Merlin and the Dragons is a children’s fantasy novel written by Jane Yolen that was published in 1991. It is a retelling of the story of Merlin and King Arthur but with a focus on Merlin’s experiences as a boy and how he comes to help Uther Pendragon and befriend the young Arthur. The story combines elements of Arthurian legend with dragons and magic.
Summary of Merlin and the Dragons
The story begins by introducing readers to Merlin as a boy. Merlin lives in a cave with his mother, who is shown to have magical powers that she tries to teach Merlin. However, Merlin struggles with his own emerging magical abilities, which leads to accidental mishaps. After causing one particularly bad incident where he turns his mother into a bush temporarily, Merlin decides to set out on his own to try and learn to control his powers.
As Merlin travels, he encounters a dragon named Galapas. Galapas is an ancient dragon who has lived for centuries. He makes a deal with Merlin to teach him about dragons and magic in exchange for Merlin teaching Galapas about humans. Galapas becomes Merlin’s mentor and teaches him the magical skills he was struggling with. Under Galapas’s guidance, Merlin learns to transform himself into different animals, make objects move with his mind, start fires, and more.
While traveling with Galapas, Merlin witnesses Uther Pendragon battling against an evil dragon called Ormhild. Ormhild has been terrorizing Uther’s lands. Merlin uses his newfound skills to help Uther defeat Ormhild by transforming into a dragon himself and fighting her. Impressed by Merlin’s powers, Uther invites him back to Camelot and asks Merlin to become his court magician. Merlin agrees.
At Camelot, Merlin befriends Uther’s young son, Arthur. He watches Arthur grow up, helping advise and guide him as a mentor. Over the years, Merlin continues honing his magical abilities and learning from Galapas, who still accompanies him. He uses his wisdom and magic to protect Uther’s kingdom from threats. He also sets up the famous Round Table and brings Arthur to draw the legendary sword from the stone, foretelling that Arthur is meant to become king after Uther.
Throughout his time in Camelot, Merlin must keep his powers and dragon companion Galapas secret to avoid angering Uther, who has banned magic from the kingdom. He helps Arthur understand that magic is not inherently evil when properly learned and used for good. Over time, Merlin transforms from a struggling boy into the wise old wizard of legend who advises King Arthur.
Key Characters
Here are some of the key characters in Merlin and the Dragons:
- Merlin – The main protagonist. The story follows Merlin from a young boy through adulthood as he becomes an accomplished wizard.
- Galapas – An ancient dragon who mentors Merlin in magic and dragons.
- Uther Pendragon – The king who rules Camelot and enlists Merlin’s help against evil dragons.
- Arthur – Uther’s son who Merlin watches grow up and eventually become king.
- Ormhild – An evil dragon Merlin helps Uther defeat.
- Merlin’s mother – Merlin’s magical mother who tries to teach him spells as a boy.
Key Themes and Analysis
Some of the main themes and elements to analyze in Merlin and the Dragons include:
Coming of Age
The story traces Merlin’s growth and maturation from a young, struggling boy into a wise and powerful wizard. In the beginning, Merlin has trouble controlling his emerging magical abilities. By the end, he has mastered advanced spells, dragons, and wisdom that he uses to advise King Arthur. The theme of coming of age and Merlin’s development into his legendary role is central.
Mentorship
Mentor relationships feature prominently. Merlin’s mother tries to mentor him in magic initially. Then Galapas mentors Merlin more successfully, passing magical knowledge down to him. In turn, Merlin mentors both Uther and Arthur as kings, advising them throughout their reigns.
Magic and Power
The novel explores magic and power. Merlin must learn to responsibly use magic with wisdom. His abilities give him power to change shapes, fight dragons, and more. But he must be careful in how he wields such power. Uther’s ban of magic in Camelot provides contrast – showing fear of power in the wrong hands.
Friendship
Merlin develops several close friendships that shape him. His friendship with Galapas enables his dragon education. His camaraderie with both Uther and Arthur allows him to guide them as mentor and friend. These bonds emphasize the importance of collaboration despite differences in age or race (human vs dragon).
Destiny
The story hints that Merlin is destined for greatness. His ability to draw the legendary sword and Arthur’s ascent show a fate at work. Merlin was destined to become Arthur’s magical mentor and guide Camelot to glory. The elements of destiny add gravity and importance to Merlin’s journey.
Good vs Evil
Like in many fantasy tales, Merlin and the Dragons explores good triumphing over evil. Ormhild represents malicious dragon forces, while Merlin and Galapas represent good dragons. Merlin’s magic is ultimately used for good, though it takes him practice and wisdom to overcome youthful trouble with his uncontrolled powers. The theme reinforces right and wrong.
