This article is about the fledgling gwythaint that Taran found. For the chapter in which this occurs, see The Fledgling; for the kindred of predatory birds, see Gwythaint.
The gwythaint fledgling was a wounded baby bird, rescued by Taran of Caer Dallben.
Appearances[]
The Book of Three[]
While traveling in the Eagle Mountains, Taran found the fledgling in a bush and nursed it back to health. Doli of the Fair Folk begrudgingly made a cage for it. Even while recuperating the gwythaint was watchful, and seemed to sense the intentions of the Companions, refusing to allow Fflewddur Fflam (who had voted to kill it) to touch it, while accepting Taran's stroking finger.
The fledgling gwythaint soon escaped its cage, just as Doli said he would, and vanished. Yet despite the dwarf's dire warnings of its treachery, the gwythaint led Gwydion to Taran and enabled the undoing of the Horned King near Caer Dathyl.
How the gwythaint received its wounds, and how it knew of Gwydion's relationship to Taran remain unknown.
The High King[]
Years later, the now grown gwythaint saved Taran from falling off Mount Dragon to his death. It then repaid its debt in full by flinging itself against the Cauldron-Born, in an effort to buy Taran the time
he needed to escape. The adult gwythaint had scars on its head, perhaps indicating that other gwythaints had wounded it as punishment for helping Gwydion on Taran's behalf. Rescuing Taran at Mount Dragon was the gwythaint's last act, as it fell under the deathless warriors' attack.