5 h 48 minAudiobook9 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 5 h 48 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · 142 pagesHardcover · 6 × 9 in · 142 pagesAbout this book
Above the mountain, a lonely princess explores; beneath it, goblins plot harm against the people in the light.
Eight-year-old Princess Irene lives in a lonely house on a mountainside, where unfamiliar stairs lead her to a mysterious great-great-grandmother spinning in a tower. Below the same mountain, Curdie works in the mines. Brave, clever, and quick with a rhyme, he begins to learn what the goblins beneath the earth intend.
In George MacDonald’s The Princess and the Goblin, a walk after sunset brings danger close, and a magical thread offers guidance through fear. Irene and Curdie face darkness with kindness, courage, and trust. Around their adventures sits a question for children and adults alike: what do we do with things we cannot see?
What you’ll discover
- A tower full of mystery Climb unfamiliar stairs with Irene and meet the quiet, watchful grandmother who spins above her nursery.
- Courage beneath the mountain Follow Curdie into the mines, where clever rhymes become a surprising defence against goblins.
- A thread through fear Discover how Irene’s magical thread brings trust and unseen guidance into a tale of danger.
- Kindness with real strength Meet children whose honesty and care for others matter as much as their bravery.
- A storyteller beside you Enjoy a narrator who speaks directly to you, with gentle jokes along the way.
Who will love it
For readers who love fairy tales, parents who enjoy a gentle bedtime story with some real fear in it, and anyone curious about the roots of modern fantasy.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A princess hidden on the mountain
- Irene finds a grandmother in the tower
- Curdie learns what lives beneath
- Lost on the mountain after dark
- What it means to see and to believe
- How MacDonald tells the tale
Who’s who
- Princess IreneA kind, curious eight-year-old princess who lives in a lonely mountain house and wants to understand the strange things she finds there.
- CurdieA brave and clever miner's boy who makes up rhymes, fears no darkness, and wants to protect the people he cares for.
- LootieIrene's loving nurse, who spoils her a little and wants above all to keep her safe and happy.
- The great-great-grandmotherA mysterious, beautiful old lady who spins in the tower and watches over Irene with quiet wisdom.
- PeterCurdie's father, a poor and wise miner who trusts his son and values honesty above riches.
- JoanCurdie's mother, a warm and hardworking woman who keeps the family cottage and loves her son dearly.
- The KingIrene's loving father, who sends her to the mountain for her health and wants only her good.
- The goblinsUgly underground creatures with hard heads and soft feet, who resent the people above and plot to do them harm.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet, computer or Kindle, with the type as large as you like.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 5 h 48 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 9 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in, 142 pages: 7,95 USD when you start free, 14,95 USD on its own.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in, 142 pages: 14,95 USD when you start free, 21,95 USD on its own.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
eBooks and audiobooks open right away. Download EPUB or PDF, or send the book to your Kindle. Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then 0,14 USD a day in your first year on the yearly plan and 0,27 USD a day after, or 0,66 USD a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook, audiobook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
25 languages, side by side
Read and hear The Princess and the Goblin in 25 languages and switch at any time. Or read two side by side, paragraph by paragraph: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
The Princess and the Goblin
by George MacDonald · 1872
A princess and a miner's boy face goblins beneath the mountain, while a mysterious thread guides her way.
Easy read5–10 hours to read25 languages
Excellent
- Read or listen
- 25 languages, side by side
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeFree for 3 months, then 0,14 USD a dayCancel anytimeHow it works
In short
The Princess and the Goblin is a children's fantasy novel by the Scottish writer George MacDonald. It first appeared in 1872, first in a magazine for young readers and then as a book.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A princess hidden on the mountain
The story opens in a kingdom among high hills. Princess Irene is eight years old, and her father the king has sent her to live in a large country house on the side of a mountain. The air there is good for her, and the house is far from the noise of the court. She is looked after by a nurse named Lootie, who loves her and obeys her a little too easily.
The narrator soon tells us that the mountain has a secret. Deep inside it live goblins, strange and twisted creatures who were once driven underground by the kings of the country. They have never forgiven that. They have hard heads and soft feet, and their faces are grotesque. They hate the people who live above them, and they spend their long nights thinking up ways to annoy them.
Free for 3 months · Cancel anytime
Free gifts
580 USD in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
170 USDFREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
120 USDFREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
60 USDFREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
60 USDFREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
170 USDFREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about The Princess and the Goblin
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy just the printed book?
Yes. The paperback costs 14,95 USD on its own. Start free and you pay the cost of printing: 7,95 USD for this paperback, and any other book at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is The Princess and the Goblin about?
It tells of Princess Irene, who lives in a mountain house, and Curdie, a miner's boy. Together they face goblins who live under the mountain and plot against the king's household, while a secret grandmother in the tower guides Irene.
Who wrote The Princess and the Goblin and when?
George MacDonald, a Scottish author and minister, wrote it. It was first published in 1872, and it appeared in a children's magazine before coming out as a book.
What is the thread in The Princess and the Goblin?
The thread is a fine, almost invisible line spun by Irene's great-great-grandmother and tied to a ring she gives the princess. It guides Irene when she needs to find her way, and it stands for trust.
The author
George MacDonald
1824–1905 · Scottish fantasy novelist and minister
George MacDonald (1824–1905) was a Scottish writer and Christian minister. Born in Huntly, Scotland, he later lived in England and Italy. He wrote novels, fairy tales, poetry and sermons. His books include Phantastes (1858), At the Back of the North Wind (1871), The Princess and the Goblin (1872) and Lilith (1895).
More by George MacDonald
All 8 booksMore like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
