4. King Dox

           ItwasamusingtonotetheexpressiononthefaceofKingDoxashelookedtheboyover,fromhissailorhattohisstubbyshoes,anditwasequallydivertingtowatchButton-BrightstareattheKinginreturn.Nofoxeverbeheldafresher,fairerchild’sface,andnochildhadeverbeforeheardafoxtalk,ormetwithonewhodressedsohandsomelyandruledsobigacity.Iamsorrytosaythatnoonehadevertoldthelittleboymuchaboutfairiesofanykind;thisbeingthecase,itiseasytounderstandhowmuchthisstrangeexperiencestartledandastonishedhim.

           "Howdoyoulikeus?"askedtheKing.

           "Don’tknow,"saidButton-Bright.

           "Ofcourseyoudon’t.It’stooshortanacquaintance,"returnedhisMajesty."Whatdoyousupposemynameis?"

           "Don’tknow,"saidButton-Bright.

           "Howshouldyou?Well,I’lltellyou.MyprivatenameisDox,butaKingcan’tbecalledbyhisprivatename;hehastotakeonethatisofficial.ThereforemyofficialnameisKingRenardtheFourth.Ren-ardwiththeaccentonthe’Ren’."

           "What’s’ren’?"askedButton-Bright.

           "Howclever!"exclaimedtheKing,turningapleasedfacetowardhiscounselors."Thisboyisindeedremarkablybright.’What’s’ren’?’heasks;andofcourse’ren’isnothingatall,allbyitself.Yes,he’sverybrightindeed."

           "ThatquestioniswhatyourMajestymightcallfoxy,"saidoneofthecounselors,anoldgreyfox.

           "Soitis,"declaredtheKing.TurningagaintoButton-Bright,heasked:

           "Havingtoldyoumyname,whatwouldyoucallme?"

           "KingDox,"saidtheboy.

           "Why?"

           "’Cause’ren’’snothingatall,"wasthereply.