This is the story of the Princess Irene, her friend Curdie, and her mysterious great-great-grandmother. They work together to fight the goblins who live in the caves beneath her mountain home. First published in 1872, MacDonald's popular novel developed both the tone and the tropes of the modern fantasy tale. On one level, it is simply a fairy tale in the form of a quest narrative.

On another, it is a social critique of Victorian era issues of feminine agency and gender roles.