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Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I
Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I is here in full — 338 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I
Context Illustration Reading 1/67 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.
In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!
Words cannot tell how well!
We loved her!
God loved her!
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.

Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I is here in full — 338 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/67 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.
Line 2
In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!
Line 3
Words cannot tell how well!
Line 4
We loved her!
/wiː lʌvd hɜːr/
Line 5
God loved her!
/ɡɑːd lʌvd hɜːr/

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.

Eskimo noun US /ˈeskəmoʊ/

a member of a people inhabiting the Arctic (northern Canada or Greenland or Alaska or eastern Siberia); the Algonquians called them Eskimo (“eaters of raw flesh”) but they call themselves the Inuit (“the people”)

From this reading “Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.”

fashioned adjective US /ˈfæʃənd/

planned and made or fashioned artistically

From this reading “Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.”

fowl noun US /faʊl/

a domesticated gallinaceous bird thought to be descended from the red jungle fowl

From this reading “Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.”

larch noun US /lɑːrtʃ/

wood of a larch tree

From this reading “Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.”

legend noun US /ˈledʒənd/

a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

From this reading “In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!”

summers noun US /ˈsʌmərz/

plural of “summer” — the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading “Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.”

vine noun US /vaɪn/

a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface

From this reading “Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.”

Waif noun US /weɪf/

a homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned

From this reading “Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.”

All words in this reading · 73

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

bearverbUS /ber/

have

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

BesideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

blocknounUS /blɑːk/

a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

bloodnounUS /blʌd/

The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

cannot

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

From this reading Words cannot tell how well!

cavenounUS /keɪv/

a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

equalverbUS /ˈiːkwəl/

be identical or equivalent to

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

EskimonounUS /ˈeskəmoʊ/

a member of a people inhabiting the Arctic (northern Canada or Greenland or Alaska or eastern Siberia); the Algonquians called them Eskimo (“eaters of raw flesh”) but they call themselves the Inuit (“the people”)

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

fashionedadjectiveUS /ˈfæʃənd/

planned and made or fashioned artistically

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

fierceadjectiveUS /fɪrs/

marked by extreme and violent energy

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

fowlnounUS /faʊl/

a domesticated gallinaceous bird thought to be descended from the red jungle fowl

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading God loved her!

gravenounUS /ɡreɪv/

death of a person

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

griefnounUS /ɡriːf/

intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

HalfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

how

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

From this reading Words cannot tell how well!

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/

set down according to a plan

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

landsnounUS /lændz/

plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

larchnounUS /lɑːrtʃ/

wood of a larch tree

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

legendnounUS /ˈledʒənd/

a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/

the literary culture

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

Lo

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

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

lovedadjectiveUS /lʌvd/

held dear

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

maidnounUS /meɪd/

a female domestic

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

NaturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

ranverbUS /ræn/

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

raveningadjective

living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

rock-closed

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

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

SafeadjectiveUS /seɪf/

free from danger or the risk of harm

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

shareverbUS /ʃer/

have in common

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

smoothadjectiveUS /smuːð/

having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

snownounUS /snoʊ/

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

summersnounUS /ˈsʌmərz/

plural of “summer” — the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading Words cannot tell how well!

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

thusadverbUS /ðʌs/

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

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

tracedverbUS /treɪst/

past form of “trace” — follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

twentynounUS /ˈtwenti/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

uneffaced

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

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

vinenounUS /vaɪn/

a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

WaifnounUS /weɪf/

a homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

wanderingadjectiveUS /ˈwɑːndərɪŋ/

migratory

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

wavenounUS /weɪv/

one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Words cannot tell how well!

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading In letters uneffaced, Upon the block were traced The grief and hope of man, And thus the legend ran "We loved her!

Wherein

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

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

WhosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

woodnounUS /wʊd/

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading Lo! at his feet there stood A block of smooth larch wood, Waif of some wandering wave, Beside a rock-closed cave By Nature fashioned for a grave; Safe from the ravening bear And fierce fowl of the air, Wherein to rest was laid A twenty summers' maid, Whose blood had equal share Of the lands of vine and snow, Half French, half Eskimo.

WordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading Words cannot tell how well!

Chapter 10 of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I by John Greenleaf Whittier holds 338 sentences, grouped into 68 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 10 of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I contain?

Chapter 10 holds 338 sentences of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I, unabridged, divided into 68 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 10 of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I by John Greenleaf Whittier exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 338 sentences, grouped into 68 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 10 of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I?

Work through the 68 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 68 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 10 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 10 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 Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I

Common questions about reading Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I by John Greenleaf Whittier on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I?

Yes. All 3287 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9567 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9567, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I take to read?

About 273 minutes of reading across 658 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I section by section

How to work through Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I

Words and structures a reader meets early in Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Standard
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Library
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Edition
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Whittier's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete — Volume I; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.