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Bowser the Hound
Bowser the Hound

Chapter XXXIX · Chapter 39

Chapter 39 of Bowser the Hound is here in full — 26 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Bowser the Hound
Context Illustration Reading 1/5 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.
_Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.
One of them was Blacky the Crow.
When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.
Everything had happened just as Blacky had hoped it would.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Bowser the Hound

Chapter XXXIX · Chapter 39

Chapter 39 of Bowser the Hound is here in full — 26 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.
Line 2
_Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.
Line 3
One of them was Blacky the Crow.
Line 4
When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.
Line 5
Everything had happened just as Blacky had hoped it would.

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.

crow verb US /kroʊ/

dwell on with satisfaction

From this reading “WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.”

disappearance noun US /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrəns/

the act of leaving secretly or without explanation

From this reading “_Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.”

flown verb US /floʊn/

inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne

From this reading “When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.”

Fox noun US /fɑːks/

alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs

From this reading “_Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.”

hen noun US /hen/

adult female chicken

From this reading “_Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.”

Hound noun US /haʊnd/

any of several breeds of dog used for hunting typically having large drooping ears

From this reading “_Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.”

puzzle verb US /ˈpʌzəl/

be a mystery or bewildering to

From this reading “WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.”

stump noun US /stʌmp/

the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled

From this reading “_Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.”

All words in this reading · 68

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 _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

answerverbUS /ˈænsər/

react verbally

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Everything had happened just as Blacky had hoped it would.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

BLACKY

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

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

Blacky's

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

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

Bowser

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

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

cawing

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

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

CROWverbUS /kroʊ/

dwell on with satisfaction

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

disappearancenounUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrəns/

the act of leaving secretly or without explanation

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

EverythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading Everything had happened just as Blacky had hoped it would.

excitedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtəd/

(of persons) excessively affected by emotion

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

farmernounUS /ˈfɑːrmər/

a person who operates a farm

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

fatadjectiveUS /fæt/

having an (over)abundance of flesh

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

flownverbUS /floʊn/

inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

FoxnounUS /fɑːks/

alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

greatestadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtəst/

highest in quality

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading Everything had happened just as Blacky had hoped it would.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

hennounUS /hen/

adult female chicken

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

hiddenadjectiveUS /ˈhɪdən/

not accessible to view

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

hollowadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːloʊ/

not solid; having a space or gap or cavity

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

hopedverbUS /hoʊpt/

past form of “hope” — expect and wish

From this reading Everything had happened just as Blacky had hoped it would.

HoundnounUS /haʊnd/

any of several breeds of dog used for hunting typically having large drooping ears

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Everything had happened just as Blacky had hoped it would.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

mysterynounUS /ˈmɪstəri/

something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One of them was Blacky the Crow.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

puzzleverbUS /ˈpʌzəl/

be a mystery or bewildering to

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

Reddy

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

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

rushedadjectiveUS /rʌʃt/

done under pressure

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

SAWverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

simpleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪmpəl/

having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

stumpnounUS /stʌmp/

the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

talladjectiveUS /tɔːl/

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading One of them was Blacky the Crow.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

treenounUS /triː/

a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

wentverbUS /went/

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

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

WHATpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading When the farmer and Bowser the Hound had rushed out at the sound of Blacky's excited cawing, Blacky had flown to the top of a tall tree from which he could see all that went on.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading _Bowser the Hound._ There were just two people to whom the disappearance of that fat hen Reddy Fox had hidden in the hollow stump was not a mystery.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Everything had happened just as Blacky had hoped it would.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading WHAT BLACKY THE CROW SAW The greatest puzzle is simple enough when you know the answer.

Chapter 39 of Bowser the Hound by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 26 sentences, grouped into 6 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 39 of Bowser the Hound contain?

Chapter 39 holds 26 sentences of Bowser the Hound, unabridged, divided into 6 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 39 of Bowser the Hound by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 26 sentences, grouped into 6 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 39 of Bowser the Hound?

Work through the 6 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 6 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 39 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 39 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 Bowser the Hound

Common questions about reading Bowser the Hound by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Bowser the Hound?

Yes. All 1376 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #15168 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Bowser the Hound is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #15168, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Bowser the Hound take to read?

About 114 minutes of reading across 276 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Bowser the Hound section by section

How to work through Bowser the Hound section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Bowser the Hound 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 Bowser the Hound

Words and structures a reader meets early in Bowser the Hound, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Though
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bowser the Hound; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Great
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bowser the Hound; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Small
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bowser the Hound; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Matter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bowser the Hound; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.