King Morgant will lead the main force in an attack on Arawn's stronghold of Annuvin, while a smaller raiding party led by Gwydion breaks off to enter by a mountain pass known only to Coll that will allow them to steal the cauldron undetected. At the council, Gwydion reveals an elaborate plan to steal the Black Cauldron, the magical artifact used to create the Cauldron-Born, from Arawn. Men are disappearing throughout Prydain, while an increasing number of the undead Cauldron-Born have joined Arawn's forces. More than a year after the defeat of Arawn Death-Lord's army and death of his warlord the Horned King, Prince Gwydion calls allies to a council hosted by Dallben, one of Taran's guardians. Īt one stage of planning, it was a trilogy with titles The Battle of the Trees, The Lion with the Steady Hand, and Little Gwion. The series was inspired by Welsh mythology and by the castles, scenery, and language of Wales, which the author experienced during World War II combat intelligence training. The book provided a title and many plot elements for the 1985 Disney animated feature The Black Cauldron. It was a Newbery Honor book in 1966, runner-up for the year's 'most distinguished contribution to American literature for children'. The story continues the adventures of Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper, as he joins in a quest to capture the eponymous Magical Cauldron from Arawn Death-Lord. The Black Cauldron (1965) is a high fantasy novel by American writer Lloyd Alexander, the second of five volumes in The Chronicles of Prydain. Children and Young Adult Literature portal.

The black cauldron books