The Princess and the Goblin (Puffin Classics)

The story takes place in a land where men rule during the day, but the night is ruled by goblins and their creatures. Goblins used to live among men in the open air but they didn't like to pay taxes so they went underground and disappeared it seemed from the world of men all together. There living in dampness and without light the goblins changed in mind and body until they became short grotesque creatures who hated all men, especially the King and his descendants. Years later the good King who ruled the land at the time of this story had an eight year old daughter named Princess Irene. It is mentioned that Irene's mother was very sick when she was born, but since she isn't mentioned at all any further in the story it might be implied that she died. Since her King-Papa, who loved her very much, was constantly away traveling looking after his kingdom, he had to leave Irene in the care of a nurse named Lootie in a small castle, and provided her with all the amenities she would need to be looked after. He then would come to visit her there often on his travels with an accompaniment of his men at arms. One rainy day when the princess was bored she decided to go exploring the old castle by herself and discovers a stairway leading up to a hidden level of the house. There she meets her mysterious Great-Great-Grandmother Irene (whom she was named after) secretly living in the house. Her Grandmother has many magical powers and gives Irene a few small gifts to help protect her from harm. Her Grandmother also has the power to only let people find or see her whom she wishes to, so when Irene returns to her nurse, nobody believes her when she tells them about her Great-Great-Grandmother. Several days later when the sun finally comes out Irene has Looty take her for a long walk in the mountains to enjoy the fresh air and loses track of time. When darkness starts to fall the nurse panics and tries to rush the princess home but it won't be in time before the sun is going to set. No one has seen a goblin in years, but they still fear being out at night just in case. On the way they meet a brave little twelve year old boy named Curdie who was on his way home from working in the mines all day with his father Peter, and he escorts them home. From working in the mines Curdie has learned all the old ways to protect yourself from goblins so he doesn't fear them. He tells the Princess and Looty that he believes goblins will leave you alone if you aren't afraid of them, and that more than anything else they hate to hear rhymes. So all the way home he sings rhymes out loud to scare away any stray goblins. Irene promises him a kiss as a thank you for his troubles but Looty puts it off for a later time. The story then takes us back to Curdie's humble house where we meet his loving mother and father. Curdie is trying to save money to buy his mother a new coat for the winter, so the next few days he stays late in the mine and does some overtime work. During the night he discovers a family of goblins and by spying on them overhears part of a plan the King of the Goblins was working on to kidnap the Princess and to get rid of all of the miners. In order to discover the rest of their plan however, on the subsequent nights Curdie with his pick axe and a hand full of new rhymes has to sneak further into goblin territory. Not only does he risk having to fight off all the goblins and their pets if he is discovered, but if he loses his way he could be lost forever in the many caverns. By the time he does finds the King and Queen of the Goblins along with their son Prince Hairlip, and discovers the rest of their plan along with another of their vulnerabilities, he is so far gone into their territory that it looks like he may never make it home again unless he receives a lot of outside help. The Princess then proves to be just as brave as Curdie and comes to his rescue. Together with the magical powers of the Princess's Great-Great-Grandmother it all leads up to a great battle between the men and goblins. McDonald showed a lot of imagination in writing this great adventure. I'm sure my girl's who are eight and six will love it. The illustrations by Arthur Hughes were very good, but the goblins look more like silly little gnomes in his pictures rather than the grotesque creatures described in the book. I guess they wanted to scare the children who were reading the book, but just not that much.

I really loved reading the story of The Princess and the Goblins after having watched the animated movie as a child. I enjoyed the writing style so much. It's a really nice and fun fairy tale, I was worried it would be too "young" for me/my reading preferences but it was a really nice and quick read that didn't feel written solely for children.