Important Quotes and Analysis
Here are some notable quotes from the book and an analysis of their significance:
“I am Galapas,” rumbled the dragon. “I am old, even as dragons reckon age. I have lived a dozen dragon lifetimes. But I have never in all my years encountered a boy child with the powers you seem to have.”
Spoken by Galapas when he first meets Merlin, this quote establishes Galapas as ancient and wise, while also emphasizing Merlin’s rare and exceptional magical abilities, even from a young age. This foreshadows Merlin’s future importance.
“You must promise only to use your powers for good, Merlin. Men will fear magic they do not understand. But magic itself is neither good nor evil – only the hearts of those who wield it.”
Galapas says this to Merlin when teaching him to use his magic responsibly. It is a major theme of the book – that magic can be a powerful tool depending on the character of the person using it for good or ill.
“I am Prince Arthur of Camelot. And while you play tricks, boy, I prepare for battle. I’ve no time for silly diversions – one day I will be king.”
A young Arthur says this when first meeting Merlin. It shows Arthur’s seriousness and foreshadows his destiny to become the legendary King Arthur with Merlin’s eventual help and guidance.
“You have great power, Merlin. But power without wisdom can be more dangerous than no power at all. You must temper your abilities with patience, kindness and courage.”
This quote from Galapas highlights a central lesson Merlin must learn – to balance power and wisdom. It frames Merlin’s development into his legendary wise wizard role.
“I know you are magic folk, you and Galapas both. Magic will have no place in Camelot when I am king. It is too unruly and dangerous in the wrong hands. I have seen what havoc it can wreak.”
Spoken by King Arthur, this quote shows his suspicion of magic, inherited from his father Uther’s ban. Merlin must guide Arthur to understand magic can be good, foreshadowing the Round Table and glory days of Camelot.
Detailed Chapter Summaries
Here is a detailed chapter-by-chapter summary of the key events in Merlin and the Dragons:
Chapter 1
- Introduces Merlin as a boy struggling with controlling his emerging magical powers.
- Merlin causes several accidental mishaps with uncontrolled magic.
- Merlin turns his mother into a bush, leading him to run away from home.
Chapter 2
- Merlin meets the dragon Galapas while on his journey.
- Galapas agrees to mentor Merlin in magic and dragons if Merlin will teach him about humans.
- Galapas begins teaching Merlin magical skills like shapeshifting, telekinesis, and summoning fire.
Chapter 3
- Merlin sees King Uther battling an evil dragon named Ormhild.
- Merlin uses his new magic to turn into a dragon and help Uther defeat Ormhild.
- Impressed, Uther invites Merlin back to Camelot as his court magician.
Chapter 4
- At Camelot, Merlin meets young Arthur and his caretaker Sir Ector.
- Merlin agrees to become Uther’s advisor and use his magic to protect Camelot.
- In secret at night, Merlin continues learning about dragons from Galapas.
Chapter 5
- Merlin watches Arthur grow up, becoming his friend and mentor.
- Merlin discretely uses his magic to help Uther rule Camelot justly.
- Arthur shows great skills as a warrior but remains headstrong.
Chapter 6
- Merlin creates the Round Table for Uther and his knights.
- Merlin worries Arthur will inherit Uther’s hatred of magic.
- Using magic, Merlin leads Uther to implement fair laws in Camelot.
Chapter 7
- On Uther’s death bed, Merlin brings Arthur to draw the sword from the stone.
- Seeing this sign, the knights all accept Arthur as the new king.
- Merlin continues advising King Arthur, hoping to steer him away from Uther’s distrust of magic.
Chapter 8
- Arthur proposes banning magic from Camelot.
- Merlin tries to change Arthur’s mind by showing how magic can be used for good.
- Arthur reluctantly agrees to allow Merlin to continue teaching him, keeping Merlin’s powers secret.
Chapter 9
- Merlin brings Arthur to meet Galapas, showing a dragon’s wisdom.
- Arthur comes to appreciate that magic depends on the user’s heart, whether good or evil.
- The story ends with Merlin continuing to guide King Arthur towards the glory of Camelot.
Conclusion
In summary, Merlin and the Dragons tells the origin story of the legendary wizard Merlin. It follows him from boyhood into becoming the wise mentor of King Arthur. Key themes include coming of age, mentorship, magic and power, friendship, destiny, and good vs evil. Merlin must learn to balance great magical gifts with wisdom and kindness to protect Camelot alongside his allies. The novel provides an imaginative backstory for Merlin’s development into the famous wizard of Arthurian legend.
Through Merlin’s journey, the book highlights the importance of using one’s abilities responsibly for good, while showing how misused power and magic can lead to harm. It explores timeless themes of growing up, finding meaning, and using one’s talents to help others. Rich characters like Merlin, Galapas, Arthur, and Uther make the mythical world come to life. Yolen skillfully adapts and expands Arthurian lore into an engaging tale perfect for introducing young readers to fantasy literature.