Including: The Princess and the Goblins and The Princess and Curdie
by George MacDonald

In the first book, eight-year-old Princess Irene lives in a large house, half castle, half farm-house, on the side of a mountain… under which live terrible goblins and their bizarre mutant creatures.

One rainy day, Princess Irene explores the house and finds an unknown staircase, at the top of which she meets her mysterious and ageless great-great-grandmother; mysterious because almost no one else—besides Irene—can see or hear the old/young woman.

On the next clear day, Irene and her nurse enjoy the outdoors, but have a frightful encounter with goblins. Fortunately for them, a young miner boy named Curdie comes to their rescue. Curdie goes on to discover the sinister plot of the goblins to capture the princess but in the process is captured himself. Irene is then able to rescue Curdie from deep underground by following her great-great-grandmother’s specific and puzzling instructions.

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