# Cowardly Lion — The Wonderful Wizard of Oz character guide > Cowardly Lion in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. **Role:** major **Also known as:** VI The Cowardly Lion, the Lion, the Cowardly Lion, The Lion, the big Lion, XIII The Rescue The Cowardly Lion, himself, myself **First appearance:** 0007-vi-the-cowardly-lion ## Who they are A roaring beast who admits he is terrified of everything, then charges into danger anyway to protect his friends. ## Relationships ### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/dorothy) _friendship_ The Cowardly Lion becomes a devoted friend to Dorothy, protecting her despite his own fears. ### [Scarecrow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/scarecrow) _friendship_ The Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow are good-natured friends who support each other's quests for courage and brains. ### [Tin Woodman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/tin_woodman) _friendship_ The Cowardly Lion and Tin Woodman share a warm, brotherly friendship, often looking out for one another. ### [Oz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/oz) _professional_ Oz demands the Cowardly Lion prove his bravery by helping defeat the Witch, keeping a conditional promise of courage. ### [Scarecrow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/scarecrow) _friendship_ The Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow are good-natured friends who support each other's quests for courage and brains. ### [Scarecrow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/scarecrow) _friendship_ The Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow are good-natured friends who support each other's quests for courage and brains. ### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/dorothy) _friendship_ The Cowardly Lion becomes a devoted friend to Dorothy, protecting her despite his own fears. ### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/dorothy) _friendship_ The Cowardly Lion becomes a devoted friend to Dorothy, protecting her despite his own fears. ### [Oz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/oz) _professional_ Oz demands the Cowardly Lion prove his bravery by helping defeat the Witch, keeping a conditional promise of courage. ### [Tin Woodman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/tin_woodman) _friendship_ The Cowardly Lion and Tin Woodman share a warm, brotherly friendship, often looking out for one another. ### [Oz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/oz) _professional_ Oz demands the Cowardly Lion prove his bravery by helping defeat the Witch, keeping a conditional promise of courage. ### [Tin Woodman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/tin_woodman) _friendship_ The Cowardly Lion and Tin Woodman share a warm, brotherly friendship, often looking out for one another. ## In the story ### [The Wonderful Wizard of Oz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz) A lion who joins Dorothy in hopes of getting courage from the Wizard. ### [VI: The Cowardly Lion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/vi-the-cowardly-lion) Attacks the group but admits his cowardice and joins them to seek courage from Oz. ### [VII: The Journey to the Great Oz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/vii-the-journey-to-the-great-oz) Carries each companion across the first gulf, faces the Kalidahs bravely, and admits his fear. ### [VIII: The Deadly Poppy Field](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/viii-the-deadly-poppy-field) Falls asleep in the poppy field and is left behind by the others. ### [The Queen of the Field Mice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/ix-the-queen-of-the-field-mice) Asleep in the poppy field, rescued by the mice and his friends. ### [X: The Guardian of the Gate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/x-the-guardian-of-the-gate) Recovers from the poppy field, guards Dorothy's room, and asks for courage from Oz. ### [XI: The Wonderful City of Oz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xi-the-wonderful-city-of-oz) The Lion waits his turn and plans to confront Oz with a roar or a spring, depending on Oz's form. ### [The Search for the Wicked Witch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xii-the-search-for-the-wicked-witch) Bound and imprisoned by the Winged Monkeys, he refuses to be harnessed and is secretly fed by Dorothy. ### [The Rescue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xiii-the-rescue) Freed from prison; helps plan the rescue; expresses desire for courage. ### [The Winged Monkeys](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xiv-the-winged-monkeys) Whimpers about lacking courage; carried by the Monkeys and comments on the ride. ### [XV: The Discovery of Oz, the Terrible](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xv-the-discovery-of-oz-the-terrible) Roars to frighten the Wizard, causing Toto to knock over the screen that reveals Oz; asks for courage. ### [The Magic Art of the Great Humbug](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xvi-the-magic-art-of-the-great-humbug) Drinks a courage potion from Oz and declares himself full of courage. ### [How the Balloon Was Launched](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xvii-how-the-balloon-was-launched) Declares he is afraid of nothing and would face an army or Kalidahs. ### [Away to the South](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xviii-away-to-the-south) Declares he is tired of the city and longs for the wild; offers to protect Dorothy on the journey. ### [XIX: Attacked by the Fighting Trees](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xix-attacked-by-the-fighting-trees) Enjoys the open country, claims to have grown courageous, and suggests the trees are fighting them. ### [XX: The Dainty China Country](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xx-the-dainty-china-country) Sleeps before the climb, helps the others get over the second wall, but accidentally smashes a china church with his tail. ### [The Lion Becomes the King of Beasts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xxi-the-lion-becomes-the-king-of-beasts) Finds the forest delightful, defeats the giant spider monster, and is crowned King of the Beasts. ### [The Country of the Quadlings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xxii-the-country-of-the-quadlings) Attempts to charge the Hammer-Heads but is also knocked back; acknowledges the futility of fighting them. ### [Glinda the Good Witch Grants Dorothy's Wish](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xxiii-glinda-the-good-witch-grants-dorothy-s-wish) The Lion desires to return to his forest kingdom, and Glinda commands the Winged Monkeys to take him there. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/cowardly_lion - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters