Taran (character)

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Taran the assistant pig-keeper is the fictional protagonist of Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain series of books, as well as in the film and game based on the second novel, The Black Cauldron.

He is instrumental in assisting Gwydion in defeating Achren, the Horned King, and Arawn, and in destroying the Black Cauldron. In the last book, he becomes High King of Prydain and marries Princess Eilonwy.

Taran was a foundling discovered by Dallben amongst the slaughter on a battlefield. Dallben brought the baby to be raised and educated at the small hamlet of Caer Dallben, 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, 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 befriends the great Prince Gwydion, is captured by the witch Queen Achren, meets (and eventually falls in love with) the enchantress Princess Eilonwy and helps to free the ancient sword Dyrnwyn from Achren's clutches, an event that will set in motion the war that could bring out the Death Lord, Arawn's, ultimate defeat.

Taran's further adventures see him leading armies against the Death Lord, Arawn, meeting a trio of witches, attempting to rescue the kidnapped Eilonwy and 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. It is only after this that Dallben and Gwydion reveal to him that he has earned more than his honor, but has also earned the title of High King of Prydain. Taran, it turns out, has fulfilled an old prophecy which stated that someone of no known birth would eventually rise up and, after defeating the Death Lord, have proven his worth enough to wear the crown. Taran, the only survivor of a long ago battle, has done just that. With Eilonwy as his Queen, Taran assumes the throne and rules with justice and wisdom till the end of his days.

An interesting point in all the trials that Taran must overcome over his life until he becomes High King is that he always have to "let something go", In the first book he must quit his own quest to save Hen Wen so that he can alert the Son's 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 last book there is a moment he has to choose between completing his mission and his search for Eilonwy. These are only examples.

Like many figures in the series, Taran's name is derived from the Mabinogion, where his 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
Books
The Book of Three (1964) | The Black Cauldron (1965) | The Castle of Llyr (1966) | Taran Wanderer (1967) | The High King (1968) | The Foundling and Other Tales from Prydain (1970)
Characters
Achren | Angharad | Arawn | Coll | Dallben | Doli | Eiddileg | Princess Eilonwy | Fflewddur Fflam | The Horned King | Glew | Gurgi | Gwydion | Magg | Maibon | High King Math | Medwyn | Orddu, Orwen and Orgoch | Prince Rhun | Pryderi | Rhitta | Taran
Other media
The Black Cauldron (film) | The Black Cauldron (video game)
Animals
Gwythaints | Hen Wen | Kaw | Llyan | Lluagor | Melyngar | Melynlas
Places
Annuvin | Caer Cadarn | Caer Colur | Caer Dallben | Caer Dathyl | Cantrevs | Free Commots | Isle of Mona | Marshes of Morva | Spiral Castle | Summer Country
Other
The Book of Three | The Black Cauldron | Cauldron-Born | Dyrnwyn | Fair Folk | Golden Pelydryn | Huntsmen | Mirror of Llunet