PODCAST · kids

The Light Princess by George MacDonald

by Loyal Books

A king and queen are in despair. After years of marriage, they are yet to be blessed with a child. Finally a lovely daughter is born to them. They plan a grand christening ceremony for the baby, but as destiny would have it, they forget to invite the nastiest lady in the kingdom, who also happens to be the king's sister, the evil Princess Makemnoit.Now if all that seems distinctly familiar to you, it was meant to! Using the Sleeping Beauty/Briar Rose fairytale as a starting point, Scottish writer George MacDonald creates a story that's even more enchanting and gives it a nice little twist. In The Light Princess, published in 1864, the cruel aunt Makemnoit curses her hapless niece to become bereft of gravity! The spell she chants says, “Light of spirit, by my charms. Light of body, every part. Never weary human arms. Only crush thy parents' heart!” by which the child begins to float all over the place.The slightest breeze could cause her to fly away. Her parents and the entire palac