The Princess and Curdie

The Princess and Curdie is a fantasy novel written by George MacDonald in 1872. It follows the story of Curdie, a young miner who must protect the princess from evil forces that threaten her kingdom. Along the way, he learns valuable lessons about courage, loyalty, and selflessness. The book is known for its imaginative world-building and moral themes.

By George MacDonald · First published 1872 · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Children's Literature · 35 chapters · 65,455 words

First lines

Curdie was the son of Peter the miner. He lived with his father and mother in a cottage built on a mountain, and he worked with his father inside the mountain.

A mountain is a strange and awful thing. In old times, without knowing so much of their strangeness and awfulness as we do, people were yet more afraid of mountains. But then somehow they had not come to see how beautiful they are as well as awful, and they hated them -- and what people hate they must fear. Now that we have learned to look at them with admiration, perhaps we do not feel quite awe enough of them. To me they are beautiful terrors.

What this Textopian page supports

The Princess and Curdie is listed on Textopian as a novel by George MacDonald, dated 1872 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: George MacDonald
• Date: 1872 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Children's Literature, Allegory, Fairy Tale
• Length: 65,455 words
• Structure: 35 chapters, 1,017 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonald
• 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 Princess and Curdie?
• How does this novel by George MacDonald fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

• The Princess And The Goblin by George Macdonald
• The Yellow Dwarf by Dinah Mulock
• King Cole by George Macdonald
• A Little Wizard by Stanley J. Weyman
• The Invisible Prince by Dinah Mulock
• The White Cat by Gelett Burgess

Genres

• Fantasy — The book features magical elements, mythical creatures, and an imaginary kingdom, which are central to the plot and themes.
• Adventure — The narrative follows the protagonist on a journey filled with challenges and quests, typical of adventure stories.
• Children's Literature — The writing style, themes, and moral lessons are tailored for a younger audience.
• Allegory — The story contains symbolic elements and moral lessons that convey deeper meanings beyond the literal narrative.

Tags

fantasy · adventure · fairy tale · children's literature · heroism · friendship · magic · moral lessons · imagination · courage · royalty · quests

Contents

• The Mountain
• The White Pigeon
• The Mistress of the Silver Moon
• Curdie's Father and Mother
• The Miners
• The Emerald
• What is in a Name?
• Curdie's Mission
• Hands
• The Heath
• Lina
• More Creatures
• The Baker's Wife
• The Dogs of Gwyntystorm
• Derba and Barbara
• The Mattock
• The Wine Cellar
• The King's Kitchen
• The King's Chamber
• Counterplotting
• The Loaf
• The Lord Chamberlain
• Dr Kelman
• The Prophecy
• The Avengers
• The Vengeance
• More Vengeance
• The Preacher
• Barbara
• Peter
• The Sacrifice
• The King's Army
• The Battle
• Judgement
• The End

More by George MacDonald

• The Golden Key (1867)
• At the Back of the North Wind (1871)
• Phantastes (1858)
• The Light Princess (1864)
• The Cruel Painter (1875)
• The Castle (1870)
• The Wow o'Riven (1874)
• The Broken Swords (1954)
• All works by George MacDonald