The Foundling and Other Tales from Prydain
Encyclopedia
The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain is a collection of six short stories (newer copies include eight) by Lloyd Alexander
. Although first published in 1973, after the five novels that comprise The Chronicles of Prydain
, these short stories take place before the events of the books that preceded them. The stories were written by Alexander due to the overwhelming demand for more stories from fans of the books at the time.
"The Truthful Harp"(1965) and "Coll and His White Pig"(1967) were originally published separately as picture books illustrated by Evaline Ness
, but after going out of print the stories were included in subsequent editions of The Foundling.
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...
. Although first published in 1973, after the five novels that comprise 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...
, these short stories take place before the events of the books that preceded them. The stories were written by Alexander due to the overwhelming demand for more stories from fans of the books at the time.
Stories within The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain
- "The Foundling". This is the story of how the enchanter DallbenDallbenDallben is an important character in Lloyd Alexander's children's series The Chronicles of Prydain.-Profile:Dallben is described as an ancient man with a long white beard. He lives on the farm known as Caer Dallben, where he acts as protector of Coll's oracular pig, Hen Wen. He also is the...
was discovered as a baby by the three enchantresses, Orddu, Orwen and OrgochOrddu, Orwen and OrgochOrddu, 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...
. It also tells of how he acquired his vast wisdom, as well as The Book of Three, and gives a reason for his age. - "The Stone". This story centers on a farmer named Maibon, who meets DoliDoliDoli is a fictional character in Lloyd Alexander's fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain. Doli is one of the "fair folk", a nation of faeries, and other magical beings who live in an extensive underground kingdom that spans the entire country of Prydain.-Profile:Doli is described as a short,...
of the Fair FolkFair FolkThis article is for the fictional race in the fiction of Lloyd Alexander. For the mythological Fair Folk, see Fairy.The Fair Folk are a race of supernatural beings in The Chronicles of Prydain, a series of children's fantasy novels by Lloyd Alexander...
. By tradition, since Doli was found by a human, he has to give an object of the Fair FolkFair FolkThis article is for the fictional race in the fiction of Lloyd Alexander. For the mythological Fair Folk, see Fairy.The Fair Folk are a race of supernatural beings in The Chronicles of Prydain, a series of children's fantasy novels by Lloyd Alexander...
. Maibon asks for the ability to never age, so he is given a stone that keeps everything near it from aging. This is good for himself, for after offering an old man (DallbenDallbenDallben is an important character in Lloyd Alexander's children's series The Chronicles of Prydain.-Profile:Dallben is described as an ancient man with a long white beard. He lives on the farm known as Caer Dallben, where he acts as protector of Coll's oracular pig, Hen Wen. He also is the...
, at the end of "The Foundling") a ride on his wagon, decided he never wanted to grow old like him. He did not think of the consequences. His crops do not grow so there is no food to feed his family, who are not growing either. In the end, he finds DoliDoliDoli is a fictional character in Lloyd Alexander's fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain. Doli is one of the "fair folk", a nation of faeries, and other magical beings who live in an extensive underground kingdom that spans the entire country of Prydain.-Profile:Doli is described as a short,...
again, and gives him the stone back, asking nothing in return for it. - "The True Enchanter". In this story, Eilonwy's mother AngharadAngharadAngharad is a popular Welsh name, having a long association with Welsh royalty, history and myth. It translates to .-Mythology:Angharad, also sometimes known as Angharad Golden-Hand, is the lover of Peredur in the Welsh myth cycle The Mabinogion. In some versions of the story, Peredur meets her...
is faced with the choice of whom she will marry. According to law, she must marry a man who was born a magician. She is not impressed with the first two magicians, however she falls in love with a man who is incapable of actual magic, using only sleight of hand to impress the queen. - "The Rascal Crow". Similar in tone to Aesop's fablesAesop's FablesAesop's Fables or the Aesopica are a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and story-teller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 560 BCE. The fables remain a popular choice for moral education of children today...
, Kadwyr, the father of the talking crow KawKaw (character)Kaw is a character in The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. He first appears in the second book of the series, The Black Cauldron, and plays a role in each of the following books...
, stars in this tale. In it, he and a number of other animals, after being warned by Medwyn, protect their home and resist capture or death at the hands of ArawnArawnIn Welsh mythology, Arawn was the king of the otherworld realm of Annwn, appearing prominently in the first branch, and alluded to in the fourth. In later tradition, the role of king of Annwn was largely attributed to the Welsh psychopomp, Gwyn ap Nudd...
