Citation: George MacDonald, “The Golden Key,” in Dealings with fairies (London: Publisher, 1867).

Current editions:

  • George MacDonald Society E-Text.
  • George MacDonald, The Golden Key, graphic novel illustrated Stephen Hesselman, foreword Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson (Rabbit Room Press, 2023). Rabbit Room Press. Goodreads.
  • George MacDonald, The Golden Key, illustrated Ruth Sanderson (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2016). Goodreads.
  • George MacDonald, The Golden Key and Other Fairy Stories, illustrated Craig Yoe (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1980). Goodreads.

Bulloch (1925):

The Times Literary Supplement (May 29, 1924) says (p. 329) that the summit of MacDonald’s art comes in this fairy story: “its balance, its movement, and its colour enables it to challenge, in mere craftemanship, any story of its length.”

  • 1867. It first appeared in (pp. 248-308) “Dealings with fairies” (1867),
  • 1871. and was reprinted in (ix., 53-122) “ Works of fancy and imagination” (1871, 1876, 1884).
  • 1890. It has been reissued in various forms, as noted under “ Dealings with fairies” in (1890, 1891, 1893, 1904, 1905, 1906 (twice), 1913 (in Heidelberg), 1920, and 1924.

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