Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
A Prisoner in Fairyland
A Prisoner in Fairyland

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of A Prisoner in Fairyland is here in full — 171 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Prisoner in Fairyland
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.
Tomlinson, R. KIPLING.
The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.
He went over the house from cellar to ceiling...
And finally he passed through a back door in the scullery and came out upon the lawn.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Prisoner in Fairyland

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of A Prisoner in Fairyland is here in full — 171 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.
Line 2
Tomlinson, R. KIPLING.
Line 3
The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.
Line 4
He went over the house from cellar to ceiling...
/hiː went ˈoʊvər ðə haʊs frʌm ˈselər tuː ˈsiːlɪŋ/
Line 5
And finally he passed through a back door in the scullery and came out upon the lawn.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

budding noun US /ˈbʌdɪŋ/

reproduction of some unicellular organisms (such as yeasts) by growth and specialization followed by the separation by constriction of a part of the parent

From this reading “The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.”

decreed adjective US /dɪˈkriːd/

fixed or established especially by order or command

From this reading “The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.”

dreamer noun US /ˈdriːmər/

someone who is dreaming

From this reading “The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.”

drone noun US /droʊn/

stingless male bee in a colony of social bees (especially honeybees) whose sole function is to mate with the queen

From this reading “A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.”

kipling noun US /ˈkɪplɪŋ/

English author of novels and poetry who was born in India (1865-1936)

From this reading “Tomlinson, R. KIPLING.”

Milky adjective US /ˈmɪlki/

resembling milk in color; not clear

From this reading “A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.”

philanthropist noun US /fəˈlænθrəpəst/

someone who makes charitable donations intended to increase human well-being

From this reading “The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.”

unanimously adverb US /juːˈnænəməsli/

of one mind; without dissent

From this reading “The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.”

All words in this reading · 85

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading And finally he passed through a back door in the scullery and came out upon the lawn.

boynounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

buddingnounUS /ˈbʌdɪŋ/

reproduction of some unicellular organisms (such as yeasts) by growth and specialization followed by the separation by constriction of a part of the parent

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

carriedverbUS /ˈkærid/

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

ceaseverbUS /siːs/

put an end to a state or an activity

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

ceilingnounUS /ˈsiːlɪŋ/

the overhead upper surface of a covered space

From this reading He went over the house from cellar to ceiling...

cellarnounUS /ˈselər/

the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage

From this reading He went over the house from cellar to ceiling...

CitynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

cloudverbUS /klaʊd/

make overcast or cloudy

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

dangerousadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/

involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

decreedadjectiveUS /dɪˈkriːd/

fixed or established especially by order or command

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

dieverbUS /daɪ/

pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

doctornounUS /ˈdɑːktər/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading And finally he passed through a back door in the scullery and came out upon the lawn.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

dreamernounUS /ˈdriːmər/

someone who is dreaming

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

dronenounUS /droʊn/

stingless male bee in a colony of social bees (especially honeybees) whose sole function is to mate with the queen

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

dustverbUS /dʌst/

remove the dust from

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

finallyadverbUS /ˈfaɪnəli/

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading And finally he passed through a back door in the scullery and came out upon the lawn.

fordnounUS /fɔːrd/

United States film maker (1896-1973)

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He went over the house from cellar to ceiling...

grippedverbUS /ɡrɪpt/

inflected form of “grip” — hold fast or firmly

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

hairnounUS /her/

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

HenrynounUS /ˈhenri/

a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading He went over the house from cellar to ceiling...

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

keynounUS /kiː/

metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

KIPLINGnounUS /ˈkɪplɪŋ/

English author of novels and poetry who was born in India (1865-1936)

From this reading Tomlinson, R. KIPLING.

lawnnounUS /lɔːn/

a field of cultivated and mowed grass

From this reading And finally he passed through a back door in the scullery and came out upon the lawn.

memoriesnounUS /ˈmɛm.ə.riz/

Recollections of past events.

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

MilkyadjectiveUS /ˈmɪlki/

resembling milk in color; not clear

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

morbidadjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrbəd/

suggesting an unhealthy mental state

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading And finally he passed through a back door in the scullery and came out upon the lawn.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading He went over the house from cellar to ceiling...

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading And finally he passed through a back door in the scullery and came out upon the lawn.

philanthropistnounUS /fəˈlænθrəpəst/

someone who makes charitable donations intended to increase human well-being

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

philosophernounUS /fəˈlɑːsəfər/

a specialist in philosophy

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

pocketnounUS /ˈpɑːkət/

a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

presentlyadverbUS /ˈprezəntli/

in the near future

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

RnounUS /ɑːr/

a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air

From this reading Tomlinson, R. KIPLING.

rain-fed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

ranverbUS /ræn/

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

re-awakening

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

roarverbUS /rɔːr/

make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

RogersnounUS /ˈrɑːdʒərz/

United States humorist remembered for his homespun commentary on politics and American society (1879-1935)

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

scullerynoun

a small room (in large old British houses) next to the kitchen; where kitchen utensils are cleaned and kept and other rough household jobs are done

From this reading And finally he passed through a back door in the scullery and came out upon the lawn.

shillingnounUS /ˈʃɪlɪŋ/

the basic unit of money in Uganda; equal to 100 cents

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

speedverbUS /spiːd/

move hurridly

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

SpiritnounUS /ˈspɪrət/

the vital principle or animating force within living things

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading And finally he passed through a back door in the scullery and came out upon the lawn.

TillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading He went over the house from cellar to ceiling...

Tomlinson

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Tomlinson, R. KIPLING.

unanimouslyadverbUS /juːˈnænəməsli/

of one mind; without dissent

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading And finally he passed through a back door in the scullery and came out upon the lawn.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

wastenounUS /weɪst/

any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

WaynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading A Spirit gripped him by the hair and carried him far away, Till he heard as the roar of a rain-fed ford the roar of the Milky Way: Till he heard the roar of the Milky Way die down and drone and cease.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading The boy presently came up in a cloud of dust with the key, and ran off again with a shilling in his pocket, while Henry Rogers, budding philanthropist and re-awakening dreamer, went down the hill of memories at high speed that a doctor would have said was dangerous, a philosopher morbid, and the City decreed unanimously as waste of time.

Chapter 4 of A Prisoner in Fairyland by Algernon Blackwood holds 171 sentences, grouped into 35 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 4 of A Prisoner in Fairyland contain?

Chapter 4 holds 171 sentences of A Prisoner in Fairyland, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of A Prisoner in Fairyland by Algernon Blackwood exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 171 sentences, grouped into 35 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 4 of A Prisoner in Fairyland?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading A Prisoner in Fairyland

Common questions about reading A Prisoner in Fairyland by Algernon Blackwood on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Prisoner in Fairyland?

Yes. All 9117 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6021 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Prisoner in Fairyland is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6021, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Prisoner in Fairyland take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1824 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Prisoner in Fairyland section by section

How to work through A Prisoner in Fairyland section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 34 chapters of A Prisoner in Fairyland to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Prisoner in Fairyland

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Prisoner in Fairyland, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Render
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Prisoner in Fairyland; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Honest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Prisoner in Fairyland; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Perfect
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Prisoner in Fairyland; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Commands
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Prisoner in Fairyland; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.