The Princess and the Goblin · Character

Curdie

A miner's son who reads the mountain's tunnels like a map and refuses to lie, even when a crossbow bolt is in his leg.

major

Also known as Curdie Peterson, dear Curdie, Mr. Curdie, Poor Curdie

As a major figure in The Princess and the Goblin, Curdie is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Curdie rescues Irene and Lootie from a goblin creature on the path, sings a rude song to scare it, and respectfully accepts Irene's promise of a kiss for another time.

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Curdie haunts the king's garden at night, tracking goblin excavators by ear and creeping on hands and knees to learn where they tunnel. When the men-at-arms catch him, he laughs at their threats and gives nothing away, because he does not yet know whether he can trust them. His stubborn honesty and his habit of confessing his own faults mark him as something more than a miner's boy, and make him the one person underground who can match the goblins at their own game.

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Character Web

12 connections

A slice of how Curdie sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Professional
Social
Other

Character groups

Human Royal Household
Protagonist

+7 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

In this scene, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when Princess Irene, despite being confronted by an…

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Relationships

Princess Irene
friendship · positive
Curdie is a brave miner boy who becomes a loyal friend and protector of Princess Irene,… How this plays out →
The King
professional · positive
Lootie
social · ambivalent
The Old Lady
friendship · positive
The Captain
professional · positive
Helfer
rivalry · negative
Harelip
rivalry · negative
Princess Irene
friendship · positive
Curdie is a brave miner boy who becomes a loyal friend and protector of Princess Irene,… How this plays out →
Princess Irene
friendship · positive
Curdie is a brave miner boy who becomes a loyal friend and protector of Princess Irene,… How this plays out →
The King
professional · positive
The King
professional · positive
Lootie
social · ambivalent

Princess Irene
Curdie is a brave miner boy who becomes a loyal friend and protector of Princess Irene, helping her against the goblins.
The King
Curdie serves the King as a loyal subject and miner, eventually earning his trust and respect through brave deeds.
Lootie
Curdie and Lootie have limited direct interaction, mostly through their shared concern for Princess Irene.
The Old Lady
The Old Lady guides and tests Curdie, helping him grow in courage and wisdom to better serve Irene.
The Captain
The Captain is Curdie's superior in the king's guard, directing him in military and protective duties.
Helfer
Helfer is a goblin whom Curdie confronts and outwits during his underground adventures.
Harelip
Harelip is a goblin enemy of Curdie, often involved in the goblins' plots against the humans.
Princess Irene
Curdie is a brave miner boy who becomes a loyal friend and protector of Princess Irene, helping her against the goblins.
Princess Irene
Curdie is a brave miner boy who becomes a loyal friend and protector of Princess Irene, helping her against the goblins.
The King
Curdie serves the King as a loyal subject and miner, eventually earning his trust and respect through brave deeds.
The King
Curdie serves the King as a loyal subject and miner, eventually earning his trust and respect through brave deeds.
Lootie
Curdie and Lootie have limited direct interaction, mostly through their shared concern for Princess Irene.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Curdie in The Little Miner

In the story

Curdie appears across 22 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Little Miner
Curdie rescues Irene and Lootie from a goblin creature on the path, sings a rude song to scare it, and respectfully accepts Irene's promise of a kiss for another time.
The Mines
Curdie returns home, teases the nurse but protects her, scares goblins from his window, works in the mine with his father, and decides to stay overnight alone to earn extra wages and investigate the goblins.
The Goblins
Works in the mine, overhears goblins, and begins to spy on them.
The Hall of the Goblin Palace
Follows the goblins to their palace hall, overhears their plans, and decides to keep the passage open for further investigation.
X: The Princess’s King-Papa
Irene remembers him fondly and recalls her debt to him, though he does not appear in the chapter.
A Short Chapter About Curdie
Spends nights in the mine, works to earn a petticoat for his mother, and explores the goblins' territory using a ball of string.
XIII: The Cobs’ Creatures
Curdie is mentioned as having discovered the goblins' mining operations, which led to the creatures' emergence.
Springtime
His mother owns some of the goats mentioned.
Curdie's Clue
Curdie is the protagonist of this chapter, exploring the goblin tunnels, fighting goblins, and getting captured.
Goblin Counsels
Imprisoned in a goblin cave, he listens to the goblins' plans and taunts them with rhymes, then resolves to pretend to be dying and forge more rhymes.
XX: Irene’s Clue
Mentioned as the person Irene and Lootie had met on the path.
The Escape
Escapes with Irene, steals the goblin queen's shoe, remains skeptical of the magic thread.
The Old Lady and Curdie
Cannot see the old lady or her room; feels mocked and leaves angrily, but is safely sent home.
XXIII: Curdie and His Mother
Returns home gloomy and conflicted, recounts his adventure, and plans to investigate the goblins' mining direction.
Curdie Comes to Grief
Wounded by a crossbow bolt while watching the king's garden; captured and imprisoned; his warnings about the goblins are disbelieved.
The Goblin-Miners
Curdie is not present in the chapter, but his warnings are disregarded by the captain.
The Goblins in the King’s House
Wakes from a dream, leads the fight against the goblins, frees the captain and men-at-arms, rescues Lootie, and resolves to find the princess.
XXVIII: Curdie’s Guide
Follows the princess's thread to his mother's cottage, apologizes for not believing Irene, and discovers his leg is miraculously healed.
Masonwork
Leads the effort to secure the mine and returns to the cottage through the storm.
The King and the Kiss
Carries Irene to the king, receives praise and a kiss from the princess.
The Subterranean Waters
Recognizes the danger of the approaching water, organizes the evacuation and horse rescue, and declines the king's offer to stay with his parents.
The Last Chapter
Takes charge of draining the king's house and organizing the miners to build new outlets and secure the passage.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Curdie unlock in the free preview.

See Curdie in The Little Miner