The stories draw on themes, ideas, and culture inspired by Welsh folklore, particularly the stories collected in the Mabinogion. Ynys Môn, the Welsh name for the Isle of Anglesey, became the Isle of Mona. The magical land Prydain's geography is loosely based on Wales. He took particular interest in the country's castles and folklore, explaining later that he was "always interested in mythology." Alexander later described his experiences in Wales as "part of the raw material for the Prydain books." The first two novels of The Chronicles of Prydain were loosely adapted into the 1985 Disney film The Black Cauldron and led to a video game of the same name produced by Sierra Entertainment.ĭuring World War II, Lloyd Alexander received army combat intelligence training in Wales and became familiar with Welsh culture, geography, and language. New illustrations for the 1973 anthology were done by Margot Zemach. The cover art for the novels and the interior art for the short story picture books was done by Evaline Ness. The Chronicles of Prydain were accompanied by an illustrated short story book in 1965 and another in 1967, and were followed by The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain, a collection of six short stories published in 1973. Along with various battles against forces of evil, the novels focus on Taran's journey of maturity. The heroes frequently work alongside the Fair Folk (a society of elves and similar beings) and the warriors known as the Sons of Don. Throughout the novels, Taran's major companions are the Princess Eilonwy, the bard Fflewddur Fflam, the wild beast-man Gurgi, and the dwarf Doli.
Taran has a series of adventures wherein he helps protect the land of Prydain from various threats, chief among them the evil Arawn, whose forces include an undead army known as the Cauldron-Born. Taran, who dreams of being a great hero, is named "Assistant Pig-Keeper" and tasked with helping to care for and protect Hen Wen, a white oracular pig magically empowered with clairvoyance. The series follows the protagonist Taran, a youth of unknown parentage living on a farm with an old enchanter named Dallben and a farmer named Coll. The setting is based on Wales and inhabited by creatures and characters inspired by Welsh mythology and folklore. The five novels take place in Prydain, a fictional country ruled by a High King who oversees several minor kingdoms. The Black Cauldron earned a 1966 Newbery Honor, and The High King won the 1969 Newbery Medal. The series includes: The Book of Three (1964), The Black Cauldron (1965), The Castle of Llyr (1966), Taran Wanderer (1967), and The High King (1968). The Chronicles of Prydain is a pentalogy of children's high fantasy Bildungsroman novels written by American author Lloyd Alexander and published by Henry Holt and Company. Print ( hardcover and paperback), audiobook, e-book
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