and he is ultimately exposed and disgraced due to her actions.
=====Etymology=====
  * **Babbitty:** This name is likely a diminutive or whimsical form of "Barbara." The sound is also reminiscent of "babble," which may reflect the story's status as a children's tale.
  * **Rabbity:** This part of her name is a direct and simple reference to her rabbit [[Animagus]] form, which is central to her escape and the story's conclusion.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
"[[Babbitty Rabbity and her Cackling Stump]]" is one of the five stories in //[[The Tales of Beedle the Bard]]//, a book bequeathed to [[Hermione Granger]] by [[Albus Dumbledore]]. [[Ron Weasley]] was familiar with the story from his childhood.
In his published notes on the tale, [[Dumbledore]] praises its core lesson about the finality of death, noting that it is a less gruesome and more subtle introduction to this principle than the "[[Tale of the Three Brothers]]". He also discusses the historical context of [[Animagi]] and [[wandless magic]], suggesting that the tale, while fictional, reflects real magical principles that have been known for centuries. The story's theme of a "cackling" witch is a deliberate play on [[Muggle]] stereotypes.