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Prester John
Prester John

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Prester John is here in full — 270 sentences across 54 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By John Buchan • Curated US English Learning Edition

Chapter 12 of Prester John by John Buchan holds 270 sentences, grouped into 54 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 12 of Prester John contain?

Chapter 12 holds 270 sentences of Prester John, unabridged, divided into 54 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Prester John by John Buchan exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 270 sentences, grouped into 54 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 12 of Prester John?

Work through the 54 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 54 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Prester John

Common questions about reading Prester John by John Buchan on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Prester John?

Yes. All 4661 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #611 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Prester John is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #611, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Prester John take to read?

About 388 minutes of reading across 933 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Prester John section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 23 chapters of Prester John 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 Prester John

Words and structures a reader meets early in Prester John, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Kirkcaple
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prester John; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Shore
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prester John; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Yesterday
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prester John; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prester John; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cover illustration for Prester John
Context Illustration Reading 1/54 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
CAPTAIN ARCOLL SENDS A MESSAGE
I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.
His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.
I do not suppose that I was very brutally manhandled in the cave.
I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.
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.

Prester John

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Prester John is here in full — 270 sentences across 54 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/54 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
CAPTAIN ARCOLL SENDS A MESSAGE
Line 2
I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.
Line 3
His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.
Line 4
I do not suppose that I was very brutally manhandled in the cave.
Line 5
I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.

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.

Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.”

Velmora curated lexicon
All words in this reading · 59

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

A

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

From this reading CAPTAIN ARCOLL SENDS A MESSAGE

Pending verification
an

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
and

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

From this reading I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.

Pending verification
ARCOLL

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

From this reading CAPTAIN ARCOLL SENDS A MESSAGE

Pending verification
brutally

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

From this reading I do not suppose that I was very brutally manhandled in the cave.

Pending verification
but

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
by

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
CAPTAIN

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

From this reading CAPTAIN ARCOLL SENDS A MESSAGE

Pending verification
care

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

From this reading I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.

Pending verification
carried

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

From this reading I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.

Pending verification
cave

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

From this reading I do not suppose that I was very brutally manhandled in the cave.

Pending verification
crushed

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
death

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
do

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

From this reading I do not suppose that I was very brutally manhandled in the cave.

Pending verification
gentlest

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
guards

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

From this reading I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.

Pending verification
handling

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
hands

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
harsh

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
His

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
I

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
in

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
infinite

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
jelly

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
Latin

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
left

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

From this reading I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.

Pending verification
man

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
manhandled

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

From this reading I do not suppose that I was very brutally manhandled in the cave.

Pending verification
many

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
meant

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
mere

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
MESSAGE

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

From this reading CAPTAIN ARCOLL SENDS A MESSAGE

Pending verification
murderers

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
not

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
of

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
once

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.

Velmora curated lexicon
out

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

From this reading I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.

Pending verification
read

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
repeated

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
repetition

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
SENDS

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

From this reading CAPTAIN ARCOLL SENDS A MESSAGE

Pending verification
some

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
story

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
suppose

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

From this reading I do not suppose that I was very brutally manhandled in the cave.

Pending verification
that

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

From this reading I do not suppose that I was very brutally manhandled in the cave.

Pending verification
the

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
think

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
thousand

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
tight

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

From this reading I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.

Pending verification
to

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
touch

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
trussed

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

From this reading I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.

Pending verification
up

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

From this reading I was trussed up tight and carried out to the open, and left in the care of the guards.

Pending verification
very

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

From this reading I do not suppose that I was very brutally manhandled in the cave.

Pending verification
was

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
were

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

From this reading His murderers were not harsh, but an infinite repetition of the gentlest handling meant death.

Pending verification
who

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification
writer

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

From this reading I once read—I think in some Latin writer—the story of a man who was crushed to a jelly by the mere repeated touch of many thousand hands.

Pending verification