Power of Three (novel) facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Diana Wynne Jones |
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| Cover artist | Martin Caulkin |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Macmillan |
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Publication date
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1976 |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
Power of Three is an exciting fantasy novel for children, written by Diana Wynne Jones in 1976. It tells the story of a young character named Gair who grows up and learns important lessons. The book explores how three different kinds of people live together and what happens when they have problems. It's a bit like a story that teaches us about how different groups of people can get along in the real world.
Contents
What Happens in the Story?
The story begins with two Lyman siblings, Orban and Adara. They accidentally turn a shapeshifted bird back into a small Dorig. This Dorig is holding a special collar. In Lyman and Dorig cultures, these collars hold powerful magic for protection.
Orban tries to take the collar. The Dorig says he is the son of the Dorig king. He warns that he will curse the collar before giving it up. Orban kills the Dorig and takes the collar anyway. As the Dorig dies, he puts a strong curse on the collar. This curse uses the power of the Old, Middle, and New Powers.
Orban grows up and becomes the chief of the Otmound village. Adara marries Gest, who is the chief of the Garholt village. They have three children: Ayna, Gair, and Ceri. When they are young, Ayna and Ceri discover they have amazing magical talents called "Gifts." Ayna can see the future, and Ceri can find anything that is lost. Gair, the middle child, feels sad because he doesn't seem to have a Gift.
When Gair is twelve, the Dorig flood the Otmound village. The Dorig have been at war with the Lyman ever since Orban killed their prince. The people from Otmound move into the Garholt village. They bring bad luck with them, and things keep getting worse.
One day, Ayna, Ceri, and Gair are exploring the moors. They meet two young Giants. The siblings follow them back to their house. When they are discovered, they learn new things about each other's cultures. The Giants tell them that there are plans to flood the moor. This is to provide drinking water for England.
The siblings, the Giants, and two Dorigs must work together. They need to stop the Moor from being destroyed. They discover that the bad luck is coming from the cursed collar. This is the one Orban stole from the Dorig prince. The three different groups must work together to turn off the curse. They cannot do it alone.
It turns out that Gair is not as ordinary as he thought. He becomes famous throughout the Moor. He is known for his magnificent collar, which is made by the Dorig. He also has the rarest Gift of all: the Gift of Sight Unasked. This means he can see things without even trying.
Who Lives on the Moor?
Three different kinds of beings live on the Moor. They are the Lymen, the Dorig, and the Giants.
Lymen
The Lymen live in villages inside huge, hollow mounds. They are afraid of the Giants. They are also at war with the Dorig. They use "Words" to make their magic or technology work. They are a warlike people and enjoy hunting. However, they usually only kill if they have to. Some Lymen have special "Gifts," which are unique magical skills. For example, some can see the future. Their clothes are the color of the Moor. This helps them blend in with the grass, shadows, and trees. They look like humans but are a bit smaller and thinner. They have almond-shaped eyes, similar to human eyes. Their power comes from the Sun, which is the Middle Power.
Dorig
The Dorig live in halls under the water. They have special airlocks and working pumps. They also fear the Giants and are at war with the Lymen. The Dorig know very little about "Words." They don't seem to have "Gifts" like the Lymen. However, they can change their shape. They are generally peaceful but will fight if needed. Their real clothes are soft and made of fish-skins. These clothes change shape with the Dorig who wears them. When Dorig come to the surface, they wear hard, scaly armor. This armor also changes shape with them. They are as tall as Lymen. Their skin is very pale with a greenish tint. They have large, yellow eyes. Their voices have a soft, singing sound. Their power comes from the Moon, which is the Old Power.
Giants
Giants are simply humans. They have machines that work by themselves. They also have large metal vehicles that smell bad and take them places. They are very strong and have loud voices. They have "boxes" that make sounds (like radios). They also use objects to fire stone-like round things that can hurt or kill (like guns). The Lymen and Dorig are afraid of them. But the humans don't even know the Lymen and Dorig exist. Giants wear many-colored clothes with lots of decorations. These clothes fasten in "mysterious ways" (like zippers). Their power comes from the Earth, which is the New Power.
Main Characters
The main characters in this book are three Lymen siblings: Ayna, Ceri, and Gair.
- Ayna can see the future.
- Ceri can find anything that is lost. She can also "put thoughts on people." This means she can influence someone's actions by putting a kind of spell on them.
- Gair seems to be without a Gift at first. But later, he discovers he has a very special one.
Other Characters
Here are some other important characters in the story:
- Adara – She is the mother of Ayna, Ceri, and Gair. She is known for being very wise and beautiful.
- Gest – He is the father of Ayna, Ceri, and Gair. He is the chief of Garholt, the biggest village. People often call him a Hero. He is known for being charming and unique. He mysteriously completed three tasks to marry Adara.
- Orban – He is Adara's brother. This makes him the uncle of Ayna, Ceri, and Gair. He is the chief of the Otmound village.
- Ondo – He is Orban's son and the cousin of Ayna, Ceri, and Gair. The three kids don't like him because he is an annoying bully. He has ears that stick out like a sheep's.
- Kasta – She is Orban's wife and Ondo's mother. She spoils Ondo a lot. She is known for having a voice like a duck's.
- Gerald – He is a Giant who tries to help the three siblings. He and Gair become good friends. They understand each other because they both feel a bit lonely and sad.
- Brenda – She is another, very large, Giant. She and Gerald are arguing when the siblings first meet them.
- Hafny – He is a Dorig whom Ayna, Ceri, and Gair befriend. He is more open-minded than most Dorigs. He is in a similar position in Dorig society as Gair is in Lymen society.
- Halla – She is Hafny's sister. She tends to be a bit simple-minded and thinks in stereotypes.
