The Prydain Chronicles

[Fredeghar Wayfarer]

After Lord of the Rings, The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander is my favorite fantasy series. I'm curious who else on the board has read these books.

The stories of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his companions really struck a chord with me as a kid. The combination of a rousing adventure story, elements of Welsh mythology, and a somewhat irreverent sense of humor made these some of my favorite books. I have returned to them as an adult (if one can actually call me thus ) and have developed a new appreciation for them. The themes are much more prominent and I now recognize many of the mythical allusions. In fact, I even detect the influence of Alexander's style and humor in my own writing.

With all the fantasy franchises hitting theatres, I keep hoping that someone will adapt this series but so far, no luck. All we've gotten is Disney's The Black Cauldron, which was based on the series. Some of you may only be familiar with Prydain from this movie. If so, I urge you not to judge it based on this. Not Disney's finest hour.

So has anyone else read Prydain? What were your thoughts on it?

[Stormrider]

No, I haven't read it, but I will keep it in mind when I go to the bookstore. Assistant Pig-Keeper? lol!

[Desi Baggins]

My friend's daughter was telling me about a book she was reading and as she got to telling me about it, I kept thinking this sounds familar....I told her it sounded like a movie called the Black Cauldron! I forget what book she was reading, but it was one of the Prydain Chronicles I am sure!

[Fredeghar Wayfarer]

So no fellow Prydain readers yet, eh?

admin said:

No, I haven't read it, but I will keep it in mind when I go to the bookstore. Assistant Pig-Keeper? lol!

Yes, that's kind of an ongoing joke/theme of the series, Storm. Taran laments his lowly station in life (not even full-fledged Pig-Keeper!) and longs to be a great hero. But over time, he comes to realize that his notions of what makes a hero are misguided and that there is honor in even the humblest life.

Plus, well...it's an oracular pig. Not your garden variety sort.

Desi, The Black Cauldron is the second book of the series. Could be your friend's daughter was reading that one. Or you may have just recognized some of the lead characters.

[Andorinha]

Ah, yes, LOVED IT!

In a Tolkienesque way, Alexander took the mythologies of ancient/ medieval Wales and used them as a template for his "national (Welsh) mythology." I was impressed with how closely he followed the old legends, but gave them a very enjoyable setting in "real life" mode, with the personalities of Eilonwy (spelling?) Taran, and a host of others.

Very well written, the action moves at a good pace, and he creates highly believable scenes, lots of bright mental images.

Desi, Stormrider, if you have not yet read this group of books, five as I recall -- DO SO NOW! They should be available in the "juvenal" section of any public library, I think they won either (both) Newberry and Caldicot awards?

Mmm, just rememberng the "undead" Cauldron Born, very spooky. And there was a brooch that Taran was given that allowed him temporarily to see beneath the surface of "reality," and move in tune with the flow of universal harmonies rarely experienced by mere mortals, sigh, I wanted such a brooch myself, still do!

Yeah, Fred, I would agree, the next best thing to Middle-earth in MANY ways!

[Fredeghar Wayfarer]

Yay, another fan!

Yes, there are five books-- The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, Taran Wanderer, and The High King. Plus a collection of short stories called The Foundling. They're fairly quick reads, not long drawn out epics like a lot of modern fantasy (Wheel of Time I'm looking your way ).

And yes, they won all sorts of awards. Definitely the Newberry at least.

Wow, I didn't even remember that brooch of Taran's. Bizarre.

[Stormrider]

you sold me! As soon as I finish the 4th book in the Fire and Ice tale by George R.R. Martin I will take my gift card and go to B&N and find these books!

[Desi Baggins]

I will have to read them when Stormride is done with them and I am done with the Artemis Fowl series. Since you both agree that it is the next best thing to Middle-earth I'll just have to read them!

I think my friend's daughter had read the first book and was started on the second when she was telling me about it.

I have been reading quite a few books in the juvenile or teen section and I have been really enjoying them! I really loved the Bartimaeus Trilogy and the Artemis Fowl series is really good so far, so I bet I'll love the Prydain Chronicles.

[Stormrider]

I purchased the first four books in this series but B&N was out of the last book. I will go back and get it next time I stop in the store. Meanwhile, I have read the first book and am now into The Black Cauldron. After I read it, I want to see the movie to compare.

I can see how you liked these books! They have interesting characters, enough action to keep you interested, no gory detailed battle scenes (there are battles but they don't go into a lot of detail for the adolescent readers), magic, conflict between characters, variety of races of characters, charming map of the land of Prydain, and humor.

I think my older grandson (he is going to be 8 this summer) would like these books and I will pass them on to him as I finish each one--unless Desi gets them first--but I know she is reading Bartameas Fowl (Foul?) or something like that.

[Stormrider]

andorinha said:

In a Tolkienesque way, Alexander took the mythologies of ancient/ medieval Wales and used them as a template for his "national (Welsh) mythology." I was impressed with how closely he followed the old legends, but gave them a very enjoyable setting in "real life" mode, with the personalities of Eilonwy (spelling?) Taran, and a host of others.

Mmm, just rememberng the "undead" Cauldron Born, very spooky. And there was a brooch that Taran was given that allowed him temporarily to see beneath the surface of "reality," and move in tune with the flow of universal harmonies rarely experienced by mere mortals, sigh, I wanted such a brooch myself, still do!

