In Ruth Plumly Thompson's "The Cowardly Lion of Oz," the famous Lion experiences an identity crisis, feeling he isn't living up to his "cowardly" name because he's often brave. Believing a man named Crunch ate his courage (due to a misunderstanding orchestrated by Mustafa of Mudge), he sets off on a quest, joined by the heartbroken circus clown Notta Bit More and the orphan boy Bob Up. Their journey through peculiar parts of Oz forces the Lion into situations where he must act courageously despite his self-doubt, while simultaneously helping Notta search for his lost love and Bob Up seek his identity. Ultimately, the misunderstanding is resolved, his companions find happiness (Notta reunites with his sweetheart, Bob Up discovers he's a prince), and the Lion learns to accept his true brave nature, understanding courage isn't the absence of fear but acting in spite of it.