# King Dox — The Road to Oz character guide

> King Dox in The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Dox, King Dox of Foxville

**First appearance:** 0005-iv-king-dox

## Snapshot

The vain, hospitable ruler of Foxville, who dresses his guests in ribbons, serves them an elaborate feast, and angles for an invitation to Ozma's party.

## Who they are

King Dox presides over a town of elegantly costumed foxes who find Dorothy's plain gown and Button-Bright's sailor suit hopelessly common. He is gracious to the point of smothering, insisting on dinner and theater before letting the travelers leave, and transparently eager for Dorothy to secure him an invitation to Ozma's birthday. His court's obsession with finery and his own wounded dignity when Dorothy tries to hurry away make Foxville a comic set piece about hospitality with strings attached.

## Relationships

### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/dorothy)

_social_

Dorothy meets King Dox, the ruler of Foxville, and interacts with him as a polite visitor to his kingdom.

### [Button-Bright](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/button_bright)

_social_

Button-Bright encounters King Dox as a curious child meeting the fox king, with no deep connection.

### [Shaggy Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/shaggy_man)

_social_

King Dox and the Shaggy Man interact as ruler and visitor, with the Shaggy Man being a guest in Foxville.

### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/dorothy)

_social_

Dorothy meets King Dox, the ruler of Foxville, and interacts with him as a polite visitor to his kingdom.

### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/dorothy)

_social_

Dorothy meets King Dox, the ruler of Foxville, and interacts with him as a polite visitor to his kingdom.

### [Button-Bright](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/button_bright)

_social_

Button-Bright encounters King Dox as a curious child meeting the fox king, with no deep connection.

### [Shaggy Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/shaggy_man)

_social_

King Dox and the Shaggy Man interact as ruler and visitor, with the Shaggy Man being a guest in Foxville.

### [Button-Bright](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/button_bright)

_social_

Button-Bright encounters King Dox as a curious child meeting the fox king, with no deep connection.

### [Shaggy Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/shaggy_man)

_social_

King Dox and the Shaggy Man interact as ruler and visitor, with the Shaggy Man being a guest in Foxville.

## In the story

### [A Queer Village](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/iii-a-queer-village)

Ruler of Foxville, recognizes Dorothy and mentions Ozma's birthday celebration.

### [King Dox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/iv-king-dox)

Hosts the travelers; asks Dorothy for an invitation to Ozma's celebration; criticizes Aesop.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/king_dox
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters