The Princess and Curdie · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonald.
Chapter 1
The Mountain
This chapter introduces Curdie, the son of a miner, and describes the awe-inspiring nature of mountains. It recounts how Curdie's bravery defeated the goblins and saved Princess Irene, leading the king to offer him a place in his train. Curdie chooses to stay with his parents, a decision the king admires. The chapter also reflects on the miners' work and the king's righteous use of silver.
Chapter 2
II: The White Pigeon
Curdie, growing older and more skeptical, has become less attentive to the wonders of the upper world. One evening, he shoots a white pigeon with his arrow, but as it lies wounded in his hands, its gaze fills him with remorse. He remembers the white pigeon that flew from the grandmother's lamp when the princess left, and fears he has killed that very bird. As darkness falls, a great globe of light shines from above the castle, and the pigeon flutters, prompting Curdie to run with it toward the castle, hoping it is not dead.
Chapter 3
III: The Mistress of the Silver Moon
Curdie enters the castle through the open front door and navigates the winding stairs by visualizing the building's exterior. He reaches the tower room where the old princess (the great-great-grandmother) sits spinning in the moonlight. He confesses to shooting her white pigeon, and she gently rebukes him, teaching him about the importance of meaning good and the danger of acting without knowledge. Through her spinning wheel's song, Curdie realizes he has been doing wrong all day and begins to understand the lesson.
Chapter 4
IV: Curdie’s Father and Mother
Curdie returns home to his parents, who immediately sense a change in him. After supper, he shares the story of his encounter with the old princess and the white pigeon. His parents advise him to follow the old lady's instructions, reminding him of his promise and the importance of obedience. They reassure him that his experience, whether dream or reality, has made him a better son, and he resolves to do as he was told.
Chapter 5
V: The Miners
In the mine, Curdie and his father Peter listen to the miners exchange superstitious tales about Old Mother Wotherwop, a witch-like figure blamed for various misfortunes. Peter questions their assumptions, suggesting she might be an angel in disguise, but the men dismiss him. Curdie remains silent, then defends the idea that the tales might have good in them, drawing mockery. He keeps his temper, and he and Peter walk home alone.
Chapter 6
VI: The Emerald
Curdie and his father Peter, while working in the mines, see a mysterious green light that leads them through old passages to a cavern. There they encounter the ancient princess, Irene's great-great-grandmother, who appears as a beautiful lady dressed in green with emeralds. She reveals that the light they followed came from her, and demonstrates that the cavern's brilliance depends on her presence, as it fades when she leaves.
Chapter 7
VII: What Is in a Name?
Peter and Curdie wait in the dark cavern for the Lady of Light to return. She appears, revealing that she has known Peter for forty years and has kept him poor as a privilege. She tells Peter that he and his wife have royal blood and that Curdie is being trained for a great work. Curdie asks questions about her many names and forms, and she explains that names and shapes are only dresses, while the true self remains the same. She gives Peter a green stone, and they leave the cavern, meeting an old woman outside who is the princess in disguise, instructing Curdie to come to the dove-tower alone.
Chapter 8
VIII: Curdie's Mission
Curdie returns home early to prepare for his visit to the princess's dove-tower. On the way, he meets his father, Peter, and they share a warm exchange about aging and dignity. At the king's house, Curdie is obstructed by the housekeeper, who asserts her authority and tries to prevent his entry. A strange, gruesome animal appears and frightens the housekeeper away, then follows Curdie. He proceeds to the princess's workroom, which appears transformed into a vision of sky and stars with a great spinning wheel of fire. The princess sings a song about the weaving of the universe and the eventual rising of sleepers. She reveals that the strange creature is named Lina, and when Curdie shakes its paw, he feels the hand of a child. The princess explains that his gift allows him to perceive hidden good, not just evil. She instructs Curdie to set out for the court in the morning, tells him to inform his parents, and gives him a message about a special stone for his father. She provides Lina as his servant and companion, and gives him final counsel about being true, honest, and fearless, and trusting in her guidance.
Chapter 9
IX: Hands
Curdie returns home and tells his parents about his encounter with the old princess and the gift he received. His parents are skeptical, but his mother's hand feels like the princess's to Curdie, leading to a discussion about inner nobility and true gentility. Peter affirms that Joan is a true lady, and Curdie prepares to leave for Gwyntystorm, taking his working clothes and tools despite his mother's suggestion to wear better garments.
Chapter 10
X: The Heath
Curdie travels through a desolate heath, facing mockery from villagers and enduring a strange, unsettling landscape. He stops to rest under an ancient hawthorn tree, where he encounters a mysterious creature emerging from the sunset, which approaches him in a threatening manner.
Chapter 11
XI: Lina
Curdie recognizes Lina, the frightful creature from the princess's tower, and they form a bond. After a night attack by strange bird-like creatures, Lina saves Curdie, and he tends to her wounds. They journey together for seven days, with Lina proving her loyalty and bravery, deepening Curdie's trust and affection for her.
