Earn Your Happy Ending: After numerous painful sacrifices on his part, including giving up a chance at eternal happiness in paradise, the series ends with Taran marrying Eilonwy and becoming a wise and respected ruler.Later in the series, Taran loses this blade and forges his own sword, and eventually earns the right to wield Dyrnwyn in battle. Taran assumes it is enchanted, a notion Dallben finds fairly repugnant. Cool Sword: Dallben gives him one early in the second book.

Melynlas only allows Taran (and sometimes Eilonwy) to ride him. Cool Horse: Melynlas, the son of Prince Gwydion’s own steed, Melyngar, is gifted to Taran in the first book, and serves his master faithfully for the rest of the series.Coming of Age Story: This series is as much about Taran growing up as it is about cool adventures in a high fantasy world, if not more so.Being Good Sucks: Doing the right thing for Taran always requires sacrifice, and very often demands that he give up the things that are most important to him, often with little thanks or reward.At the beginning of The Black Cauldron, he is back to being a Heroic Wannabe again. Aesop Amnesia: At the end of The Book of Three, Taran learns that grand adventures are far more dangerous than he thought and that he was ill-prepared for the trials he had to face, and he much preferred living a peaceful life at Caer Dallben.Over the course of the series, Taran is caught up in many battles for Prydain’s future, but the heart of the story is more focused on Taran’s own personal journey, and he undergoes an enormous amount of Character Development as he grows from a boy to a man. Taran is dissatisfied with this life of tedious drudgery and would prefer to have exciting adventures like his idol, Prince Gwydion.

The protagonist of the series, Taran is the Assistant Pig-Keeper of Caer Dallben, charged with caring for the oracular pig, Hen Wen.

Taran the chronicles of prydain