The leader of the gang to whom John Canty brings Edward (who he thinks is his son Tom) when the Canty family flees their home. The Ruffler is somewhat flamboyant and likes to have a good time. He especially likes teasing Edward when the boy tries to convince the gang that he’s the real Prince of Wales: he gives Edward the title King Foo-Foo the First. The Ruffler doesn’t like the way John treats Edward, so he puts Hugo in charge of taking care of Edward. When he hears that Edward won’t pickpocket anyone or beg for money, the Ruffler tries (and fails) to make him a good thief. After Hugo frames Edward for theft and gets him arrested, Edward never sees The Ruffler or any of the rest of the gang again.
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The Ruffler Character Timeline in The Prince and the Pauper
The timeline below shows where the character The Ruffler appears in The Prince and the Pauper. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 17: Foo-Foo the First
As Edward also picks up on John’s conversation with the Ruffler (the chief of the gang). John evidently belonged to the gang in the past and...
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...by threatening to have John hanged for murdering someone. John threatens to beat him, but the Ruffler stops him. The Ruffler tells Edward that he can fancy himself a king if he...
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Chapter 18: The Prince, a Prisoner
The next morning, the Ruffler puts Hugo in charge of Edward and orders John to stay away from the boy....
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Chapter 22: A Victim of Treachery
...everyone likes to poke fun at Edward, only Hugo and John genuinely dislike him. Whenever the Ruffler isn’t looking, Hugo taunts Edward to get a rise out of him and make the...
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...leg, thus making the boy look diseased. This fails when someone catches and stops Hugo. The Ruffler decides that Edward should be stealing instead of begging and he sends Edward back out...
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