I've never read the old legends so I have nothing to compare this story to. I guess the old legends might be something I should look into sometime. What are the titles of the old legends that you speak of?

I love Eilonwy's character! Most times, it seems she is the only character with any sense in this story and no one listens to her since she is a girl. Stupid boys!

Flewddur Fflam is a funny character. I just knew what those broken harp strings were all about the minute they started popping left and right! His name is even funny!

Yes, I've read to where Taran has gotten the brooch--and a sad way to get it, too. It has been very helpful so far. They are just coming to the marshes, got out of the rain and back into it just in time to avoid getting landslid upon!

I want to know more about the mysterious Dallben and his book. Who is he? What is he--a wizard? What is that book he has?

[Stormrider]

I wrote:

I want to know more about the mysterious Dallben and his book. Who is he? What is he--a wizard? What is that book he has?

Well I found out a little more about Dallben and his book if I can believe Orddu, Orgoch, and Orwen! Now I have to get Taran back to Dallben and find out more about the Three O's and what they told him about Dallben!

[Andorinha]

Stormrider, the basic, primary source for Welsh mythology is The Mabinogion, there should be copies online, I'll see if I can nail one down -- yeah Project Gutenberg has a three volume set at: www.gutenberg.org/etext/19959

Another version is at www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/index.htm

Many of characters Alexander uses have sections of their own in the original mythology. Wikipedia has a pretty good introduction to this source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabinogion

Evangeline Walton also uses The Mabinogion as the base of her own excellent tetralogy, "Prince of Annwn," "The Children of Llyr," "The Song of Rhiannon," and "The Virgin and the Swine," this last volume reissued under the more "normative" title "The Island of the Mighty."

As I recall it, I think Dalben is a vaguely disguised Merredin (Merlin). Maybe Fredegar has more information on this?

A bit more on Dalben:

"The character of a swineherd is frequently met with.

"Tristan, one of the three mighty swineherds of Britain, tended the pigs of March, son of Meir­chion. Pryderi son of Pwyll herded the pigs of Pendaran Dyfed at Emlyn. Koll, son of Kollvrewy, the third of the three mighty swineherds tended Henwen, the sow of Dallwaran Dalben. The bulls Donn of Cuailnge and Findbennach are the final station in a series of trans­formations which had begun as swineherds. 'De chophur in da muccida' is an Irish tale where two swineherds are subject to a similar series of transformations.

"Due to the lack of any indication it may be questioned whether the swineherds are mythic characters and not just a position in Celtic society. The mention of transfor­mations however is clearly mythic." www.gruenverlag.de/englmyth10.htm

Hmmm, I recall that the Celtic-Roman peoples used a boar as a symbol of power, Arthur's helmet, in some sources, carried a boar-crest, etc. It might be interesting to see how the concept of the "sacred swine" was developed in various Celtic tribes. From the original Welsh material, Dalben would appear to be a sort of divinatory priest of great magical power, who read the future from the actions of an oracular pig -- something Aleaxander developes nicely.

[Stormrider]

Andorinha:

Thank you for the links! I will look them over next week when I have some time. I'm going to make soap with my friend, Kryshaepona (also a TR member-doesn't post much) in the next two nights. We have started this natural handcrafted soap business and have been developing it since last October. Finally we have begun selling.

Anyway, Desi's Equestrian Drill Team performs in Madison this weekend, too, and I will be helping out up there with pictures, videos, making sure horses get into the ring.

The links you have posted look interesting and I will be sure to look it over. Actually wild boars are pretty ferocious and would make a nice banner mascot worthy of Lord and his army.

It was just funny to me that Little Dalben was raised by the three crones in the marshes. The passage relating Dalben's youth was funny. I guess the crones are picturing a little pink cheeked kid with a beard now. ha ha

[Fredeghar Wayfarer]

Glad to hear you're enjoying them, Stormrider. Eilonwy and Flewddur are indeed great characters. I think my favorite is Gurgi though, he with his "munchings and crunchings" and odd speech patterns.

As Andorinha pointed out, many of the characters have their origins in The Mabinogion and Welsh myth. For example, in the myths, Arawn is a God of the Underworld a.k.a. Annwn (which becomes Annuvin, land of death, in Prydain). Gwydion was originally a demi-god magician and son of the Mother Goddess Don-- hence the "Sons of Don" in Alexander's novels. Many of the other characters have similar origins.

I didn't realize that Coll, Dallben, and Hen Wen were among them though! Thanks for that link, Andorinha! Very interesting. I have only read a few of the Mabinogion myths so I missed some of the references.

Storm, if you do end up seeing Disney's Black Cauldron, be forewarned that it's very different and disappointing, in my opinion. Several key characters are dropped, the Fair Folk are all wrong, and there's a bizarre (and somewhat risque!) scene between Flewddur and the Witches that, amusing as it is, really has no place in this story.

[Stormrider]

A risque scene in a Disney movie!!!

I'm reading about Princess Eilonwy's abduction and the betrothal plans for her and the clumsy prince.

I keep getting the feeling that Taran is much more than an Assistant Pig-Keeper. I get a feeling that he was sent away to a lower station in life to learn to become something more and that I will find out he is from a more regal lineage later on in the chronicles.