The Free Commots (chapter)

This page is about the book chapter. For the place, see Free Commots.

The Free Commots is the eighteenth chapter of Taran Wanderer. Here the hero begins to acquire new skills as he searches for his own identity.

This page contains spoilers. If you do not wish to be spoiled, do not read further.

Plot

Commot Cenarth

In the first of the Free Commots which Taran entered, the youth -- now traveling under the name Taran Wanderer -- met Hevydd, a skilled blacksmith whom Taran asked to teach him the ways of ironsmithing. Taran and Gurgi labored hard to smelt the iron and beat the metal; after several failures, Taran made a sword that was ungainly in appearance, but rang true on the smiting block. Taran, despite the skill he showed for the art, decided a smith's life was not for him. Grateful for Hevydd's offer to take him on as an apprentice, Taran declined and moved on.

Commot Gwenith

Here Taran met Dwyvach the Weaver-Woman -- a pragmatic old woman, who worked hard and spoke her mind -- and decided he wanted to learn the art of weaving. Dwyvach had Taran wash, card, and spin wool before he picked a pattern and threaded the loom for a cloak. After working on the garment for a while, he decided he disliked the pattern,

and -- when Dwyvach asked whether he would rather go to the trouble of starting over, or wear a cloak with which he was unhappy -- chose to undo it. On finishing the cloak, which was quite handsome, Taran told Dwyvach he did not want to become a weaver, even though she declared he could become one of the best in Prydain.

Commot Merin

This was the most beautiful place Taran had ever seen. At Fernbrake Stream he met a man delving for clay in the mud.