My private name is Dox, but a
King can't be called by his private name; he has to take one that is
official. Therefore my official name is King Renard the Fourth.
Ren-ard with the accent on the 'Ren'."
"What's 'ren'?" asked Button-Bright.
"How clever!" exclaimed the King, turning a pleased face toward his
counselors. "This boy is indeed remarkably bright. 'What's 'ren'?'
he asks; and of course 'ren' is nothing at all, all by itself. Yes,
he's very bright indeed."
"That question is what your Majesty might call foxy," said one of the
counselors, an old grey fox.
"So it is," declared the King. Turning again to Button-Bright, he asked:
"Having told you my name, what would you call me?"
"King Dox," said the boy.
"Why?"
"'Cause 'ren''s nothing at all," was the reply.
"Good! Very good indeed! You certainly have a brilliant mind. Do
you know why two and two make four?"
"No," said Button-Bright.
"Clever! clever indeed! Of course you don't know. Nobody knows why;
we only know it's so, and can't tell why it's so. Button-Bright,
those curls and blue eyes do not go well with so much wisdom. They
make you look too youthful, and hide your real cleverness. Therefore,
I will do you a great favor. I will confer upon you the head of a fox,
so that you may hereafter look as bright as you really are."
As he spoke the King waved his paw toward the boy, and at once the
pretty curls and fresh round face and big blue eyes were gone,
while in their place a fox's head appeared upon Button-Bright's
shoulders--a hairy head with a sharp nose, pointed ears, and keen
little eyes.
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