and indeed became very much like the Scotch Brownies. Their skulls
became softer as well as their hearts, and their feet grew harder, and
by degrees they became friendly with the inhabitants of the mountain
and
even with the miners. But the latter were merciless to any of the _cobs'
creatures_ that came their way, until at length they all but
disappeared. Still--
"_But, Mr. Author, we would rather hear more about the Princess and
Curdie. We don't care about the goblins and their nasty creatures.
They
frighten us--rather._"
"_But you know if you once get rid of the goblins there is no fear of
the princess or of Curdie._"
"_But we want to know more about them._"
"_Some day, perhaps, I may tell you the further history of both of
them;
how Curdie came to visit Irene's grandmother, and what she did for
him;
and how the princess and he met again after they were older--and
Madhuri Noah
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