Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Irish Fairy Tales
Irish Fairy Tales

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of Irish Fairy Tales is here in full — 115 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Irish Fairy Tales
Context Illustration Reading 1/23 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.
Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.
When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.
A great and joyous concourse of people streamed about them.
There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Irish Fairy Tales

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of Irish Fairy Tales is here in full — 115 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/23 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.
Line 2
Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.
/stɪl ɪf juː kiːp ɑːn ˈdraɪvɪŋ ə pɪɡ ɔːr ə ˈstɔːri ðeɪ wɪl ɡet æt læst tuː wer juː wɪʃ ðem tuː ɡoʊ ənd ðə mæn huː kənˈtɪnjuːz ˈpʌtɪŋ wʌn fʊt ɪn frʌnt ʌv ðə ˈʌðər wɪl liːv hɪz hoʊm bɪˈhaɪnd ənd wɪl kʌm æt læst tuː ðə edʒ ʌv ðə siː ənd ðə end ʌv ðə wɜːrld/
Line 3
When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Lifewas being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.
Line 4
A great and joyous concourse of people streamed about them.
/ə ɡreɪt ənd ˈdʒɔɪəs ˈkɑːnkɔːrs ʌv ˈpiːpəl striːmd əˈbaʊt ðem/
Line 5
There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

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.

concourse noun US /ˈkɑːnkɔːrs/

a large gathering of people

From this reading “A great and joyous concourse of people streamed about them.”

continues verb US /kənˈtɪnjuːz/

third-person singular of “continue” — continue a certain state, condition, or activity

From this reading “Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.”

goodwill noun US /ˈɡʊˈdwɪl/

(accounting) an intangible asset valued according to the advantage or reputation a business has acquired (over and above its tangible assets)

From this reading “It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.”

mac noun US /mæk/

a waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric

From this reading “It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.”

marches noun US /ˈmɑːrtʃɪz/

a region in central Italy

From this reading “When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.”

stages noun US /ˈsteɪdʒəz/

plural of “stage” — any distinct time period in a sequence of events

From this reading “When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.”

streamed verb US /striːmd/

past form of “stream” — to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind

From this reading “A great and joyous concourse of people streamed about them.”

Ulster noun US /ˈʌlstər/

a historic division of Ireland located in the northeastern part of the island; six of Ulster's nine counties are in Northern Ireland

From this reading “It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.”

All words in this reading · 111

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 It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading A great and joyous concourse of people streamed about them.

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

Camain

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

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

carryverbUS /ˈkæri/

move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

CellnounUS /sel/

A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

concoursenounUS /ˈkɑːnkɔːrs/

a large gathering of people

From this reading A great and joyous concourse of people streamed about them.

continuesverbUS /kənˈtɪnjuːz/

third-person singular of “continue” — continue a certain state, condition, or activity

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

crowdverbUS /kraʊd/

cause to herd, drive, or crowd together

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

Da'v

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

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

drivingadjectiveUS /ˈdraɪvɪŋ/

having the power of driving or impelling

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

edgenounUS /edʒ/

the boundary of a surface

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

feastnounUS /fiːst/

a ceremonial dinner party for many people

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

forcedadjectiveUS /fɔːrst/

produced by or subjected to forcing

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

girlsnounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

goodwillnounUS /ˈɡʊˈdwɪl/

(accounting) an intangible asset valued according to the advantage or reputation a business has acquired (over and above its tangible assets)

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading A great and joyous concourse of people streamed about them.

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 There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

holdingnounUS /ˈhoʊldɪŋ/

the act of retaining something

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

journeyverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrni/

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

joyousadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɔɪəs/

full of or characterized by joy

From this reading A great and joyous concourse of people streamed about them.

keepverbUS /kiːp/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

Leinster

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

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

LifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

macnounUS /mæk/

a waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

marchesnounUS /ˈmɑːrtʃɪz/

a region in central Italy

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

mixedadjectiveUS /mɪkst/

consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

Moy

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

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

necksnounUS /neks/

plural of “neck” — the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

other's

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

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

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

From this reading A great and joyous concourse of people streamed about them.

pignounUS /pɪɡ/

domestic swine

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

pushedverbUS /pʊʃt/

past form of “push” — move with force

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

puttingnounUS /ˈpʌtɪŋ/

hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

quickadjectiveUS /kwɪk/

accomplished rapidly and without delay

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

roundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

stagesnounUS /ˈsteɪdʒəz/

plural of “stage” — any distinct time period in a sequence of events

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

StilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

storynounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

stoutadjectiveUS /staʊt/

dependable

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

streamedverbUS /striːmd/

past form of “stream” — to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind

From this reading A great and joyous concourse of people streamed about them.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

thusadverbUS /ðʌs/

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

UlsternounUS /ˈʌlstər/

a historic division of Ireland located in the northeastern part of the island; six of Ulster's nine counties are in Northern Ireland

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

uneasyadjectiveUS /əˈniːzi/

lacking a sense of security or affording no ease or reassurance

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

wishverbUS /wɪʃ/

hope for; have a wish

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading When they reached Leinster the feast of Moy Life’ was being held, and they pushed on by forced marches and long stages so as to be in time, and thus they came to the Moy of Cell Camain, and they mixed with the crowd that were going to the feast.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading It was a long, uneasy journey, for although mac an Da’v was of stout heart and goodwill, yet no man can carry another on his back from Ulster to Leinster and go quick.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Still, if you keep on driving a pig or a story they will get at last to where you wish them to go, and the man who continues putting one foot in front of the other will leave his home behind, and will come at last to the edge of the sea and the end of the world.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading There were young men and young girls, and when these were not holding each other’s hands it was because their arms were round each other’s necks.

Chapter 38 of Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens holds 115 sentences, grouped into 23 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 38 of Irish Fairy Tales contain?

Chapter 38 holds 115 sentences of Irish Fairy Tales, unabridged, divided into 23 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 38 of Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 115 sentences, grouped into 23 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 38 of Irish Fairy Tales?

Work through the 23 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 23 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 38 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 38 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, a public-domain edition. 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.