The Princess and the Goblin: A Retelling for Curious Readers

A look inside

The opening of The Princess and the Goblin: A Retelling for Curious Readers, free to read.

1. 

   Princess Irene, about eight years old, had never seen the stars. Her father, the king, lived far away, and she lived in a big old house, half castle and half farmhouse, on a mountainside. Deep underneath lived the goblins. Long ago, people said, they had quarreled with a king and gone underground. Now they were clever, hard-headed, and full of mischief. So Irene was never allowed outside after dark.

2. 

   Rain, rain, rain! Irene was sick of every toy she owned. When her nurse, Lootie, stepped out, Irene ran up the old oak stair nobody used. At the top the house went quiet. Doors and more doors, and which way was back? Irene cried into her sleeve until all the crying ran out. One last door stood ajar. Another stair, steep as a ladder!

3. 

   The stair ended at three doors. Behind one, something hummed like a happy bee. Irene opened it a crack. A lady with long white hair sat spinning. Her face was smooth, but her eyes seemed to know everything. She must be fifty at least, Irene decided. “Come in, my dear,” said the lady. “I am glad to see you.”