The Princess and Curdie (Puffin Classics)

A classic story of magic, mystery, and adventure in a fairy-tale world.
Princess Irene's great-great-grandmother has a testing task for Curdie. Curdie will not go alone though; she provides him with a companion, the oddest and ugliest creature Curdie has ever seen, but one who turns out to be the most loyal friend he could have hoped for.