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Taran (character)
Encyclopedia
Taran is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Prydain
series, as well as in the film
and game named after the second novel, The Black Cauldron
.
and Coll
, the aged warrior. He is charged with taking care of the oracular pig Hen Wen
and throughout the series is known under the title of Assistant Pig-Keeper.
Taran's age is never given at any time in the series, though at the outset he seems to be approximately fourteen years old. The readers are also never given any indication as to the character's appearance, and as a result, he has been depicted in many different ways. In the Disney film The Black Cauldron
, he is shown as a red-haired, brown-eyed youth who spends a great deal of time staring out of windows and daydreaming; he is voiced by British
actor Grant Bardsley.
Taran is headstrong and courageous, though occasionally foolhardy, and harbors an intense desire to prove his worth and heroism through noble acts. Indeed, much of the series centers on Taran's search for his own worth.
, where he would be protected by Dallben, the famed enchanter, and Coll, an aged warrior turned farmer. As Taran grew up he became restless and longed for adventures beyond the borders of Caer Dallben. His time would eventually come when, just after being granted the position of Assistant Pig-Keeper to Hen Wen
, Dallben's oracular pig (actually a name Coll conceived for the job that had been Taran's for some time), the animal escapes her enclosure. Taran follows her and soon finds himself caught up in an epic struggle that will determine the fate of the land of Prydain.
During his adventures he is befriended by the great Prince Gwydion
. When the two are captured by the Enchantress Queen Achren
, he meets (and eventually falls in love with and marries) the Princess Eilonwy
. With her help, he helps to free the ancient, magical sword Dyrnwyn from Achren's clutches, an event that will set in motion the war that could bring about the defeat of Arawn, the Death Lord. Taran is assisted in his quest by many friends, including the self-styled Bard Fflewddur Fflam
, the shaggy creature Gurgi
, and the stalwart dwarf warrior Doli.
Taran's adventures see him leading armies against the Death Lord, Arawn, meeting a trio of witches, attempting to rescue the kidnapped Eilonwy and finally struggling to come to terms with his own past. Eventually he proves his worth, both as a soldier and a man, and helps to defeat Arawn in pitched battle. After Arawn is defeated, most of Taran's companions decided to journey to the Summer Country where they will be granted eternal youth and happiness. Taran, however, makes the difficult decision to stay in Prydain and rebuild the land that was nearly destroyed by Arawn. Dalben warns Taran that he is giving up eternal happiness for a difficult life that might end without anyone ever acknowledging his efforts, but Taran remains steadfast in his decision. It is only after this that Dallben and Gwydion reveal to him that he has earned not only his honor, but also the title of High King of Prydain. Taran, it turns out, has fulfilled an old prophecy from The Book of Three which stated that someone of unknown birth would eventually rise up, defeat a serpent (Arawn, Death-Lord of Annuvin implied), choose a kingdom of sorrow over a kingdom of happiness, and thereby prove his worth as the next High King. Taran, the only survivor of a long-past battle, has done just that. With Eilonwy as his Queen, Taran assumes the throne and rules with justice and wisdom until the end of his days.
An interesting point in all the trials that Taran must overcome in his life until he becomes High King is that he always has to "let something go", In the first book he must quit his own quest to save Hen Wen so that he can alert the Sons of Don; in the second book he has to let go of a magical brooch that granted him "wisdom" to have the Black Cauldron, and later he has to let go the honor of capturing the Black Cauldron so that he can transport it to be destroyed. In the third book he must give up Eilonwy, although only temporarily while she is fostered in a foreign royal court, and in the fourth book, he gives up his quest to learn of his parentage. In the last book there is a moment he has to choose between completing his mission and his search for Eilonwy; and there is his monumentous decision of giving up eternal life in order to rebuild Prydain.
Like many figures in the series, Taran's name is derived from the Mabinogion
, where he is named as the father of a man named Glineu. Taran is the Welsh word for thunder, and may be related to the Gaulish god Taranis
.
The Chronicles of Prydain
The Chronicles of Prydain is a five-volume series of children's fantasy novels by author Lloyd Alexander...
series, as well as in the film
The Black Cauldron (film)
The Black Cauldron is a 1985 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and originally released to theatres on July 24, 1985...
and game named after the second novel, The Black Cauldron
The Black Cauldron (novel)
The Black Cauldron is a 1965 fantasy novel, the second book in Lloyd Alexander's five-part novel series The Chronicles of Prydain . The story centers on the adventures of Taran, an Assistant Pig-Keeper in the magical land of Prydain, as he joins in a quest to capture the eponymous vessel, a...
.
Profile
Taran is a young man in late adolescence, who lives with the Enchanter DallbenDallben
Dallben is an important character in Lloyd Alexander's children's series The Chronicles of Prydain.-Profile:Dallben is described as an ancient man with a long white beard. He lives on the farm known as Caer Dallben, where he acts as protector of Coll's oracular pig, Hen Wen. He also is the...
and Coll
Coll (character)
Coll is a fictional character from The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. In the books, he occupies his time with farming, though prior to that he was a warrior...
, the aged warrior. He is charged with taking care of the oracular pig Hen Wen
Hen Wen
Hen Wen is a white sow featured in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. She is an oracular pig - that is, she has the ability to prophesy about future events and reveal hidden information...
and throughout the series is known under the title of Assistant Pig-Keeper.
Taran's age is never given at any time in the series, though at the outset he seems to be approximately fourteen years old. The readers are also never given any indication as to the character's appearance, and as a result, he has been depicted in many different ways. In the Disney film The Black Cauldron
The Black Cauldron (film)
The Black Cauldron is a 1985 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and originally released to theatres on July 24, 1985...
