Near the beginning, Curdie rescues Irene from some goblins after she has gotten lost on the mountain. Damsel in Distress: Played straight and later averted.Brown Note: To goblins, any singing or music counts, the merrier the worse.When the king sees Irene wearing a ring that her grandmother gave her, he is assured enough of her safety that he allows her to stay on the mountain, even after a close encounter with a goblin animal. Big Good: Irene's grandmother, who seems aware of everything that goes on on the mountain and even of what will happen in the future.Badass in Distress: Curdie can fend off goblins exceptionally well for a twelve year-old boy, but he gets captured at one point while sneaking around in the goblin lair, and has to be rescued by the princess.Averted with the King and Princess Irene, of course. Aristocrats Are Evil: Prince Harelip (Froglip in the movie) and his parents.There were strange stories told concerning them - all good stories - but strange, very strange. Later, Curdie's mother suggests that there is some blood other than human in the royal family.Ĭurdie's Mother: I may as well mention that, according to old whispers, there is something more than common about the king's family and the queen was of the same blood, for they were cousins of some degree.

Her grandmother clarifies that she is more than a hundred but changes her appearance to that of a younger woman later in the book.

Ambiguously Human: Irene is only aware that her great-great-grandmother is old by the agedness in her eyes.

Curdie also dreams (he thinks) about Irene's grandmother healing him, which is implied to have actually happened. Her grandmother implies it is this doubt which kept Irene from finding her so easily for a second time.

All Just a Dream: When Lootie doesn't believe her story, Irene wonders if she dreamed her first meeting with her great grandmother.

Alliterative Title: The chapter, ' The King and the Kiss '.

Agony of the Feet: The feet are the most sensitive part of a goblin's body, and the heroes use this to their advantage.

The Princess and the Goblin novel has examples of: It was made into a full-length animated film in 1992.Ī sequel, The Princess and Curdie, was written in 1883. The lucky pair must battle the evil power of the wicked goblin prince armed only with the gift of song, the miracle of love, and a magical shimmering thread. When a peaceful kingdom is menaced by an army of monstrous goblins, the brave and beautiful Princess Irene joins forces with resourceful peasant boy Curdie to rescue the noble king and all his people. The Princess and the Goblin is a children's fantasy novel written by George MacDonald in 1872.

The princess and the goblin story