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Irish Fairy Tales
Irish Fairy Tales

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Irish Fairy Tales is here in full — 80 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/16 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.
He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.
Iollan was in a sad condition when this demand was made.
He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.
He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Irish Fairy Tales

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Irish Fairy Tales is here in full — 80 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/16 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.
Line 2
He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.
Line 3
Iollan was in a sad condition when this demand was made.
Line 4
He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.
Line 5
He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

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.

abide verb US /əˈbaɪd/

dwell

From this reading “He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.”

deliver verb US /dɪˈlɪvər/

deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)

From this reading “He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.”

demanding adjective US /dɪˈmændɪŋ/

requiring more than usually expected or thought due; especially great patience and effort and skill

From this reading “He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.”

disappearance noun US /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrəns/

the act of leaving secretly or without explanation

From this reading “He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.”

judgement noun US /ˈdʒʌdʒmənt/

the legal document stating the reasons for a judicial decision

From this reading “He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.”

messenger noun US /ˈmesəndʒər/

a person who carries a message

From this reading “He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.”

pledge verb US /pledʒ/

promise solemnly and formally

From this reading “He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.”

pronounce verb US /prəˈnaʊns/

speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way

From this reading “He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.”

All words in this reading · 77

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 He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

abideverbUS /əˈbaɪd/

dwell

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

beggedverbUS /beɡd/

inflected form of “beg” — call upon in supplication; entreat

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

callingnounUS /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/

the particular occupation for which you are trained

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

conditionnounUS /kənˈdɪʃən/

a state at a particular time

From this reading Iollan was in a sad condition when this demand was made.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

Dealv

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

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

deliververbUS /dɪˈlɪvər/

deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

demandnounUS /dɪˈmænd/

an urgent or peremptory request

From this reading Iollan was in a sad condition when this demand was made.

demandingadjectiveUS /dɪˈmændɪŋ/

requiring more than usually expected or thought due; especially great patience and effort and skill

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

disappearancenounUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrəns/

the act of leaving secretly or without explanation

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

discoververbUS /dɪˈskʌvər/

discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

Fianna

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

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

Fionn

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

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

Fionn's

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

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

fulfilmentnoun

a feeling of satisfaction at having achieved your desires

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

guessedverbUS /ɡest/

past form of “guess” — expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

instantnounUS /ˈɪnstənt/

a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

Iollan

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

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

judgementnounUS /ˈdʒʌdʒmənt/

the legal document stating the reasons for a judicial decision

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

livingnounUS /ˈlɪvɪŋ/

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

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

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

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Iollan was in a sad condition when this demand was made.

messengernounUS /ˈmesəndʒər/

a person who carries a message

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/

possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

newsnounUS /nuːz/

information about recent and important events

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

periodnounUS /ˈpɪriəd/

an amount of time

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

pledgeverbUS /pledʒ/

promise solemnly and formally

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

pronounceverbUS /prəˈnaʊns/

speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

queennounUS /kwiːn/

the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

sadadjectiveUS /sæd/

experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness

From this reading Iollan was in a sad condition when this demand was made.

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

sisternounUS /ˈsɪstər/

a female person who has the same parents as another person

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Iollan was in a sad condition when this demand was made.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

Tuiren

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

From this reading He at once sent a messenger calling for fulfilment of the pledge that had been given to the Fianna, and demanding the instant return of Tuiren.

Uct

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

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Iollan was in a sad condition when this demand was made.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He guessed that Uct Dealv had a hand in the disappearance of his queen, and he begged that time should be given him in which to find the lost girl.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading In course of time the news came to Fionn that his mother’s sister was not living with Iollan.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading He promised if he could not discover her within a certain period that he would deliver his body into Fionn’s hands, and would abide by whatever judgement Fionn might pronounce.

Chapter 14 of Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens holds 80 sentences, grouped into 16 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 14 of Irish Fairy Tales contain?

Chapter 14 holds 80 sentences of Irish Fairy Tales, unabridged, divided into 16 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 80 sentences, grouped into 16 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 14 of Irish Fairy Tales?

Work through the 16 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 16 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Irish Fairy Tales

Common questions about reading Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Irish Fairy Tales?

Yes. All 3329 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2892 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Irish Fairy Tales is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2892, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Irish Fairy Tales take to read?

About 277 minutes of reading across 666 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Irish Fairy Tales section by section

How to work through Irish Fairy Tales section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Irish Fairy Tales 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 Irish Fairy Tales

Words and structures a reader meets early in Irish Fairy Tales, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Finnian
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Irish Fairy Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Abbott
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Irish Fairy Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Moville
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Irish Fairy Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Southwards
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Irish Fairy Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.