The Golden Key (MacDonald book) facts for kids
The Golden Key is a fairy tale written by George MacDonald. It was first published in a book called Dealings with the Fairies in 1867. This story is known for its beautiful descriptions and hidden meanings.
The Story of the Golden Key
The story begins with a young boy named Mossy. He loves listening to his Great-aunt's tales about a special golden key. She says this key can be found at the end of a rainbow. One day, Mossy sees a huge, bright rainbow. He decides to go find its end.
Mossy enters an enchanted forest that is part of Fairyland. In this magical place, things often work in opposite ways. So, as the sun sets, the rainbow actually gets brighter! Mossy finds the golden key. But then he realizes he has no idea where the lock for it is.
In the same village, near the forest, lives a girl named Tangle. She is a merchant's daughter, but her family doesn't pay much attention to her. Tangle is scared of the fairies. One night, the fairies try to scare her. They make her think that the three bears are coming into her room. Tangle gets so scared that she runs away into the woods.
A tree in the forest tries to trap Tangle. But a special feathered fish that can fly helps her. This "air fish" leads Tangle to a wise old woman's cottage. Inside, a pot is boiling. The air fish flies right into the pot! The old woman asks Tangle her name. Tangle says the servants always called her "Tangle" because her hair was often messy. The old woman, who calls herself Grandmother, says Tangle is a pretty name. She tells Tangle it has been three years since she ran from the "bears." Grandmother has fish wash Tangle and gives her new clothes. Then, they eat the air fish for dinner. Grandmother explains that the air fish willingly went into the pot to become their food. After dinner, a tiny winged figure flies out of the cooking pot and disappears.
Grandmother sends another air fish to find Mossy. The next day, Mossy arrives at the cottage for supper. Grandmother tells Mossy that if he keeps looking for the keyhole, he will find it. She sends Tangle with him on his journey.
Mossy and Tangle wander together. They discover a valley filled with amazing, beautiful shadows. They stay there for a long time and grow old. Eventually, they decide they must find the land where these wonderful shadows come from. But they get separated and continue their journeys alone.
Tangle meets the winged creature that used to be the air fish. It is now called an aëranth (air-flower). This creature leads her to a tall mountain. There, she meets the Old Man of the Sea. He cannot tell her the way to the land of shadows. He sends her to his brother, the Old Man of the Earth. The Old Man of the Earth also doesn't know the way. He sends her to the Old Man of the Fire.
The Old Man of the Earth lifts a huge stone from the floor of his cave. It reveals a deep hole going straight down. "That is the way," he says. Tangle asks about stairs, but he replies, "You must throw yourself in. There is no other way." Tangle bravely jumps into the hole. At the bottom, she finds the Old Man of the Fire. This Old Man is actually the youngest of them all. He looks like a wise child arranging colorful spheres. He protects her from the fiery path and tells her to follow a snake. The snake will lead her to the special land.
Mossy also finds the Old Man of the Sea. He understands that this wise old man helps people on their journey. Mossy gains the power to walk across the sea. After climbing a steep cliff, he enters a chamber. Inside, the colors of the rainbow appear as tall columns of light. Tangle is waiting for him there! She shows him another door. Mossy's golden key unlocks this door. It opens onto a glowing stairway. This is the stairway to the land they were searching for, the place where the marvelous shadows fall from. As they begin to climb the stairs, the story ends.
Special Editions
Over the years, The Golden Key has been published in different special editions.
- In 1967, Farrar, Straus and Giroux published an edition. It had beautiful pictures by Maurice Sendak and a special afterword (a note at the end) by W. H. Auden.
- In 2016, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers released another edition. This one featured illustrations by Ruth Sanderson.