Chapter 12
XII: More Creatures
Curdie and Lina traverse a forest, where Lina encounters and defeats a series of strange creatures, gathering a following of forty-nine grotesque animals. The creatures display bizarre forms and behaviors, but Lina commands them, and they eventually depart at the forest's edge, leaving Lina to continue with Curdie.
Chapter 13
XIII: The Baker's Wife
Curdie and Lina approach the city of Gwyntystorm, observing its neglected fortifications and the self-congratulatory attitude of its inhabitants. Upon entering, Curdie helps a baker who trips on a stone, leading to a dispute with a barber over a broken window. Curdie's actions reveal the city's selfishness and lack of genuine community. The baker's wife, more honest than her husband, warns Curdie to be careful in the city and sells him better bread, showing a glimmer of kindness.
Chapter 14
XIV: The Dogs of Gwyntystorm
Curdie and Lina arrive in Gwyntystorm, where the town's dogs attack them. Curdie kills a bulldog, and Lina kills a mastiff, provoking the butchers' anger. The townspeople, fearing Lina's appearance, shut their doors and throw things at Curdie when he seeks lodging. A brave little girl leads them to her grandmother's house, where they find refuge. The townspeople gossip about Curdie's hammer and his strange companion.
Chapter 15
XV: Derba and Barbara
Curdie, Lina, and their hosts Derba and Barbara are besieged in Derba's house by the authorities of Gwyntystorm, who demand Curdie's surrender and Lina's death. Curdie refuses to hand over Lina, and when the soldiers break in, Lina escapes with a terrifying roar. Curdie surrenders and is taken prisoner, but he manages to free himself from his bonds in the dark cell.
Chapter 16
The Mattock
While imprisoned in Gwyntystorm, Curdie waits in the dark, thinking of his parents. A crowd gathers for his trial, but Lina bursts in, causing chaos and getting them locked in the vault together. Using his mattock, Curdie digs through the floor into a cave below, discovering a passage that leads to a door, offering a potential escape.
Chapter 17
XVII: The Wine-Cellar
Curdie and Lina discover a hidden door in the cellar of Gwyntystorm palace. They witness a butler secretly poisoning a wine cask, and Curdie's plan to expose him is thwarted when the butler is frightened away by Lina's howl. The servants dismiss the butler's story as a drunken dream, and Curdie takes the key to prevent further access. Later, Curdie sneaks into the palace hall to steal food, successfully grabbing a pie before returning to the cellar.
Chapter 18
XVIII: The King’s Kitchen
Curdie and Lina, having secured the poisoned pie, retreat to the cellar to eat it, then wait for the house to quiet. They explore the servants' hall, kitchen, and sculleries, finding filth, drunkenness, and animal-like servants. Curdie notes the contrast with his mother's clean kitchen. They ascend to the royal quarters, where Lina becomes wary, and Curdie finds a curtained door he believes leads to the king's chamber, entering with Lina guarding the threshold.
Chapter 19
XIX: The King’s Chamber
Curdie enters the king's chamber and finds Princess Irene watching over her ailing father, who is delusional and clings to his crown. Irene explains that the king has been ill for a year and that the doctor visits nightly to give him wine. Curdie recognizes the flagon as the one from the wine cellar and suspects foul play. When the doctor arrives, Curdie tricks him by replacing the wine with a safe vintage, while Lina helps him navigate the palace. The chapter deepens the mystery of the king's illness and Curdie's mission.
Chapter 20
XX: Counterplotting
Curdie and Princess Irene conspire to protect the king from the treacherous plot against him. Curdie reveals his mission from the old princess, exposes Dr. Kelman as a serpent, and they plan to ensure the king receives only unpoisoned food and wine. Curdie introduces Irene to Lina, and they agree to work together to save the king.
Chapter 21
XXI: The Loaf
Curdie, having escaped the dungeon with Lina's help, retrieves a loaf of bread from the baker's shop and sends it to Princess Irene via Lina. Irene feeds the bread and wine to the king, who begins to recover. Dr. Kelman is puzzled and annoyed by the improvement. Irene tells the king that Curdie has arrived and will visit him at night, sent by her great-great-grandmother.
Chapter 22
XXII: The Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain attempts to coerce the king into signing a document without reading it, but the king, revived by the bread and wine, refuses. The princess reads to the king, who improves. Curdie and Lina continue their secret watch, securing food for the king and princess. Curdie discovers gold in the rock of the palace passage, planning to use it to enrich the king. The servants grow suspicious, but Curdie devises a plan to rid the palace of them.
Chapter 23
XXIII: Dr. Kelman
Curdie, with Lina's help, gains the trust of a truthful housemaid and learns the layout of the palace. He confronts the king, who reveals his deep despondency and suspicion of his court. Curdie discovers that the doctor, Dr. Kelman, is poisoning the king nightly. With Lina's aid, he captures the doctor, who is dragged out and left at the lord chamberlain's door. The king, reassured by Curdie, sleeps peacefully, while Irene rests in confidence.
