In the mystical land of Prydain, a young boy named Taran dreams of becoming a great warrior instead of a lowly pig-keeper. As it turns out, the pig he takes care of, Henwen, is actually a magic pig which has the power to see into the future. Henwen's vision warns that the evil Horned King is after the Black Cauldron which will give him the power to take over the world. Taran must get to the Cauldron before the King can unleash its dark powers.