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Happy Jack
Happy Jack

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of Happy Jack is here in full — 40 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Happy Jack
Context Illustration Reading 1/8 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.
It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.
_Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.
Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.
But they never did.
0:00 / 0:00
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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.

Happy Jack

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of Happy Jack is here in full — 40 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/8 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.
Line 2
It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.
Line 3
_Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.
/ˈhæpi dʒæk ə fæt ɡreɪ ˈskwɜːrəl ɪz ˈveri ˈtemptɪŋ tuː ə ˈnʌmbər ʌv ˈpiːpəl ɪn ðə ɡriːn ˈfɔːrəst ˌpɑːrˈtɪkjələrli ɪn ˈwɪntər wen ˈɡetɪŋ ə ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪz hɑːrd wɜːrk/
Line 4
Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.
Line 5
But they never did.
/bʌt ðeɪ ˈnevər dɪd/

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.

counts noun US /kaʊnts/

plural of “count” — the total number counted

From this reading “It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.”

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 “Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.”

Granny noun US /ˈɡræni/

the mother of your father or mother

From this reading “Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.”

hoping verb US /ˈhoʊpɪŋ/

-ing form of “hope” — expect and wish

From this reading “Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.”

smart adjective US /smɑːrt/

showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness

From this reading “HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.”

Squirrel noun US /ˈskwɜːrəl/

a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail

From this reading “_Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.”

stole noun US /stoʊl/

a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women

From this reading “Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.”

tempting adjective US /ˈtemptɪŋ/

highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire

From this reading “_Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.”

All words in this reading · 67

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 HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

AlmostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But they never did.

catchverbUS /kætʃ/

discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

countsnounUS /kaʊnts/

plural of “count” — the total number counted

From this reading It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading But they never did.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

fatadjectiveUS /fæt/

having an (over)abundance of flesh

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

ForestnounUS /ˈfɔːrəst/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

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 Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

GETSnounUS /ɡets/

plural of “get” — a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

gettingnounUS /ˈɡetɪŋ/

the act of acquiring something

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

GrannynounUS /ˈɡræni/

the mother of your father or mother

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

GraynounUS /ɡreɪ/

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

GreennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

HAPPYadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

heedlessadjective

marked by or paying little heed or attention

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

hopingverbUS /ˈhoʊpɪŋ/

-ing form of “hope” — expect and wish

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

how

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

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.

isn't

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

From this reading It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

JACKnounUS /dʒæk/

a small worthless amount

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

livingnounUS /ˈlɪvɪŋ/

the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

mattersnounUS /ˈmætərz/

plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading But they never did.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

particularlyadverbUS /ˌpɑːrˈtɪkjələrli/

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

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

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

Reddy

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

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

smartadjectiveUS /smɑːrt/

showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

softlyadverbUS /ˈsɔːftli/

with low volume

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

SquirrelnounUS /ˈskwɜːrəl/

a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

stolenounUS /stoʊl/

a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

surprisenounUS /sərˈpraɪz/

the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

temptingadjectiveUS /ˈtemptɪŋ/

highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading But they never did.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

WARNINGnounUS /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/

a message informing of danger

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading It isn't what you know that counts So much as what it is to you.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Almost every day Reddy and Granny Fox stole softly through that part of the Green Forest where Happy Jack Squirrel lived, hoping to surprise and catch him on the ground.

winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/

the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading _Happy Jack._ A fat Gray Squirrel is very tempting to a number of people in the Green Forest, particularly in winter, when getting a living is hard work.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING It matters not how smart you are, So be it you are heedless too.

Chapter 13 of Happy Jack by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 40 sentences, grouped into 8 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 13 of Happy Jack contain?

Chapter 13 holds 40 sentences of Happy Jack, unabridged, divided into 8 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of Happy Jack by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 40 sentences, grouped into 8 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 13 of Happy Jack?

Work through the 8 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 8 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 Happy Jack

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

Is this the complete text of Happy Jack?

Yes. All 1387 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13355 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Happy Jack is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #13355, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Happy Jack take to read?

About 115 minutes of reading across 278 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Happy Jack section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of Happy Jack 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 Happy Jack

Words and structures a reader meets early in Happy Jack, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy Jack; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Every
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy Jack; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Future
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy Jack; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Happy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Happy Jack; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.