Gurgi
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Gurgi is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Prydain, the series of fantasy novels by Lloyd Alexander. Gurgi is the hero Taran's faithful companion, appearing in all five books.
Profile
He is described as being a cross between man and beast, having long arms, covered with fur and leaves, and ever hungry but really "just a sort of a, kind of a thing". His demeanor is extremely loyal and caring, almost to a fault. His manner of speech is filled with rhymed pairs of words ("crunchings and munchings", "smackings and whackings", "sneakings and peekings", etc.), and redundant phrases ("see with lookings!"); he refers to himself in the third person. Gurgi is humble and loyal toward his human companions, at first submitting even to Taran as a "noble lord".
Appearances
Gurgi is one of the few characters to appear in all five books of the series, the others being Taran, Fflewddur, Dallben and Coll.
In
In
In
In Taran Wanderer, Gurgi loyally follows Taran on what might be the most important quest of his life, the search for his true identity (who his parents were, etc.), and proves to be a true friend.
In The High King, Gurgi's bravery is proven from beginning to end and when all is said and done, he must make the hardest choice of all.
Origins
According to a 1999 publisher's note, quoting Alexander on The Chronicles, "'The people in it were born, like most children, at unlikely and inconvenient times.. Gurgi, for example, appeared in the predawn hours. ... Suddenly there he was, with his groanings and moanings, looking like a disordered owl's nest."[2]
According to Alexander, nearly all of the proper names in Prydain are from Welsh myth or history, perhaps all except Eilonwy and Taran.[3] There are several characters named Gurgi in Welsh legend, the most important of whom was Peredur's brother.
Disney
In Disney's animated version of The Black Cauldron, Gurgi is portrayed as a small anthropomorphic dog-like creature. The voice was provided by actor/impressionist John Byner.
There used to be a restaurant in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom named after Gurgi, Gurgi's Munchies and Crunchies, which closed in 1993.[4] To this date it has been one of only two vendor/attraction with a Black Cauldron theme at any Disney theme park. The other was an attraction; "Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour" at Tokyo Disneyland, which has also since closed in 2006.
The Disney version of Gurgi also appears in the world-building video game Disney Magic Kingdoms as a playable character to unlock for a limited time.[5][6]
Additional information
- The cover on one edition of The Black Cauldron shows Gurgi looking like a raggedy humanoid with bushy hair and thin limbs, almost like a starving vagrant. Another has him illustrated similar to a Chimpanzee.
- Gurgi possesses a magical wallet, a gift from Prince Gwydion, which provides an indefinite supply of nourishing, though somewhat tasteless and dry food.
- While his mount has no name per se, he is often seen riding a shaggy pony.
References
- ^ Alexander, Lloyd. The Book of Three
- ^ The Black Cauldron (Henry Holt, 1999), "About the Author", [page 181].
This is from the first paragraph of "About the Author", which differs from volume to volume in the 1999 reissue, and precedes five 1973 paragraphs essentially unrevised. (The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain, 1973). - ^ Lloyd Alexander Interview Transcript Archived 2011-10-03 at the Wayback Machine (1999). Interview with Scholastic students. Scholastic Inc. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
- ^ "Chronology of Walt Disney World (1990-1994)".
- ^ Disney Magic Kingdoms (Gameloft) (October 6, 2023). "Update 75: The Black Cauldron | Event Walkthrough". YouTube.
- ^ Disney Magic Kingdoms (Gameloft) (October 6, 2023). "PATCH NOTES – UPDATE 75 The Black Cauldron". disney-magic-kingdoms.com.
Sources
- ISSN 0146-9339.
- ISSN 0146-9339.
- Tunnell, Michael O. (2003). "Gurgi". The Prydain Companion: A Reference Guide to Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles. ISBN 978-1627792349 – via Google Books.