The Ivory City and its Fairy Princess
A young prince, while practicing archery, accidentally injures a merchant's wife. The king, enraged, orders the male population to pass by the merchant's house for identification. The prince and his friend, the vizier's son, are recognized, leading to the prince's banishment. The vizier's son insists on accompanying him, and they set off together. During their journey, the prince discovers a beautiful fairy by a lake and falls in love. The vizier's son learns the fairy is Gulizar from the Ivory City and vows to help the prince win her heart. They encounter robbers but manage to escape with the help of a cunning plan involving a disguised escape. Arriving in Ivory City, they stay with an old woman who serves the princess. The prince learns of Gulizar's existence and begins visiting her. Gulizar, enamored, wishes to keep the prince close, but she plots against the vizier's son, sending him poisoned food. He narrowly escapes death and devises a plan to expose her treachery. The prince follows the vizier's son's advice, feigning grief and tricking Gulizar into a deep sleep. He marks her back with a hot shovel and steals her pearl necklace. When the king learns of the theft, he orders an investigation, leading to the discovery of Gulizar's wrongdoing. The prince and vizier's son reveal their identities, and Gulizar repents. The king, eager to make amends, invites them back to the palace, promising the prince's marriage to Gulizar. They return home, where the prince is welcomed back, and he eventually ascends to the throne, ruling with wisdom and happiness.
By Joseph Jacobs · First published 1890 · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance · 6,186 words
First lines
One day a young prince was out practising archery with the son of his father's chief vizier, when one of the arrows accidentally struck the wife of a merchant, who was walking about in an upper room of a house close by. The prince aimed at a bird that was perched on the windowsill of that room, and had not the slightest idea that anybody was at hand, or he would not have shot in that direction. Consequently, not knowing what had happened, he and the vizier's son walked away, the vizier's son chaffing him because he had missed the bird.
What this Textopian page supports
The Ivory City and its Fairy Princess is listed on Textopian as a novella by Joseph Jacobs, dated 1890 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: Joseph Jacobs
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Fairy Tale, Drama
- Length: 6,186 words
- Structure: 1 section, 116 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ivory City and its Fairy Princess by Joseph Jacobs
- 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 Ivory City and its Fairy Princess?
- How does this novella by Joseph Jacobs fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Charmed Ring by Joseph Jacobs
- Punchkin by Joseph Jacobs
- The Wood Sprite by Alexander Nikolayevich Afanasyev
- The Elderbush by Hans Christian Andersen
- Zlatovlaska The Golden Haired The Story Of Yirik And The Snake by Parker Fillmore
- The Three Citrons The Story Of A Prince Who Climbed The Glass Hill by Parker Fillmore
Genres
- Fantasy — The presence of fairies, magical elements, and enchanted objects defines the fantastical nature of the story.
- Adventure — The plot involves a journey filled with challenges, including encounters with robbers and the quest for love.
- Romance — The central theme revolves around the love story between the prince and the fairy princess, Gulizar.
- Fairy Tale — The narrative structure and moral lessons align with traditional fairy tale conventions.
Tags
Fairy Tale · Children's Literature · Fantasy · Magic · Princess · Adventure · Quest · Good vs Evil · Friendship · Courage · Kindness · Selflessness