# Curdie's Clue explained — The Princess and the Goblin > Chapter companion for The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. ## What happens Curdie, while spying on the goblins, follows his string but is led astray when goblin creatures steal his pickaxe. He stumbles into a goblin palace, confronts the king and queen, and uses his knowledge of goblins' vulnerable feet to fight them. He is eventually captured and trapped in a hole, but not before learning important clues about the goblins' plans. ## Themes in this chapter ### Courage vs. Fear Curdie shows courage by confronting the goblin king and queen despite being outnumbered and trapped. ### Deception and Appearance The goblins' deceptive appearance and Curdie's mistaken trust in his string highlight the theme of things not being as they seem. ### Perseverance and Hard Work Curdie's persistent spying and his use of the pickaxe symbolize hard work and determination in the face of adversity. ## Character check-ins ### Curdie Curdie is the protagonist of this chapter, exploring the goblin tunnels, fighting goblins, and getting captured. ### Glump The goblin king, who confronts Curdie and orders his capture. ### Harelip The goblin queen, who attacks Curdie and traps him in a hole. ## Key lines > Curdie was as watchful as ever, but was almost getting tired of his ill success. Curdie remained alert but was becoming frustrated by his lack of progress. _Highlights Curdie's perseverance despite repeated failures._ > He made a sudden rush at the king and stamped with all his might on His Majesty’s feet. Curdie attacked the goblin king by stomping on his feet, exploiting their known weakness. _Shows Curdie's strategic thinking and knowledge of goblin vulnerabilities._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xviii-curdie-s-clue - 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