A Wizard of Earthsea: Chapter 5 Summary & Analysis

West of Roke are the Ninety Isles, a community of small islets. Some, uninhabited, are daily erased by the tides, while others are home to villages of seafaring people and fishermen who paddle their boats along the saltwater roads that connect the isles. The westernmost of these islands is Low Torning—and the place is in need of a wizard. Threatened constantly by the dragons of Pendor, a land even further west, the people of Low Torning welcome Ged with humility and reverence, apologizing for the humble quarters they’ve built for him—and yet Ged knows that his pride has no place here.

Though most graduates of the school on Roke pursue more prestigious positions, Ged knows that the people of Low Torning will need protection from the nine dragons rumored to swarm the isle of Pendor, a desolate place with no food. The dragons have already begun flying as far as Low Torning in search of sheep, and the people need someone to protect them. Ged has accepted the position with grace—since the encounter with the shadow, he no longer dreams of a life marked by fanfare and glory. Still, there is a part of him that thrills at the chance to encounter dragons. Before leaving Roke, the Archmage Gensher warned Ged that a powerful presence which wills his destruction was waiting in the North—Low Torning is a safe, out-of-the-way place where Ged can gather his strength for the struggles ahead. 

Ged begins his duties on Low Torning with a sense of humble gratitude by working herbal remedies and other simple charms such as he worked in his youth on Gont. He makes friends with a boatmaker named Pechvarry and helps the man to charm his boats to make them more sound on the seas. At the end of Ged’s first autumn on the island, Pechvarry’s son grows sick. A witch comes to heal him, but her spells do not help the boy. Pechvarry begs Ged to save the child. Ged kneels on the child’s pallet and senses that the child is already beyond help—yet Ged knows he cannot let his new friend down.

Ged summons his power and reaches out with his spirit to chase the child’s spirit to the border between life and death. He is able to see the child running ahead of him down a dark slope. He tries to follow the child, but he soon realizes he’s gone too far toward the other realm. Ged begins walking back to the world of the living with taxing, laborious steps. When he comes back to the top of the hill, he sees the shadow waiting for him. Ged knows that if he returns to the world of the living, he will soon have to face the shadow—but if he returns to the world of the dead, he’ll perish. Ged summons his strength and leaps forward back toward life.

Ged, still hovering over the child, collapses to the ground. Pechvarry carries Ged home, where his otak licks him awake. Ged is full of fear and grief: Pechvarry’s son is dead, and as for Ged himself, the shadow has found him at last—now, surely, it will come for him with more strength than before. He begins dreaming of the shadow. Even when awake in the light of day, he feels a cold dread around him. He binds his house with spells to protect him from the shadow but is careful not to spend too much of his power—he still needs his strength to fight off the dragons of Pendor.

Ged, frustrated by the difficult situation he has gotten himself into, decides that there is only one way forward. He goes to the Head Isle-Man of Low Torning and asks permission to leave the island and go confront the dragons of Pendor—he does not want to put the people of the isle in danger by bringing the shadow here, nor does he want to abandon them to the dragons’ hunger. The Isle-Man warns Ged of how dangerous facing down nine dragons at once is, but Ged insists that eight of them are rumored to still be young. Sensing Ged’s determination, the Isle-Man gives him leave to go.

The great Dragon of Pendor arrived there years ago to take over the castle, drive the townspeople into the sea, and sit upon the once-great king’s horde. No one has ever tried to avenge the loss of Pendor, and ships frequently steer far away from the isle all together. In spite of this, Ged hires a single small boat to sail directly there, He feels fierce and excited as he nears the island—knowing he may die, he feels totally free. As Ged arrives in the harbor, he shouts out, calling the “Usurper of Pendor” to come face him.

Several young dragons begin flying at Ged. He casts a binding spell on their wings as they fly close to him. They fall into the sea, one by one, and drown. When three more dragons fly at Ged at once, he casts a Changing spell to transform himself into a dragon momentarily. He attacks them and sends them dropping into the sea. Ged quickly returns to his human form and calls out for the largest dragon to show itself. Ged is startled when the castle appears to change shape—he realizes that the great Dragon of Pendor has been wrapped around one of its spires. Now it uncurls itself and stands in its full power.

The Dragon speaks to Ged and asks him not to kill his three remaining spawn to try to get to the horde of treasure. Ged insists it’s not the horde he wants. The Dragon, using the Old Speech, flatters Ged by telling him how powerful he is for such a young wizard. Ged knows, however, not to trust the Dragon’s words. The Dragon continues to taunt Ged by asking if he has come to Pendor to seek help against the thing that hunts him from the dark. The Dragon tells Ged to name what hunts him. Ged says he cannot. The Dragon warns Ged that in order to master what chases him, he’ll need to name it. The Dragon says that the shadow will pursue Ged no matter where he goes.

The Dragon offers to tell Ged the shadow’s name. Ged knows that the Dragon is manipulating him—he is certain that to trust the Dragon would be foolish. Ged tells the Dragon he wants to strike a bargain with him—then he promises that if the dragon never flies east of Pendor, it will come to no harm. The Dragon asks what leverage Ged possibly has. Ged says he knows the Dragon’s true name, and he speaks it: it is Yevaud. The Dragon stands still. After a long while, it again offers to tell Ged the shadow’s name. Ged, addressing Yevaud by name once again, repeats that he does not want any favors. He compels Yevaud to swear that he will never come to the Archipelago. Releasing a breath of flame, Yevaud swears. His oath binds him to the isle, even as Ged, in his tiny boat, sails back to the Archipelago.