# Short Fiction — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for Short Fiction by George MacDonald.

- [A Double Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/a-double-story.md): A tale of two children, Rosamond and Agnes, who are taken from their homes by a wise woman and subjected to contrasting treatments that reveal the nature of their true character. Rosamond, a spoiled princess, is humbled 
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/i.md): The chapter introduces a strange country where a princess is born. She is spoiled by her parents, becoming increasingly peevish and destructive. The king and queen seek help from a wise woman, who blames them for their p
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/ii.md): The wise woman kidnaps the princess, carrying her away from the palace and across a heath. The princess, terrified and misunderstanding kindness, believes the wise woman is an ogress. After a journey through a wolf-infes
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iii.md): The princess, alone on the heath, struggles with fear and loneliness as the moon stares down at her. She attempts to find the wise woman's cottage but discovers no door, leading to frustration and rage. After a storm and
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iv.md): The wise woman cares for the princess Rosamond, who suspects her of being an ogress intent on fattening her to eat her. The wise woman leaves instructions for Rosamond to clean the cottage and keep the fire, but Rosamond

> 90 more chapter companions — [open a free preview](https://www.betterreads.dev/reader?bookId=short_fiction_21_se_1225kb&preview=1) to unlock the rest.

- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/v.md)
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/vi.md)
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/vii.md)
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/viii.md)
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/ix.md)
- [Agnes in the Palace](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/x.md)
- [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xi.md)
- [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xii.md)
- [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xiii.md)
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xiv.md)
- [Cross Purposes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/cross-purposes.md)
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/i.md)
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/ii.md)
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iii.md)
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iv.md)
- [Far Above Rubies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/far-above-rubies.md)
- [Port in a Storm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/port-in-a-storm.md)
- [Stephen Archer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/stephen-archer.md)
- [The Broken Swords](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-broken-swords.md)
- [Husband and Wife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/i-husband-and-wife.md)
- [An Astonishment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/ii-an-astonishment.md)
- [III: Another Astonishment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iii-another-astonishment.md)
- [IV: What It Meant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iv-what-it-meant.md)
- [V: What Came of It](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/v-what-came-of-it.md)
- [The Carasoyn](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-carasoyn.md)
- [I: The Mountain Stream](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/i-the-mountain-stream.md)
- [II: The Fairy Fleet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/ii-the-fairy-fleet.md)
- [III: The Old Woman and Her Hen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iii-the-old-woman-and-her-hen.md)
- [IV: The Goblin Blacksmith](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iv-the-goblin-blacksmith.md)
- [V: The Moss Vineyard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/v-the-moss-vineyard.md)
- [VI: The Consequences](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/vi-the-consequences.md)
- [VII: The Banished Fairies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/vii-the-banished-fairies.md)
- [VIII: Their Revenge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/viii-their-revenge.md)
- [The Fairy Fiddler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/ix-the-fairy-fiddler.md)
- [The Old Woman and Her Hen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/x-the-old-woman-and-her-hen.md)
- [The Goblin Cobbler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xi-the-goblin-cobbler.md)
- [The Wax and the Awl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xii-the-wax-and-the-awl.md)
- [The Castle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-castle.md)
- [The Cruel Painter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-cruel-painter.md)
- [The Giant's Heart](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-giant-s-heart.md)
- [The Gifts of the Child Christ](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-gifts-of-the-child-christ.md)
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/i.md)
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/ii.md)
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iii.md)
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iv.md)
- [Chapter V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/v.md)
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/vi.md)
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/vii.md)
- [The Golden Key](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-golden-key.md)
- [The Gray Wolf](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-gray-wolf.md)
- [The History of Photogen and Nycteris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-history-of-photogen-and-nycteris.md)
- [I: Watho](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/i-watho.md)
- [Aurora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/ii-aurora.md)
- [III: Vesper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iii-vesper.md)
- [IV: Photogen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iv-photogen.md)
- [V: Nycteris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/v-nycteris.md)
- [How Photogen Grew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/vi-how-photogen-grew.md)
- [How Nycteris Grew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/vii-how-nycteris-grew.md)
- [VIII: The Lamp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/viii-the-lamp.md)
- [IX: Out](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/ix-out.md)
- [X: The Great Lamp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/x-the-great-lamp.md)
- [XI: The Sunset](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xi-the-sunset.md)
- [The Garden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xii-the-garden.md)
- [Something Quite New](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xiii-something-quite-new.md)
- [XIV: The Sun](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xiv-the-sun.md)
- [The Coward Hero](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xv-the-coward-hero.md)
- [XVI: An Evil Nurse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xvi-an-evil-nurse.md)
- [Watho's Wolf](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xvii-watho-s-wolf.md)
- [Refuge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xviii-refuge.md)
- [XIX: The Werewolf](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xix-the-werewolf.md)
- [All Is Well](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xx-all-is-well.md)
- [The Light Princess](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-light-princess.md)
- [What! No Children?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/i-what-no-children.md)
- [II: Won’t I, Just?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/ii-won-t-i-just.md)
- [She Can’t Be Ours](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iii-she-can-t-be-ours.md)
- [IV: Where Is She?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/iv-where-is-she.md)
- [V: What Is to Be Done?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/v-what-is-to-be-done.md)
- [She Laughs Too Much](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/vi-she-laughs-too-much.md)
- [VII: Try Metaphysics](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/vii-try-metaphysics.md)
- [Try a Drop of Water](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/viii-try-a-drop-of-water.md)
- [Put Me in Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/ix-put-me-in-again.md)
- [X: Look at the Moon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/x-look-at-the-moon.md)
- [Hiss!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xi-hiss.md)
- [Where Is the Prince?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xii-where-is-the-prince.md)
- [XIII: Here I Am](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xiii-here-i-am.md)
- [XIV: This Is Very Kind of You](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xiv-this-is-very-kind-of-you.md)
- [XV: Look at the Rain!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/xv-look-at-the-rain.md)
- [The Shadows](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-shadows.md)
- [The Wow o' Rivven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/the-wow-o-rivven.md)
- [Uncle Cornelius His Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters/uncle-cornelius-his-story.md)

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_21_se/chapters