Caer Dallben
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Caer Dallben is a small farm in Lloyd Alexander's children's fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain. It has at all times a low population, and is named for its owner, Dallben the enchanter.
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[edit] Population
Caer Dallben is small, and thus has a small population. When it is first shown in the books, three people live there: Coll, Taran and Dallben. This is later expanded to five by the end of The Book of Three when Gurgi and Princess Eilonwy take up residence there. For the rest of the series, the farm is never quite so heavily populated, though for a time the evil Achren lived there, working as a scullery maid and living in the barn, under the watchful eye of Dallben until she left to seek out and destroy Arawn. Also living in Caer Dallben is the oracular pig, Hen Wen.
[edit] Contents
Caer Dallben is a well-equipped farm. It has stables, although at any given time, there are most likely no horses living there. Melynlas, Taran's horse and foal of Melyngar, Gwydion's horse, is there only when Taran is, and this is not too frequent in the books.
Apart from the stables, it is also known that there is a small orchard and vegetable patch. There is also a pig sty for Hen Wen. Additionally, there is a smithy, although it is unknown what precisely it is used for — the only time in the books we see it used, Coll and Taran are making horseshoes for nonexistent horses.
[edit] Significance
Caer Dallben, although seemingly innocuous, is one of the greatest threats to Arawn's power. This is principally because Dallben lives there, and the good enchanter will never bend to the power of Annuvin. It is said no servant of Arawn or the Death Lord himself is able to enter Caer Dallben. Dallben is considered wise throughout Prydain, so it is not unusual for Caer Dallben to get visitors requesting advice.
Also, Caer Dallben is notable because Hen Wen lives there. Hen Wen is an oracular pig, so that whenever prophecies are needed, she is called upon. She does not leave her sty on a regular basis, and only does so in The Book of Three when she leaves Caer Dallben altogether.
Lastly, the Book of Three (the fictional book, as opposed to the actual book by Alexander) is in Caer Dallben. The book was a gift to Dallben when he left the care of Orddu, Orgoch and Orwen. The book contains knowledge of the past, present and future. Inside the book is a prophecy about a child with no station in life rising to become High King.
[edit] References
- Alexander, Lloyd. The Book of Three. Bantam Doubleday Dell Books, New York NY. 1965.
- Alexander, Lloyd. The Castle of Llyr. Bantam Doubleday Dell Books, New York NY. 1966
- Alexander, Lloyd. The High King. Bantam Doubleday Dell Books, New York NY. 1968.
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