# XIII: The Cobs’ Creatures explained — The Princess and the Goblin

> Chapter companion for The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald.

## What happens

The men-at-arms guarding the king's country house begin to see grotesque, misshapen creatures at night. These are goblin-tamed animals that have evolved over centuries into bizarre forms, and they have emerged from a stream channel broken by the goblins' mining. The creatures frolic on the lawn, causing fear and confusion among the guards.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Appearance

The creatures' grotesque and deceptive appearances cause the guards to doubt their own eyes, blurring the line between reality and illusion.

### Good vs. Evil

The emergence of the goblins' creatures represents a tangible threat from the subterranean evil, challenging the safety of the king's house.

## Character check-ins

### Princess Irene

The princess is present at the country house, though not directly active in this chapter.

### The King

The king has left the country house, having appointed gentlemen to watch over the princess.

### Curdie

Curdie is mentioned as having discovered the goblins' mining operations, which led to the creatures' emergence.

## Key lines

> They were of one sort—creatures—but so grotesque and misshapen as to be more like a child’s drawings upon his slate than anything natural.

The creatures were so oddly formed that they resembled a child's crude sketches more than any real animal.

_Describes the unnatural appearance of the goblin creatures._

> The goblins, as Curdie had discovered, were mining on—at work both day and night, in divisions, urging the scheme after which he lay in wait.

Curdie had found that the goblins were tunneling continuously, advancing their secret plan.

_Explains the goblins' mining activity that led to the creatures' escape._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xiii-the-cobs-creatures
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters