The Princess Idleways: A Fairy Story

In Short

First published in 1879, The Princess Idleways is an enchanting nineteenth-century moral fable about Laura, a wealthy, listless young girl sent away to the Forest of Pines by her mother. Under the gentle guidance of an elusive fairy named Motherkin and her loyal dwarf Grim, Laura trades her castle luxuries for coarse aprons, housework, and woodland chores. When she embarks on a solitary trek through the wilderness to aid two orphaned peasant children, Laura faces tricky elves, wild nature, and her own carelessness. The story survives as a warm, imaginative celebration of self-reliance and empathy.

The Story

Young Laura lives in a mountain castle surrounded by Turkish rugs, singing birds, and silk curtains, yet her bad temper earns her the nickname "Princess Idleways." Desperate to transform her daughter into a loving child, Lady Idleways carries Laura into the dense Forest of Pines to stay with a mysterious old woman known simply as the Motherkin. Upon arrival, Laura flings herself onto the ground in a tantrum, but the Motherkin's long-armed dwarf servant, Grim, gently carries the weeping princess into a spotless hut.

Laura initially rebels against her rustic surroundings, refusing to dress in the coarse clothes laid out for her and sulking in bed. Motherkin responds with patient kindness rather than anger, treating her to simple meals and giving her a garden patch. Soon after, Motherkin and Grim temporarily leave the cottage, forcing Laura to manage on her own for several days. She learns to feed the farm animals, sweep, and gather food, discovering a newfound pride in taking care of herself.

When Grim returns with a story about two starving, abandoned children in the woods—a girl named Kathie and her crippled brother Fritz—Laura's heart softens. Desperate to help, she agrees to travel alone through the wild forest, guided by a magical silver-and-blue staff given to her by Motherkin. Along the stream, Laura meets a mischievous Herb Elf in a rabbit-skin coat who trades her honey and tests her patience. Though she temporarily loses her staff through her own giddiness, she eventually reaches Kathie’s hut, only to discover that little Fritz has already died during his sister's absence.

Laura comforts the grieving Kathie, and together the two girls set off on the return journey through the deep woods. Along the way, they outwit the teasing Herb Elf by braiding his cap with flax, and Laura unexpectedly bonds with an affectionate wild bear cub that snuggles up to her during the night.

Returning safely to Motherkin's cottage, Laura is reunited with her mother, who reveals that the Motherkin is actually the fairy Industry. Laura returns to her castle home a completely transformed girl—active, generous, and mindful of others. She adopts Kathie, helps locate Kathie's long-lost soldier father, and spends the rest of her days using her wealth to care for the poor.

How It Unfolds

The ride to the pines Lady Idleways carries her pale, unconcerned daughter down mountain roads into a dense forest, explaining that a fairy friend will teach the child how to be happy. Laura pouts and begs to return to her luxurious castle, but her mother firmly leaves her at the hidden entrance of a secluded cottage.

Solitude and pigskin After throwing a passionate tantrum on the grass, Laura is carried into the hut by Grim, a kindly dwarf in a red-tasseled cap. When her host mysteriously vanishes for a few days, Laura is forced to wash her own dishes, chase an unruly pig through a mud swamp, and survive on simple bread and milk.

A call to mercy Having earned Motherkin's praise by keeping the house tidy, Laura listens to Grim recount the plight of two starving, isolated peasant children. Filled with pity, Laura volunteers to brave the dark, unknown woods alone to bring them aid and supplies.

The teasing elf Equipped with a magic staff, Laura hikes along a babbling brook until a woodland Herb Elf tricks her into laying down her staff while she eats honeycomb. To regain her guide, Laura and Kathie must weave a long ribbon of flax to adorn the elf's rabbit-skin cap.

A wilderness night After finding Kathie weeping at her empty cottage, Laura shelters her and helps her begin the long trek back. During a dark night in the open woods, Laura wakes to find a baby bear cub cuddling against her for warmth, which she successfully tames and adopts.

