Dallben
Encyclopedia
Dallben is an important character in Lloyd Alexander
's children's series The Chronicles of Prydain
.
, where he acts as protector of Coll
's oracular pig, Hen Wen
. He also is the guardian and mentor of Taran
, the protagonist of the Prydain Chronicles. When first introduced in The Book of Three
, he was already 379 years old. Besides the lessons he teaches Taran
and protecting the oracular pig Hen Wen
, Dallben's main activity on the farm is meditating. Those who know him recognize him as the most powerful enchanter in Prydain, and while his displays of power are quite potent they are used sparingly.
in the Marshes of Morva
, floating in a basket. They decided to keep him and gave him the name Dallben, reasoning that the name would last him his entire life.
In an incident similar to the Welsh legend or Gwion Bach, one day the boy was helping the three enchantresses by stirring a potion they were making when it boiled over and scalded his fingers. When Dallben put his burned fingers into his mouth, he accidentally ingested some of the liquid. It was a potion of wisdom, and immediately Dallben was able to see the enchantresses for what they really were, and to understand everything around him. Deciding they couldn't have so much wisdom living under one roof, the enchantresses sent him out into the world, with three gifts to choose from before leaving.
The first gift was a sword, which would have made Dallben the most powerful warrior who had ever lived. The second gift was a harp, which would have made him the world's most famous bard, had he chosen it. Instead he chose the third gift, a book called the Book of Three. Orddu told him it contained everything that was ever known or would ever be known, and knowledge was something Dallben valued more than power or fame.
As he wandered away from the marshes, Dallben read non-stop from the Book of Three, rejoicing in the knowledge he learned from it. After reading an entire day, though, he began to learn of greed, hatred, war, winter and death. This proved almost more than he could bear; he finally stopped reading late at night, crying himself to sleep. When he awoke the next day, he found that he had aged into an old man overnight from the effects of the book. He almost tore the book apart, but decided to read on to the end. He was rewarded by learning of birth, renewal, and the never-ending cycles of life and the seasons. Ultimately he learned the nature of hope.
He sensed the danger the oracular pig Hen Wen was in from Arawn Death-Lord, but arrived at the farm where she lived too late to warn her owner, Coll. He maintained the farm while Coll was rescuing Hen Wen in Annuvin, and when Coll returned he allowed Dallben to stay at the farm as long as he liked. The farm became known as Caer Dallben
.
In his studies of The Book of Three, Dallben learned about a future High King who would rule Prydain
in peace after overthrowing Arawn Death-Lord. He set out to find this future king, hoping he could hasten the time of peace and prosperity the king would bring. He traveled over all of Prydain, searching for someone who had no station in life, as outlined in the prophecy. The only likely candidate he found, after years of searching and on the verge of giving up, was an infant he found on a battlefield where women and children had died as well as men. Dallben took the baby with him to Caer Dallben and named him Taran, secretly hoping the boy might be the promised king. He remained in Caer Dallben the rest of his mortal days, raising Taran and sharing his secret hopes only with Coll and Prince Gwydion
.
, and was voiced by Freddie Jones
.
Lloyd Alexander
Lloyd Chudley Alexander was a widely influential American author of more than forty books, mostly fantasy novels for children and adolescents, as well as several adult books...
's children's series The Chronicles of Prydain
The Chronicles of Prydain
The Chronicles of Prydain is a five-volume series of children's fantasy novels by author Lloyd Alexander...
.
Profile
Dallben is described as an ancient man with a long white beard. He lives on the farm known as Caer DallbenCaer Dallben
Caer Dallben is a cottage farm within the lands of Prydain and the starting point for each book of Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. It is also the setting for the series' final chapter....
, where he acts as protector of Coll
Coll (character)
Coll is a fictional character from The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. In the books, he occupies his time with farming, though prior to that he was a warrior...
's oracular pig, Hen Wen
Hen Wen
Hen Wen is a white sow featured in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. She is an oracular pig - that is, she has the ability to prophesy about future events and reveal hidden information...
. He also is the guardian and mentor of Taran
Taran (character)
Taran is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Prydain series, as well as in the film and game named after the second novel, The Black Cauldron.-Profile:...
, the protagonist of the Prydain Chronicles. When first introduced in The Book of Three
The Book of Three (novel)
The Book of Three is the first of Lloyd Alexander's five-part novel series The Chronicles of Prydain . Inspired by Welsh mythology, it follows the adventures of Taran, a boy in the care of the enchanter Dallben, as he enters manhood while fighting the forces of the evil Arawn Death-Lord...
