The Ugly Princess
The Ugly Princess is a fairy tale written by Charles Kingsley. It tells the story of a princess who was born with a deformity that made her look ugly and unattractive to others. Despite this, she was loved by her parents and lived happily in their castle until one day when an evil witch cursed her to be even more hideous than before. The princess then sets out on a journey to find the witch and break the curse, but along the way, she encounters many challenges and obstacles that test her strength and courage. In the end, she succeeds in defeating the witch and breaking the curse, becoming beautiful once again and living happily ever after with her prince charming.
By Charles Kingsley · First published 1870 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature · 160 words
First lines
My parents bow, and lead them forth, For all the crowd to see -- Ah well! the people might not care To cheer a dwarf like me.
They little know how I could love, How I could plan and toil, To swell those drudges' scanty gains, Their mites of rye and oil.
They little know what dreams have been My playmates, night and day; Of equal kindness, helpful care, A mother's perfect sway.
Now earth to earth in convent walls, To earth in churchyard sod: I was not good enough for man, And so am given to God.
What this Textopian page supports
The Ugly Princess is listed on Textopian as a poem by Charles Kingsley, dated 1870 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Charles Kingsley
- Date: 1870 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Adventure, Romance
- Length: 160 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ugly Princess by Charles Kingsley
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Ugly Princess?
- How does this poem by Charles Kingsley fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Beauty And The Beast by Marie Leprince De Beaumont
- Prince Cherry by Dinah Mulock
- The Fair One With Golden Locks by Dinah Mulock
- Princess Rosette by Charles Perrault
- Little Snowdrop by Dinah Mulock
- Beauty And The Beast by Dinah Mulock
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The book title suggests a story about a princess, which is a common theme in fairy tales.
- Fantasy — The presence of a princess suggests a fantastical or alternate world, common in fantasy literature.
- Children's Literature — The simple and imaginative title suggests this book could be aimed at a younger audience.
- Adventure — Princesses often are featured in adventure stories, facing obstacles or quests.
Tags
fairy tale · princess · beauty · transformation · self-acceptance · love · adventure · fantasy · morality · identity · courage · friendship