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Erling the Bold
Erling the Bold

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Erling the Bold is here in full — 408 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Erling the Bold
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.
The subject, however, is open to discussion.
The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.
Peace or war--that is the question."
"I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.
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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.

Erling the Bold

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of Erling the Bold is here in full — 408 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.
Line 2
The subject, however, is open to discussion.
/ðə səbˈdʒekt ˌhaʊˈevər ɪz ˈoʊ.pən tuː dɪˈskʌʃən/
Line 3
The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.
Line 4
Peace or war--that is the question."
Line 5
"I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

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.

buckle verb US /ˈbʌkəl/

fasten with a buckle or buckles

From this reading “The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.”

clenched adjective US /klentʃt/

closed or squeezed together tightly

From this reading “"I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.”

conqueror noun US /ˈkɑːŋkərər/

someone who is victorious by force of arms

From this reading “The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.”

needful adjective US /ˈniːdfəl/

necessary for relief or supply

From this reading “"Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.”

Norway noun US /ˈnɔːrweɪ/

a constitutional monarchy in northern Europe on the western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula; achieved independence from Sweden in 1905

From this reading “The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.”

platters noun US /ˈplætərz/

plural of “platter” — a large shallow dish used for serving food

From this reading “"I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.”

propriety noun US /prəˈpraɪəti/

correct or appropriate behavior

From this reading “"Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.”

retrieving verb US /riˈtriːvɪŋ/

-ing form of “retrieve” — get or find back; recover the use of

From this reading “The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.”

All words in this reading · 73

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 "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

boardnounUS /bɔːrd/

a committee having supervisory powers

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

buckleverbUS /ˈbʌkəl/

fasten with a buckle or buckles

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

casenounUS /keɪs/

an occurrence of something

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

clenchedadjectiveUS /klentʃt/

closed or squeezed together tightly

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

conquerornounUS /ˈkɑːŋkərər/

someone who is victorious by force of arms

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

discussionnounUS /dɪˈskʌʃən/

an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic

From this reading The subject, however, is open to discussion.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

fistnounUS /fɪst/

a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

generaladjectiveUS /ˈdʒenərəl/

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

Horlingdal

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

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading The subject, however, is open to discussion.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

kingsnounUS /kɪŋz/

plural of “king” — a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

knowest

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

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

leapedverbUS /lept/

past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

needfuladjectiveUS /ˈniːdfəl/

necessary for relief or supply

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

NorwaynounUS /ˈnɔːrweɪ/

a constitutional monarchy in northern Europe on the western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula; achieved independence from Sweden in 1905

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading The subject, however, is open to discussion.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

PeacenounUS /piːs/

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading Peace or war--that is the question."

plattersnounUS /ˈplætərz/

plural of “platter” — a large shallow dish used for serving food

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

proprietynounUS /prəˈpraɪəti/

correct or appropriate behavior

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

rangverbUS /ræŋ/

inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

retrievingverbUS /riˈtriːvɪŋ/

-ing form of “retrieve” — get or find back; recover the use of

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

sakenounUS /seɪk/

a reason for wanting something done

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

strikingadjectiveUS /ˈstraɪkɪŋ/

sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

struggleverbUS /ˈstrʌɡəl/

make a strenuous or labored effort

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

subjectnounUS /səbˈdʒekt/

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading The subject, however, is open to discussion.

submitverbUS /səbˈmɪt/

refer for judgment or consideration

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

swordnounUS /sɔːrd/

a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

tankards

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

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

ThoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

Ulf

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

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

violentlyadverbUS /ˈvaɪələntli/

in a violent manner

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

warnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading Peace or war--that is the question."

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

wheneverconjunctionUS /weˈnevər/

at any time that; every time that

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

whereverconjunctionUS /weˈrevər/

in or to any place at all

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "I say war!" cried Ulf, striking the board so violently with his clenched fist that the tankards and platters leaped and rang again.

wontnounUS /woʊnt/

an established custom

From this reading "Thou knowest, Ulf, that I am not wont to be far from the front wherever or whenever a struggle is thought needful, but I doubt the propriety of it in the present case.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading The question is, whether it would be better for Norway that the kings of Horlingdal should submit to the conqueror for the sake of the general good, or buckle on the sword in the hope of retrieving what is lost.

Chapter 3 of Erling the Bold by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne holds 408 sentences, grouped into 82 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 3 of Erling the Bold contain?

Chapter 3 holds 408 sentences of Erling the Bold, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of Erling the Bold by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 408 sentences, grouped into 82 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 3 of Erling the Bold?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 Erling the Bold

Common questions about reading Erling the Bold by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Erling the Bold?

Yes. All 4061 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21730 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #21730, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Erling the Bold take to read?

About 338 minutes of reading across 813 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Erling the Bold

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

Erling
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Erling the Bold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ballantyne
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Erling the Bold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chapter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Erling the Bold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Begins
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Erling the Bold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.