The Door in the Hedge facts for kids
The Door in the Hedge is a book filled with exciting fairy tales written by Robin McKinley. It was published in 1981 by William Morrow and Company through its Greenwillow Books publishing group. This collection includes four stories: two brand-new tales and two classic fairy tales retold in a fresh way.
The stories in the book are:
- "The Stolen Princess"
- "The Princess and the Frog" (a new version of "The Frog Prince")
- "The Hunting of the Hind"
- "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" (a longer, detailed version of "Twelve Dancing Princesses")
Contents
Discover the Stories: A Summary
This section gives you a quick look at what each magical story in The Door in the Hedge is about.
The Stolen Princess: A Tale of Two Kingdoms
Princess Linadel is taken by the fairies who live in a nearby land. She faces a big choice: stay with the charming fairy prince or return to her duties as the future queen of her own kingdom. In the end, Linadel, the prince, and their parents find a clever solution. They decide to bring the Human Kingdom and the Fairy Kingdom together. This way, they create one peaceful world for everyone.
The Princess and the Frog: A Magical Friendship
Princess Rana's kingdom and family are in danger from a powerful and evil sorcerer named Prince Aliyander. Rana becomes friends with a talking frog. When Aliyander tries to harm the frog, he accidentally breaks a curse. This frees Prince Lian, who is Aliyander's brother. Lian helps Rana fight Aliyander. Together, they defeat the evil sorcerer and save the kingdom.
The Hunting of the Hind: Breaking a Curse
Princess Korah feels a bit different from her family. Her brother falls under a spell from a magical Golden Hind. Korah decides to chase the hind herself to help him. She follows it into a stone hill. Inside, the hind changes into a beautiful woman. The woman and Korah's brother explain they are trapped by a jealous sorcerer. They tell Korah how to break the curse. Korah bravely sets out to free them and succeeds. The now-free siblings return to Korah's kingdom. Her brother, who was sick from trying to break the curse himself, is overjoyed to see them.
The Twelve Dancing Princesses: A Royal Mystery
This story is a detailed retelling of the classic fairy tale. The king's twelve daughters mysteriously wear out their dancing shoes every night. The king tries to find out why, only to learn his daughters are under a curse. He offers one of his daughters' hands in marriage to any man who can break the spell.
Meanwhile, a tired soldier learns the full story from an old woman. The princesses are forced to dance with twelve demonic sons of a witch. The witch wants to trap the girls so they will have to marry her sons. The soldier accepts the challenge. He is given a magic cloak that makes him invisible. He uses the cloak to follow the princesses for three nights. They go to a secret, magical kingdom underground. The soldier brings back a few objects as proof. On the morning of the last night, the soldier reveals the mystery to everyone. A sudden earthquake then buries the entrance to the underground kingdom forever. The oldest princess marries the brave soldier.
