C. S.
An Exemplary Fairy Tale by Leigh Lowe
Lewis said, "No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally (and often far more) worth reading at the age of fifty." The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald is a book worth reading. It is worthy of the primary student as an exemplary fairy tale that will forever set his standards. It is worthy of the grammar student who is living in Middle Earth and Narnia, worlds born of MacDonald's castles and caverns. And it is worthy, as a final blessing, to graduating students, embarking on life's adventure—yet eternally knotted to home. But The Princess and the Goblin is not only a book for students. Its appeal is universal. The Princess and the Goblin is endearing and rewarding; it is worth time and contemplation at any age and any hour. But don't just take my word for it. G. K. Chesterton described The Princess and the Goblin as "the book that influenced his whole existence." C. S. Lewis called MacDonald his master. J. R. R. Tolkien read MacDonald to his children; perhaps it's not just chance that goblins are ubiquitous in his works. So what is it about this fairy tale that has garnered such distinguished regard? The answer is simple. It is completely Truthful, completely Beautiful, and completely Good (in every sense of the word). Ursula Le Guin, the author of the introduction in my tattered and marked-up copy, identifies the broad appeal of MacDonald's book. She says, "He wrote for children, not down to them. He didn't confuse being young for being simpleminded." The Princess and the Goblin draws definitive battle lines and offers a wisdom that speaks to the innocent as well as the aged. Le Guin says: MacDonald was stern and clear about what nobility is …. [A] princess is a girl who behaves nobly. Curdie the miner, being brave and kind and behaving nobly and wisely, is a prince. The king is a king because he's a good man. No other definition is allowed. This is radically moral democracy.
Thus, nobility is a choice that is accessible to all of us. This truth makes The Princess and the Goblin as hopeful as it is harrowing. The book's heroes, the sun-people, must actively choose to follow literal shining threads that commit them to something Leigh Lowe is the daughter-in-law of Cheryl Lowe, founder of Memoria Press and Highlands Latin School. Leigh worked closely with Cheryl for years as a teacher, editor, and writer. Leigh consults on curriculum, trains teachers, and speaks publicly about classical education and the vision of Memoria Press and Highlands Latin School.
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