, he is shown as a red-haired, brown-eyed youth who spends a great deal of time staring out of windows and daydreaming; he is voiced by British
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actor Grant Bardsley.
Taran is headstrong and courageous, though occasionally foolhardy, and harbors an intense desire to prove his worth and heroism through noble acts. Indeed, much of the series centers on Taran's search for his own worth.
Character history
Taran was a foundling discovered by Dallben the Enchanter amongst the slaughter on a battlefield. Dallben brought the baby to be raised and educated at the small hamlet of Caer DallbenCaer Dallben
Caer Dallben is a cottage farm within the lands of Prydain and the starting point for each book of Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. It is also the setting for the series' final chapter....
, where he would be protected by Dallben, the famed enchanter, and Coll, an aged warrior turned farmer. As Taran grew up he became restless and longed for adventures beyond the borders of Caer Dallben. His time would eventually come when, just after being granted the position of Assistant Pig-Keeper to Hen Wen
Hen Wen
Hen Wen is a white sow featured in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. She is an oracular pig - that is, she has the ability to prophesy about future events and reveal hidden information...
, Dallben's oracular pig (actually a name Coll conceived for the job that had been Taran's for some time), the animal escapes her enclosure. Taran follows her and soon finds himself caught up in an epic struggle that will determine the fate of the land of Prydain.
During his adventures he is befriended by the great Prince Gwydion
Gwydion
Gwydion fab Dôn is a magician, hero and trickster of Welsh mythology, appearing most prominently in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, which focuses largely on his relationship with his young nephew, Lleu Llaw Gyffes...
. When the two are captured by the Enchantress Queen Achren
Achren
Achren is a fictional character and villainess in the fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain, written by Lloyd Alexander.-Profile:In the novels, Achren was once Queen of Prydain, and ruled many years as a harsh and vengeful tyrant, both as ruler and then as the Death-lord Arawn's consort...
, he meets (and eventually falls in love with and marries) the Princess Eilonwy
Princess Eilonwy
Princess Eilonwy is a fictional character in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain and wife of High King Taran in the Chronicles of Prydain and also appears in Disney's 1985 animated film The Black Cauldron...
. With her help, he helps to free the ancient, magical sword Dyrnwyn from Achren's clutches, an event that will set in motion the war that could bring about the defeat of Arawn, the Death Lord. Taran is assisted in his quest by many friends, including the self-styled Bard Fflewddur Fflam
Fflewddur Fflam
Fflewddur Fflam, son of Godo, is a cantrev lord in the fictional country of Prydain in Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain. He is referred to as a King, but it is made clear that he is a very minor king of a tiny kingdom at best, much less important than the High King who rules Prydain. His...
, the shaggy creature Gurgi
Gurgi
Gurgi is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Prydain, the series of fantasy novels by Lloyd Alexander. Gurgi is the hero Taran's faithful companion, appearing in all five books.- Profile :...
, and the stalwart dwarf warrior Doli.
Taran's adventures see him leading armies against the Death Lord, Arawn, meeting a trio of witches, attempting to rescue the kidnapped Eilonwy and finally struggling to come to terms with his own past. Eventually he proves his worth, both as a soldier and a man, and helps to defeat Arawn in pitched battle. After Arawn is defeated, most of Taran's companions decided to journey to the Summer Country where they will be granted eternal youth and happiness. Taran, however, makes the difficult decision to stay in Prydain and rebuild the land that was nearly destroyed by Arawn. Dalben warns Taran that he is giving up eternal happiness for a difficult life that might end without anyone ever acknowledging his efforts, but Taran remains steadfast in his decision. It is only after this that Dallben and Gwydion reveal to him that he has earned not only his honor, but also the title of High King of Prydain. Taran, it turns out, has fulfilled an old prophecy from The Book of Three which stated that someone of unknown birth would eventually rise up, defeat a serpent (Arawn, Death-Lord of Annuvin implied), choose a kingdom of sorrow over a kingdom of happiness, and thereby prove his worth as the next High King. Taran, the only survivor of a long-past battle, has done just that. With Eilonwy as his Queen, Taran assumes the throne and rules with justice and wisdom until the end of his days.
An interesting point in all the trials that Taran must overcome in his life until he becomes High King is that he always has to "let something go", In the first book he must quit his own quest to save Hen Wen so that he can alert the Sons of Don; in the second book he has to let go of a magical brooch that granted him "wisdom" to have the Black Cauldron, and later he has to let go the honor of capturing the Black Cauldron so that he can transport it to be destroyed. In the third book he must give up Eilonwy, although only temporarily while she is fostered in a foreign royal court, and in the fourth book, he gives up his quest to learn of his parentage. In the last book there is a moment he has to choose between completing his mission and his search for Eilonwy; and there is his monumentous decision of giving up eternal life in order to rebuild Prydain.
Like many figures in the series, Taran's name is derived from the Mabinogion
Mabinogion
The Mabinogion is the title given to a collection of eleven prose stories collated from medieval Welsh manuscripts. The tales draw on pre-Christian Celtic mythology, international folktale motifs, and early medieval historical traditions...
, where he is named as the father of a man named Glineu. Taran is the Welsh word for thunder, and may be related to the Gaulish god Taranis
Taranis
In Celtic mythology Taranis was the god of thunder worshipped essentially in Gaul, the British Isles, but also in the Rhineland and Danube regions amongst others, and mentioned, along with Esus and Toutatis as part of a sacred triad, by the Roman poet Lucan in his epic poem Pharsalia as a Celtic...
.