by George MacDonald
Contents
- Why the Princess Has a Story About Her
- The Princess Loses Herself
- The Princess and—We Shall See Who
- What the Nurse Thought of It
- The Princess Lets Well Alone
- The Little Miner
- The Mines
- The Goblins
- The Hall of the Goblin Palace
- The Princess's King-Papa
- The Old Lady's Bedroom
CHAPTER 1
Why the Princess Has a Story About Her
There was once a little princess whose father was king over a great country full of mountains and valleys. His palace was built upon one of the mountains, and was very grand and beautiful. The princess, whose name was Irene, was born there, but she was sent soon after her birth to be brought up by country people in a large house, half castle, half farmhouse, on the side of another mountain.
The princess was a sweet little creature, about eight years old, with fair and pretty features, and eyes like two bits of night sky, each with a star dissolved in the blue. Those eyes were often turned upward, for the ceiling of her nursery was blue with stars, as like the sky as they could make it. But she had never seen the real sky with the stars in it—for a reason which will soon be clear.
These mountains were full of hollow places underneath—huge caverns and winding ways, some with water running through them, and some shining with all colours of the rainbow when a light was taken in. The miners who dug for ore in the mountains often came upon these natural caverns.
Now in these subterranean caverns lived a strange race of beings called goblins. There was a legend that at one time they lived above ground, but for some reason, they had all disappeared from the face of the country and taken refuge underground. They were now misshapen in body and clever in mischief, delighting in tormenting those who lived above them. They had a king and government of their own, whose chief business was to devise trouble for their neighbours.
This was why the little princess had never seen the sky at night—they were much too afraid of the goblins to let her out after dark.
CHAPTER 2
The Princess Loses Herself
One very wet day, the princess could not go out, and she grew very tired of her toys. She wandered through the house and found herself at the foot of a curious old stair of worm-eaten oak. She climbed up, lost her way in the many passages, and began to cry. Suddenly she heard a curious humming sound, like the happy hum of a bee that had found a rich flower.
Following the sound, she came to a door, opened it very gently, and peeped in. Inside sat a very old lady spinning.
CHAPTER 3
The Princess and—We Shall See Who
The old lady lifted her head and said in a sweet but shaky voice, "Come in, my dear; come in. I am glad to see you."
The princess stepped inside and approached the old lady—who was much taller and prettier than the nurse, with lovely white hair as white as silver. The old lady introduced herself as Irene—the same name as the princess.
"You’ve got my name," said the old lady. "Your father, the king, asked me if I had any objection to your having it, and of course, I hadn’t."
The princess was amazed to learn that the old lady was her great-great-grandmother.
CHAPTER 4
What the Nurse Thought of It
When Irene told her nurse about the old lady in the tower, the nurse did not believe her and thought she had dreamed it. The princess was upset at not being believed, for a real princess cannot tell a lie.
CHAPTER 5
The Princess Lets Well Alone
The princess tried to find her grandmother again but could not. She resolved not to speak of her to the nurse anymore, for fear of not being believed.
CHAPTER 6
The Little Miner
One day, while walking in the garden, Irene met a boy named Curdie, the son of Peter the miner. Curdie told her about the goblins and how they feared singing. He sang a rhyme to scare them away when they appeared.
CHAPTER 7
The Mines
Curdie worked with his father in the mines. One night, while listening to the goblins, he discovered their plans—one of which was to flood the mines by breaking outlets for the water in the mountain.
CHAPTER 8
The Goblins
Curdie learned that the goblins were preparing mischief—either to carry out a grand scheme against the miners or, if that failed, to flood the mines.
CHAPTER 9
The Hall of the Goblin Palace
Curdie followed the goblins to their grand palace hall, where the king held court. The goblins discussed their plans—one of which was contingent upon the failure of another mysterious scheme.
CHAPTER 10
The Princess's King-Papa
The king visited Irene and was gentle and kind, though he did not confirm the existence of her great-grandmother. He left attendants to watch outside the house every night, concerned for her safety.
CHAPTER 11
The Old Lady's Bedroom
One night, Irene woke with a pain in her thumb and went to her grandmother’s room. The old lady was spinning spider-web—a fine, strong thread—for Irene. She showed Irene her beautiful bedroom and told her she spun only on moonlit nights.
FAQs
Who is the old lady in the tower?
She is Princess Irene’s great-great-grandmother, a mysterious and kind figure who spins magical thread.
Why couldn’t the nurse see the old lady?
The old lady did not want the nurse to know she was there and believed the nurse would not believe in her existence.
What are the goblins planning?
The goblins intend to harm the miners, possibly by flooding the mines, but their main plan is still secret.
Who is Curdie?
Curdie is a brave miner’s son who protects Irene from the goblins and knows their weaknesses.