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The Princess Loses Herself

From The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald, 1872

George MacDonald published The Princess and the Goblin in 1872, and it became one of the most beloved fairy tales of the Victorian era. This chapter introduces Princess Irene, a young girl whose curiosity leads her into a mysterious part of her own home. MacDonald wrote stories that combined adventure with deeper truths about courage, faith, and growing up. This text reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. The story is worth reading because it shows how ordinary curiosity can lead to extraordinary discoveries, and how a child can find bravery even in frightening moments.

Band

Green · Independent readers, earlyTypical starting range: ages 9–11

Length

medium · about 697 words in 5 sections · 3 pictures

Source

The Princess and the Goblin, George MacDonald

First published

1872

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

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