Chapter 24
The Prophecy
Curdie watches over the sleeping king, who is recovering from the doctor's influence. He tells the princess about the doctor's attempt and shows her the crown guarded by Lina. The chambermaid delivers a warning to the servants about their wicked ways, but they mock and assault her, throwing her into the wine cellar. Curdie and Irene share their life stories with the king, who begins to believe in the strange events and feels better.
Chapter 25
The Avengers
Curdie prepares for a potential assault on the king's chamber, growing anxious as no one from the court has visited. He leaves to check on Lina, who has gathered forty-nine creatures from the wood to aid them. They work together to enlarge a hole and create a bridge to move the creatures into the cellar. Curdie then finds a new route to the king's chamber through the colonel's room, and warns the servants one last time before returning to the princess.
Chapter 26
The Vengeance
Curdie confronts the corrupt servants of Gwyntystorm, who refuse to repent. With the help of Lina and the other creatures, he drives them all out of the palace, subjecting them to a terrifying and humiliating punishment.
Chapter 27
XXVII: More Vengeance
Curdie, having secured the palace, brings the avenging creatures to the servants' hall to feast and then orders a thorough cleaning. He then deals with the treacherous courtiers: the secretary is terrorized by Lina, the lord chamberlain is trapped in a twisted silver bed by the legserpent, the master of the horse is subdued by the tapir, and the attorney-general is bound by a giant spider. The remaining courtiers are expelled from the palace, and Derba is appointed chatelaine to serve the king.
Chapter 28
XXVIII: The Preacher
The chapter describes the aftermath of the king's actions in Gwyntystorm, where the clergy and citizens react with fear and superstition. The first priest delivers a sermon on 'Honesty is the best Policy,' but is interrupted by a monstrous serpent that carries him away, driving him mad. The city descends into chaos, with reports of demonic activity, attacks on citizens, and the butchers' cruelty towards strangers. The chapter ends with the city in turmoil, as the people turn against the clergy and the king.
Chapter 29
Barbara
The king continues to recover, but is plagued by nightmares caused by the doctor's poison. Curdie, hearing Barbara cry, brings her to the king's chamber, where her presence instantly calms him and dispels his dreams. Barbara becomes a constant companion to the king, even playing with his crown. The colonel of the guard also improves, but his attempts to contact his regiment fail due to false rumors spread by the king's enemies. The lord chancellor, having escaped, plots to destroy the king by inviting invasion from a neighboring kingdom.
Chapter 30
XXX: Peter
Peter, alarmed by the emerald's fading color, rushes to the king's house to seek the old princess's help. He finds the house empty and the tower abandoned, with only a garret room, a dark abyss, and a flock of white birds flying north. Despairing, he sets off for Gwyntystorm to find his son Curdie, while Joan waits at home, troubled.
Chapter 31
The Sacrifice
The palace is in a strange state with the king ill, guarded by Curdie and his animal companions. The city is hostile, and an enemy army approaches. Curdie plans to defend the kingdom, but during the night he witnesses a miraculous scene: the old princess uses a fire of roses to heal the king, sacrificing herself in the process. The king is restored, and Curdie is filled with joy and peace.
Chapter 32
The King's Army
The king awakens fully restored, and with Curdie and Sir Bronzebeard, prepares for battle. They gather a small, unconventional force, including the princess Irene, Lina and the Uglies, and a loyal housemaid. The army marches out to face the enemy, with the king's white charger miraculously returned and the princess riding her pony among the beasts.
Chapter 33
The Battle
The king commands a trumpet to be blown, and the youth sounds a warlike defiance. The butchers and the guard, who had gone over to the enemy, attack the king. Curdie, the page, Lina, and her pack of beasts fight them off. The king and the colonel engage the guard, while Curdie and his beasts join them. The enemy's forces advance, but a dense cloud of pigeons descends upon them, blinding and confusing them. The princess's pony takes fright, but her attendant stops it. The enemy's leaders see the maid waving her arm, which seems to control the pigeons, and they attack her. A miner, Peter, appears and defends her. The enemy is routed, and the pigeons pursue them as they flee. The battle is over, and the pigeons return to the palace.
Chapter 34
Judgment
The king returns victorious with only the lord chancellor as prisoner. He addresses the people in the marketplace, condemning their cowardice and the treachery of their leaders. The seven traitors are bound to the beasts and sent away. The king rewards the colonel, the page, and Peter, and promises Curdie that he may marry Irene when they are grown. At supper, the housemaid reveals herself to be Princess Irene in disguise, and the chapter ends with her serving them all in royal attire.
Chapter 35
The End
Curdie searches the kingdom for honest people to form a new government. The king's treasury is empty, but Curdie reveals the city is built on gold, leading to mining and prosperity. Peter and Joan move to Gwyntystorm, and Peter discovers a gem-filled cavern. Queen Irene, formerly the old princess, spends time in the palace and occasionally visits the 'Uglies' in the woods. Curdie finds her in her rose-filled room with Lina, who is consumed by the fire. Curdie and Irene marry, become king and queen, and rule well, but after their deaths, a greedy king mines too deep, weakens the city's foundations, and Gwyntystorm collapses, leaving only a wilderness.
