The Taggerung
UK first edition cover
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| Author | Brian Jacques |
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| Illustrator | Peter Standley |
| Cover artist | Chris Baker |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Redwall |
| Genre | Animal/Fantasy |
| Publisher | Hutchinson (UK) & Philomel (US) |
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Publication date
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2001 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 384 (UK Hardback) & 438 (US Hardback) |
| ISBN | (UK Hardback) & ISBN (US Hardback) |
| OCLC | 52838753 |
| [Fic] 21 | |
| LC Class | PZ7.J15317 Tag 2001b |
| Preceded by | Lord Brocktree |
| Followed by | Triss |
The Taggerung is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2001. It is the 14th book in the Redwall series.
Sawney Rath, ferret chief of the Juska tribe is hatching a plan. His seer has prophesized that a Taggerung has been born, a legendary creature with extraordinary fighting skills - superior to all others in strength, fleetness of foot and stealth. Sawney is determined to hunt the babe down, raise him as his own and bring glory to the Juska clan. But there is more. The seer has seen a hawk strike a dove in the air, their cries giving out a bell-like sound. Sawney demands to know what this omen means. The seer smiles triumphantly. 'It means that the Taggerung will be a creature from Redwall Abbey!'
One peaceful summer morning, a big male otter carries his newborn cub through Mossflower Woods to the water that runs from the river to the sea. The babe delights his father by taking to the water and swimming straight away. But this is no ordinary babe. In the palm of his right paw is a four-petal mark, like a tiny blossom, which, unknown to his family and friends, marks him as a creature apart....
His birth was a long-awaited legend full of mystery and promise, among the outlaw Juska tribes along the western shore. Denoted by a unique mark on his right paw, the Taggerung is a fearsome fighter (In the story, the word 'Taggerung' literally means a warrior of unbeatable strength, courage, and savagery), a warrior the likes of which has not been seen for many seasons.(Sawney Rath's father was the most recent). When a seer from one tribe predicted his birth at Redwall Abbey, Sawney Rath, leader of the Juskarath, sets out to capture the Taggerung.
In Mossflower Woods, Rillflag an otter from Redwall is completing a birth ritual with his newborn son, Deyna, when Sawney Rath and his tribe of vermin ambush him. Vallug Bowbeast, a deadly ferret archer of the Juska Tribe murders Rillflag and captures the legendary infant. Sawney renames the young otter Zann Juskarath Taggerung or "Tagg" for short, determined to raise him as his own son, and to bring the Taggerung under his control.
As Tagg begins to grow older, he finds himself at odds with his fellow tribe members. He refuses to become violent and soon finds himself as the only member of the tribe who has never killed for fun, or at all. When Sawney orders him to skin a runaway fox named Felch, Tagg refuses, enraging Sawney. Finding the roles reversed, Tagg flees and finds himself pursued by the ferret leader of the Juskarath.
Unfortunately for Rath, his chase is short-lived, as he is soon murdered by the ambitious stoat Antigra with a slingstone. Antigra hates Sawney Rath because she wishes her son, Gruven to be named as the Taggerung, and because of that, Sawney Rath had murdered her husband. Sawney's death enables her bumbling son Gruven Zann to take control of the newly renamed Juskazann tribe. The vixen seer Grissoul tells Gruven he must hunt down the former Taggerung and bring back his head. Only then will some other ambitious Juska warriors accept him as their leader. To aid him in his quest, Gruven recruits a small band of vermin including Vallug Bowbeast, the deadly assassin, and Eefera, a high-ranking weasel, to continue the hunt for the Taggerung. Unfortunately for Gruven, his band of vermin would rather kill him than follow his orders, if only the opportunity presented itself. They are too accustomed to following Sawney's orders to listen to the newly appointed chief.
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Wikipedia