, he was already 379 years old. Besides the lessons he teaches Taran
Taran (character)
Taran is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Prydain series, as well as in the film and game named after the second novel, The Black Cauldron.-Profile:...
and protecting the oracular pig Hen Wen
Hen Wen
Hen Wen is a white sow featured in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. She is an oracular pig - that is, she has the ability to prophesy about future events and reveal hidden information...
, Dallben's main activity on the farm is meditating. Those who know him recognize him as the most powerful enchanter in Prydain, and while his displays of power are quite potent they are used sparingly.
Character history
Dallben's story begins while a baby, found by Orddu, Orwen and OrgochOrddu, Orwen and Orgoch
Orddu, Orwen, and Orgoch are fictional characters in Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain series.They are three witches who live alone in the Marshes of Morva...
in the Marshes of Morva
Marshes of Morva
The Marshes of Morva is a region in the fictional country of Prydain in Lloyd Alexander's fantasy series, The Chronicles of Prydain. It is most notable for being the home of the three Fates-like enchantresses, Orddu, Orwen and Orgoch.-Description:...
, floating in a basket. They decided to keep him and gave him the name Dallben, reasoning that the name would last him his entire life.
In an incident similar to the Welsh legend or Gwion Bach, one day the boy was helping the three enchantresses by stirring a potion they were making when it boiled over and scalded his fingers. When Dallben put his burned fingers into his mouth, he accidentally ingested some of the liquid. It was a potion of wisdom, and immediately Dallben was able to see the enchantresses for what they really were, and to understand everything around him. Deciding they couldn't have so much wisdom living under one roof, the enchantresses sent him out into the world, with three gifts to choose from before leaving.
The first gift was a sword, which would have made Dallben the most powerful warrior who had ever lived. The second gift was a harp, which would have made him the world's most famous bard, had he chosen it. Instead he chose the third gift, a book called the Book of Three. Orddu told him it contained everything that was ever known or would ever be known, and knowledge was something Dallben valued more than power or fame.
As he wandered away from the marshes, Dallben read non-stop from the Book of Three, rejoicing in the knowledge he learned from it. After reading an entire day, though, he began to learn of greed, hatred, war, winter and death. This proved almost more than he could bear; he finally stopped reading late at night, crying himself to sleep. When he awoke the next day, he found that he had aged into an old man overnight from the effects of the book. He almost tore the book apart, but decided to read on to the end. He was rewarded by learning of birth, renewal, and the never-ending cycles of life and the seasons. Ultimately he learned the nature of hope.
He sensed the danger the oracular pig Hen Wen was in from Arawn Death-Lord, but arrived at the farm where she lived too late to warn her owner, Coll. He maintained the farm while Coll was rescuing Hen Wen in Annuvin, and when Coll returned he allowed Dallben to stay at the farm as long as he liked. The farm became known as Caer Dallben
Caer Dallben
Caer Dallben is a cottage farm within the lands of Prydain and the starting point for each book of Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. It is also the setting for the series' final chapter....
.
In his studies of The Book of Three, Dallben learned about a future High King who would rule Prydain
Prydain
Prydain is the modern Welsh name for Britain.-Medieval:Prydain is the medieval Welsh term for the island of Britain . More specifically, Prydain may refer to the Brittonic parts of the island; that is, the parts south of Caledonia...
in peace after overthrowing Arawn Death-Lord. He set out to find this future king, hoping he could hasten the time of peace and prosperity the king would bring. He traveled over all of Prydain, searching for someone who had no station in life, as outlined in the prophecy. The only likely candidate he found, after years of searching and on the verge of giving up, was an infant he found on a battlefield where women and children had died as well as men. Dallben took the baby with him to Caer Dallben and named him Taran, secretly hoping the boy might be the promised king. He remained in Caer Dallben the rest of his mortal days, raising Taran and sharing his secret hopes only with Coll and Prince Gwydion
Gwydion
Gwydion fab Dôn is a magician, hero and trickster of Welsh mythology, appearing most prominently in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, which focuses largely on his relationship with his young nephew, Lleu Llaw Gyffes...
.
Other media
Dallben appears in Disney's 1985 animated film The Black CauldronThe Black Cauldron (film)
The Black Cauldron is a 1985 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and originally released to theatres on July 24, 1985...
, and was voiced by Freddie Jones
Freddie Jones
Frederick Charles "Freddie" Jones is an English character actor.Jones was born in the town of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, the son of Ida Elizabeth and Charles Edward Jones. He became an actor after ten years of working as a laboratory assistant with a firm making ceramic products,...
.