# The Goblins in the King’s House explained — The Princess and the Goblin > Chapter companion for The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. ## What happens Curdie dreams of his past adventures and wakes to find the king's house under attack by goblins. He rushes into battle, using his iron-shod shoes to stamp on goblin feet and a hunting-knife to slash at them. He frees the captive men-at-arms and the captain, then searches for Princess Irene. He finds the wine cellar full of goblins being served wine by the butler, and after routing them, rescues Lootie from Harelip. The goblins flee, but the princess is missing, and Curdie resolves to rescue her. ## Themes in this chapter ### Courage vs. Fear Curdie shows courage by charging into battle alone against the goblins, while Lootie and the servants cower in fear. ### Good vs. Evil The goblins represent evil invading the king's house, and Curdie leads the forces of good to repel them. ### Perseverance and Hard Work Curdie persists in fighting despite being wounded and outnumbered, and resolves to rescue the princess no matter the cost. ## Character check-ins ### Curdie Wakes from a dream, leads the fight against the goblins, frees the captain and men-at-arms, rescues Lootie, and resolves to find the princess. ### Princess Irene Mentioned as missing; her room is found in disarray, suggesting she was carried off by goblins. ### Lootie Captured by Harelip, rescued by Curdie, and later clings to him in terror. ### The Captain Prostrated by goblins, rescued by Curdie, and later leads men in the fight. ### Harelip Captures Lootie, but is stamped on and stabbed by Curdie before disappearing into the hole. ### The King Sits on the captain's head during the attack; later flees with the queen. ### The Old Lady Appears in Curdie's dream, tending his wound with a silver box and rose-scented ointment. ## Key lines > When Curdie fell asleep he began at once to dream. He thought he was ascending the mountainside from the mouth of the mine, whistling and singing “Ring, dod, bang!” when he came upon a woman and child who had lost their way; and from that point he went on dreaming everything that had happened to him since he thus met the princess and Lootie; how he had watched the goblins, how he had been taken by them, how he had been rescued by the princess; everything, indeed, until he was wounded, captured, and imprisoned by the men-at-arms. Curdie falls asleep and dreams of reliving his entire adventure from meeting Irene and Lootie on the mountain to being captured by the king's men. _This dream sequence recaps the story so far and sets the stage for the goblin attack._ > He sprang from his bed, hurried on some of his clothes, not forgetting his shoes, which were armed with nails; then spying an old hunting-knife, or short sword, hanging on the wall, he caught it, and rushed down the stairs, guided by the sounds of strife, which grew louder and louder. Curdie jumps out of bed, quickly dresses, puts on his nail-studded shoes, grabs a hunting knife, and runs downstairs toward the noise of battle. _Curdie's preparation shows his readiness and resourcefulness in the face of danger._ > The queen gave a howl of rage and dismay; and before she recovered her presence of mind, Curdie, having begun with the group nearest him, had eleven of the knights on their legs again. The goblin queen howls in fury, but Curdie quickly frees eleven knights by stamping on goblin feet. _Curdie's tactic of stamping on feet proves highly effective against the goblins._ > Seized with the horrible conviction that Harelip had already carried her off, he rushed amongst them, unable for wrath to sing any more, but stamping and cutting with greater fury than ever. Fearing Harelip has taken the princess, Curdie attacks the goblins with even more ferocity, stamping and slashing in silence. _Curdie's anger drives him to fight more fiercely when he thinks Irene is in danger._ > With a pang of despair he saw how wrong they had been in not securing the king and queen and prince; but he determined to find and rescue the princess as she had found and rescued him, or meet the worst fate to which the goblins could doom him. Curdie regrets not capturing the goblin royals, but resolves to rescue Irene or die trying. _Curdie's determination mirrors Irene's earlier rescue of him, showing his loyalty and courage._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxvii-the-goblins-in-the-king-s-house - 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