This is a small, but noteworthy tale. I will be keeping this review on the lighter side and encourage you to explore the story on your own. “Seeing is not believing – it is only seeing.” Having been originally published in 1872, I admit that I began with some trepidation. Even as an avid fan of fairy tales, I am no stranger to the challenges of reading older work. It can be easy to find yourself lost among the dated language and styles of writing. But that simply was not the case here. I welcomed the surprise of discovering that even now, this endearing story still seems to read with a certain ease and fluidity that I appreciated. The Princess and the Goblin was not the complex, exciting sort of read we have come to expect from today’s fantasy but there was much to be admired within its simple magic and charming characters. This felt like a visit down memory lane of what I imagine must be the earlier roots or at least notable influences of the fantasy genre we have come to love presently. “People must believe what they can, and those who believe more must not be hard upon those who believe less. I doubt if you would have believed it all yourself if you hadn’t seen some of it.” And of course, no fairy tale is complete with a moral lesson tucked within the pages. Here we learn the importance of having faith and “The Golden Rule”. Presented through a cast that includes a lively and adventurous princess, a kind miner boy and a mysterious grandmother, all elements come together successfully in a small tale that leaves a lasting impression. I recommend picking this up if you are a fan of fairy tales, as I feel it truly encompasses the essence of the genre. I regret not having stumbled upon this sooner so that I might have read it aloud with my own children. It is a quaint read that will be a lovely addition to any family library.

Enjoyable writing style and characters, in-depth plot and pleasant world building. Appealed to many ages, by myself, an adult, my teenager, and my young one as a read aloud story. This is of the stories that speaks significance to the soul.

This is a simple, well written read. A good story that me in suspense. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good read and a good fairy tale. Don't be afraid of something new.

This is a fun fantasy tale originally written by George MacDonald many years ago. It's the tale of young Princess Irene and a young miner named Curdie. There are grotesque goblins causing trouble. Curdie is very brave and Irene saves the day. This tale is fun reading for any age. I have recommended it to my 10 yr old granddaughter. It should be interesting to compare notes between our generations. I am about to begin the 2nd book in this 2 book series. Happy Reading!

Wholesome, sweet, engaging, an over all pleasant read. Would recommend for children and adults of Chapter-books reading ability and up.

J'ai lu cette histoire dans le cadre de mes études d'anglais et je ne regrette pas ! J'ai adoré ce livre et je n'hésiterai pas à le lire aux enfants que je côtoie ! C'est l'histoire d'une petite princesse qui se sent un peu seule dans son grand château. Un jour, elle s'aventure tout en haut des escaliers, et rencontre sa grand-mère (dont elle ignorait l'existence). En voulant retrouver sa chambre, elle se perd et finit par être enlevée par des gobelins... Je laisse le suspens pour ceux qui voudraient lire, et je vous le recommande. Pour tous ceux qui ont une bonne base d'anglais, il est facile à lire, même si on ne comprend pas forcément tous les mots, il n'est pas très long même si il a un beau format et il est prenant.

Reading this as bedtime story over several weeks. It's 235 pages of a story written over a century ago with some old but beautifully quaint expressions and a princess, mountains, a miner's son and underground goblins and other creatures all involved in mystery and imagination and wonder and excitement. I'm not sure if it's the story or the dulcet tones of my reading, but my daughter tends to fall asleep quickly while I read this, so... I love it. And I'm enjoying the story too.

George MacDonald sempre muito bom. Obrigado

I bought this to read myself and see if it was as good as I rembered from childhood especially as I wanted one as a sunday school prize. This copy interested me in particular as it was a facsimilie. It did warned there might be the odd missing word or poor print becuase of the method of reproduction. But there amounted to about two or three flaws. So I was well satisfied with the re-read and quality of the book. Well worth purchasing for children who can read well up to 11 years.

I like this book and I read this book again and again. My children like this book, too. For the first time, I read it in Japanese, but gradually I got wanted to read it in English, so I bought it. Both books were good, and it was easy to read in English. I could understand the princess` polite attitude toward her great great grandmother. And reading the great great grandmother`s words, I felt her kindness and love to the princess.