's Chief Huntsman. Before the ensuing battle, Kadwyr makes fun of the other animals on the mission, claiming they could not help at all. In the end, it is the other animals who save Kadwyr from being desroyed by the Huntsman, proving their worth. The turtle helped with this by tripping the Huntsman off the side of the cliff using his shell. Kadwyr, after showing his gratitude, is forgiven by the other animals of the forest. - "The Sword". The darkest of all Prydain stories, "The Sword" relates the origins of the sword Dyrnwyn, the most powerful weapon in Prydain; how its scabbard was blackened, and how it disappeared while in the possession of King RhittaRhittaRhitta was once High King of Prydain, the mythical kingdom in Lloyd Alexander's fantasy novel series The Chronicles of Prydain. He is never mentioned in the original five novels, but the story of his downfall is included in the lesser-known sixth installment, The Foundling and Other Tales from...
. King RhittaRhittaRhitta was once High King of Prydain, the mythical kingdom in Lloyd Alexander's fantasy novel series The Chronicles of Prydain. He is never mentioned in the original five novels, but the story of his downfall is included in the lesser-known sixth installment, The Foundling and Other Tales from...
was in a war with another kingdom, and one day his army pursued battle traveling through a small farm. The shepherd of the farm asked the King what he would do about the damage he did to his homestead. as the King rode off, he promised he would fix the farm as soon as he had time. As time went on, the shepherd arrived at the castle, and told him that his sheep had gone missing during the battle, and asked King RhittaRhittaRhitta was once High King of Prydain, the mythical kingdom in Lloyd Alexander's fantasy novel series The Chronicles of Prydain. He is never mentioned in the original five novels, but the story of his downfall is included in the lesser-known sixth installment, The Foundling and Other Tales from...
to find his sheep and fix his farm. The King declared he did not have the time currently. So the shepherd came back many more times, telling the King to keep his promise. The King got so mad, that he unsheathed Dyrnwyn and chopped off the shepherd's head. Every night afterward, the King was haunted by the shepherd's ghost. He had chambers built farther and farther beneath the castle, and had guards with him as he slept, but the ghost still came. The blood stain on his sword could not be removed and spread to cover the whole blade. The King eventually died in his chamber because nobody could find their way to his chamber. (This is where TaranTaran- Given name :* Taran, a 7th century king of the Picts* Taran Taran, founder of the Taran Panth religious sect* Taran Adarsh, an Indian film critic* Taran Killam, an American comic actor* Taran Noah Smith, an actor...
and Eilonwy found Dyrnwyn.) - "The Smith, the Weaver, and the Harper". This story tells of how ArawnArawnIn Welsh mythology, Arawn was the king of the otherworld realm of Annwn, appearing prominently in the first branch, and alluded to in the fourth. In later tradition, the role of king of Annwn was largely attributed to the Welsh psychopomp, Gwyn ap Nudd...
stole some of the magical implements used by Prydain's greatest craftsmen. He managed to trick the smith and the weaver of their tools, but the bard Menwy managed to see who he really was, and since ArawnArawnIn Welsh mythology, Arawn was the king of the otherworld realm of Annwn, appearing prominently in the first branch, and alluded to in the fourth. In later tradition, the role of king of Annwn was largely attributed to the Welsh psychopomp, Gwyn ap Nudd...
was not in his own form, he did not have the power of himself. So he fled back to Annuvin. - "Coll and His White Pig". Alluded to in The Book of Three, this is the story of when CollColl (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...
first became a farmer, lost his white pig Hen WenHen WenHen 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...
, and rescued her from Arawn's fortress in Annuvin. Hen WenHen WenHen 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...
had been captured by Huntsmen, and CollCollColl is a small island, west of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Coll is known for its sandy beaches, which rise to form large sand dunes, for its corncrakes, and for Breachacha Castle.-Geography and geology:...
chased after her. While resting at a tree, he ate some nuts, giving him the ability to talk to animals. When he learned he could, the animals told him the tree was magical, and the power was only temporary. He explained his situation, and the animals offered to help him. They found Hen WenHen WenHen 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...
to be locked in a pen in Annuvin. With the help of the animals, he rescued Hen Wen, and returned to his farm. He realized Hen WenHen WenHen 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...
was more special than he had thought before, but could no longer talk with animals. - "The Truthful Harp". This is the story of how Fflewddur FflamFflewddur FflamFflewddur Fflam, son of Godo, is a cantrev lord in the fictional country of Prydain in Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain. He is referred to as a King, but it is made clear that he is a very minor king of a tiny kingdom at best, much less important than the High King who rules Prydain. His...
obtained his magical harp, whose strings would break whenever he "colored the facts" a little. It also tells how he helped others out of the good of heart, no matter what bad position it put him in, and speaking humbly of himself, his harp strings would become tense, break and snap, often making a "twang" sound.
"The Truthful Harp"(1965) and "Coll and His White Pig"(1967) were originally published separately as picture books illustrated by Evaline Ness
Evaline Ness
Evaline Ness was an American commercial artist and illustrator for award winning children's books.She was born Evaline Michelow in Union City, Ohio and grew up in Pontiac, Michigan. Ness studied at Ball State Teachers College...
, but after going out of print the stories were included in subsequent editions of The Foundling.