The fairy revealed Reaching Motherkin's brightly illuminated cottage, Laura is wrapped in her mother's arms and praised for her bravery. The old woman reveals her true name—the fairy Industry—and Laura returns home to restore Kathie's family and serve her community.

The People

Laura (The Princess Idleways) A spoiled, aristocratic child who begins the story listless, disdainful, and prone to sharp-tempered outbursts. Desperate for comfort without effort, she is humbled by hard work in the forest, eventually finding joy in useful tasks and gaining deep empathy for others.

The Motherkin A wise, patient fairy living under the disguise of a plain old woman in a grapevine hut. She wants to break Laura's self-absorbed habits not through harsh punishment, but by allowing natural consequences and practical responsibilities to teach the child self-reliance.

Grim A kindly, smiling dwarf with extraordinarily long arms, wooden shoes, and a scarlet-tasseled cap. He serves Motherkin faithfully and acts as Laura's encouraging cheerleader, sharing stories of human suffering that awaken the princess's dormant compassion.

Kathie (Kathinka) A sweet, sorrowful peasant girl whose father was called away to war, leaving her to nurse her sick younger brother in a crude forest hut. She wants nothing more than the return of her father and a peaceful home, proving herself to be a loyal, gentle companion to Laura.

The Herb Elf A eccentric, mischievous forest spirit clad in a rabbit skin who sharpens his teeth on bitter acorns. He delights in teasing lost travelers and testing Laura's patience, though he ultimately rewards her good manners with a magic coral ring.

In Its Own Voice

"As Grim approached and was about lifting her, Laura sprang up, and would have run from him, but his arms were of an extraordinary length, and he had her safely in them before she could get away; so she could only scream and sob to no purpose."

Laura's initial arrival at the fairy cottage highlights her futile reliance on childhood tantrums.

"Remember that a lady is none the less a lady for being able to take care of herself and others, and also remember that the faithful creatures who are dependent upon you will suffer if you neglect them."

Motherkin's pinned note outlines the core philosophy of practical self-sufficiency and kindness.

"Thrown upon her own efforts to make herself comfortable and happy, and even to sustain her own life, she had grown out of the listless, dissatisfied, unhappy child into a rational and useful being, grateful and disposed to make others happy."

The narrator sums up Laura's emotional transformation upon her eventual return to the castle.

What It's Really About

Beneath its traditional fairy-tale ornamentation, The Princess Idleways delivers a clear nineteenth-century critique of aristocratic indulgence and passive luxury. The book argues that true happiness cannot be bought with soft divans, golden birdcages, or lingering in bed; rather, joy is the direct product of purposeful labor and active service to others. By stripping Laura of her servants and placing her in a simple hut, the story insists that dignity comes from practical capability—knowing how to milk a cow, sweep a floor, or bake a loaf of bread.

Furthermore, the narrative explores the shift from self-absorbed isolation to active compassion. Laura's redemption is complete only when she forgets her own comforts to relieve the suffering of poor forest children.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers looking for a gentle, nostalgic Victorian fable will appreciate The Princess Idleways for its atmospheric cozy charm and classic moral clarity. Mrs. W. J. Hays captures the quiet beauty of the natural world, writing of babbling brooks, mossy rocks, wild honeycombs, and lantern-lit woodland feasts with a crisp, inviting clarity. The story moves along at a brisk pace, balancing homey domestic chores with light magical elements like mischievous elves and long-armed dwarfs.

While modern audiences may find the book's moral lessons somewhat explicit and its depiction of class dynamics distinctly nineteenth-century—where noble birth is taken as a given and cottage living is ideal only as a corrective exercise—the story avoids feeling overly preachy thanks to Laura's genuine flaws. She loses her stick, gets stuck in pig-swamp mud, and pouts like a real child. It remains a sweet, swift read that leaves behind a lasting appreciation for simple work, quiet woods, and thoughtful kindness.