The Book of Three
When I was a kid, I got books from garage sales. Old books with
the pages turning yellow and brittle, most of which had pristine spines.
Such was the case when I found three books with matching cover themes -
The Book of Tree, The Black Cauldron, and The High King. Later, I found The Castle of Llyr and Taran Wanderer to complete Lloyd Alexander's "Prydain Chronicles." I read that series countless times and still read it over and over again.
When I was a kid, I was Taran of Caer Dallben, Assistant Pig-Keeper to the oracular pig, Hen-Wen. I longed for adventure and the opportunity to prove my worth. I revered Prince Gwydion and feared Arawn, though I would have charged Annuvin to face him in order to prove my mettle. I also fell in love with the fair Princess Eilonwy, despite her less than courtly nature - or maybe because of it.
Like most fantasy books, the mind, body, and spirit characters are quite clear.
Gurgi is described as not having the knowledge of man, but as having lost the spirit of the animals. Without the spirit of animals, he has lost the passion that identifies the spirit character, but without knowledge, he cannot be a mind character. His greatest fear is to receive excessive 'whackings and smackings' upon his 'poor, tender head.' His greatest desire is an extra portion of 'munchings and crunchings.' Self-preservation and self-fulfillment are Gurgi's primary character traits.
In appearance, Gurgi is certainly less than man. His body is covered with fur that is usually tangled and full of leaves and twigs. His arms are long and lanky. He lives in the trees and underbrush, not in a house or even a tent.
When Gwydion brings gifts to the characters after the battle with the Horned King, Gurgi receives a wallet of food that is never empty. This is a gift that would please a body character the most.
Taran meets Eilonwy in Spiral Castle after having been taken prisoner by the witch, Achren. She knows all the passages, and despite her flighty and talkative nature, she always provides sound, logical advice. Though her similes are often very convoluted, they are always accurate.
She takes the king's sword from the barrow beneath Spiral Castle, reasoning that it must be the best because the king had it. Taran had passed it over, probably out of some kind of reverence to the dead king. Later, she is the only one who can read the writing on the scabbard, and she recognizes the symbol of power. She even chastises the bard-king, Ffleuder Fflam, for pretending he could read the symbols.
Eilonwy is also the first one to see through King Eiddileg's (king of the Fair Folk) facade, using reason to trip him up.
Taran wants adventure. Within the first few pages of the book, Taran ignores his blacksmith instructor, Coll, and abandons making horseshoes to try to make his first sword, which ends up being a twisted, useless piece of metal.
Shortly afterward, Taran's desire for adventure leads him to a nasty shock to the hand as he tries to read his mentor's (the enchanter, Dallben) magical book - The Book of Three.
In just a few pages after that, Taran once again displays his impulsiveness when Hen-Wen runs off and he runs out of Caer Dallben, against Dallben's clear instructions to remain.
When Taran meets Gwydion, he is upset to see how Gwydion is dressed and how he is traveling. He expects more of his hero and is disappointed when reality does not align with his dreams.
In the end, Taran is transformed, but he is still the spirit character. He has been through a great adventure, but he misses his home. When Gwydion gives gifts to the party, he tries to match his gifts to their needs. When he gets to Taran, he is unsure of what to give. Taran says his only desire is to return to Caer Dallben. Once there, he feels more confined and is already starting to show signs of restlessness. The one thing that excites him about staying is learning the Eilonwy would be staying, as well.
When I was a kid, I was Taran of Caer Dallben, Assistant Pig-Keeper to the oracular pig, Hen-Wen. I longed for adventure and the opportunity to prove my worth. I revered Prince Gwydion and feared Arawn, though I would have charged Annuvin to face him in order to prove my mettle. I also fell in love with the fair Princess Eilonwy, despite her less than courtly nature - or maybe because of it.
Like most fantasy books, the mind, body, and spirit characters are quite clear.
The Body Character: Gurgi
Gurgi is described as not having the knowledge of man, but as having lost the spirit of the animals. Without the spirit of animals, he has lost the passion that identifies the spirit character, but without knowledge, he cannot be a mind character. His greatest fear is to receive excessive 'whackings and smackings' upon his 'poor, tender head.' His greatest desire is an extra portion of 'munchings and crunchings.' Self-preservation and self-fulfillment are Gurgi's primary character traits.
In appearance, Gurgi is certainly less than man. His body is covered with fur that is usually tangled and full of leaves and twigs. His arms are long and lanky. He lives in the trees and underbrush, not in a house or even a tent.
When Gwydion brings gifts to the characters after the battle with the Horned King, Gurgi receives a wallet of food that is never empty. This is a gift that would please a body character the most.
The Mind Characer: Eilonwy
Taran meets Eilonwy in Spiral Castle after having been taken prisoner by the witch, Achren. She knows all the passages, and despite her flighty and talkative nature, she always provides sound, logical advice. Though her similes are often very convoluted, they are always accurate.
She takes the king's sword from the barrow beneath Spiral Castle, reasoning that it must be the best because the king had it. Taran had passed it over, probably out of some kind of reverence to the dead king. Later, she is the only one who can read the writing on the scabbard, and she recognizes the symbol of power. She even chastises the bard-king, Ffleuder Fflam, for pretending he could read the symbols.
Eilonwy is also the first one to see through King Eiddileg's (king of the Fair Folk) facade, using reason to trip him up.
The Spirit Character: Taran
Taran wants adventure. Within the first few pages of the book, Taran ignores his blacksmith instructor, Coll, and abandons making horseshoes to try to make his first sword, which ends up being a twisted, useless piece of metal.
Shortly afterward, Taran's desire for adventure leads him to a nasty shock to the hand as he tries to read his mentor's (the enchanter, Dallben) magical book - The Book of Three.
In just a few pages after that, Taran once again displays his impulsiveness when Hen-Wen runs off and he runs out of Caer Dallben, against Dallben's clear instructions to remain.
When Taran meets Gwydion, he is upset to see how Gwydion is dressed and how he is traveling. He expects more of his hero and is disappointed when reality does not align with his dreams.
In the end, Taran is transformed, but he is still the spirit character. He has been through a great adventure, but he misses his home. When Gwydion gives gifts to the party, he tries to match his gifts to their needs. When he gets to Taran, he is unsure of what to give. Taran says his only desire is to return to Caer Dallben. Once there, he feels more confined and is already starting to show signs of restlessness. The one thing that excites him about staying is learning the Eilonwy would be staying, as well.
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