Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Prince Prigio
Prince Prigio

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Prince Prigio is here in full — 64 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Prince Prigio
Context Illustration Reading 1/12 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_A Terrible Misfortune_.
When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.
At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.
"Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"
"Still?" said the prince, thinking of the Firedrake.
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.

Prince Prigio

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Prince Prigio is here in full — 64 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/12 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_A Terrible Misfortune_.
/ə ˈterəbəl mɪˈsfɔːrtʃən/
Line 2
When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.
/wen ðə ˈleɪdiz left ənd ðə prɪns ənd ðə ˈʌðər ˈdʒentəlmɪn wɜːr əˈloʊn ðə æmˈbæsədər əˈpɪrd mɔːr ˈɡluːmi ðæn ˈevər/
Line 3
At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.
Line 4
"Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"
/dʌz jɔːr ˈrɔɪəl ˈhaɪnəs nɑːt noʊ hiː æskt ðæt juː ɑːr ɪn kənˈsɪdərəbəl ˈdeɪndʒər/
Line 5
"Still?" said the prince, thinking of the Firedrake.

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.

ambassador noun US /æmˈbæsədər/

a diplomat of the highest rank; accredited as representative from one country to another

From this reading “When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.”

considerable adjective US /kənˈsɪdərəbəl/

large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree

From this reading “"Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"”

gloomy adjective US /ˈɡluːmi/

depressingly dark

From this reading “When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.”

highness noun US /ˈhaɪnəs/

(Your Highness or His Highness or Her Highness) title used to address a royal person

From this reading “"Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"”

Misfortune noun US /mɪˈsfɔːrtʃən/

unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event

rare adjective US /rer/

not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness

From this reading “At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.”

showing noun US /ˈʃoʊɪŋ/

the display of a motion picture

From this reading “At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.”

statue noun US /ˈstætʃuː/

a sculpture representing a human or animal

From this reading “At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.”

All words in this reading · 49

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 _A Terrible Misfortune_.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

ambassadornounUS /æmˈbæsədər/

a diplomat of the highest rank; accredited as representative from one country to another

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

considerableadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪdərəbəl/

large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

cornernounUS /ˈkɔːrnər/

a place off to the side of an area

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

dangernounUS /ˈdeɪndʒər/

the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

Doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

Firedrakenoun

a creature of Teutonic mythology; usually represented as breathing fire and having a reptilian body and sometimes wings

From this reading "Still?" said the prince, thinking of the Firedrake.

gentlemennounUS /ˈdʒentəlmɪn/

plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

gloomyadjectiveUS /ˈɡluːmi/

depressingly dark

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

highnessnounUS /ˈhaɪnəs/

(Your Highness or His Highness or Her Highness) title used to address a royal person

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

ladiesnounUS /ˈleɪdiz/

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

MisfortunenounUS /mɪˈsfɔːrtʃən/

unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event

From this reading _A Terrible Misfortune_.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

pretencenoun

a false or unsupportable quality

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

princenounUS /prɪns/

a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

rareadjectiveUS /rer/

not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

royaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/

of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Still?" said the prince, thinking of the Firedrake.

showingnounUS /ˈʃoʊɪŋ/

the display of a motion picture

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

statuenounUS /ˈstætʃuː/

a sculpture representing a human or animal

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

StilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading "Still?" said the prince, thinking of the Firedrake.

TerribleadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading _A Terrible Misfortune_.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

thinkingnounUS /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

From this reading "Still?" said the prince, thinking of the Firedrake.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading At last he took the prince into a corner, on pretence of showing him a rare statue.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When the ladies left, and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone, the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Does your royal highness not know," he asked, "that you are in considerable danger?"

Chapter 12 of Prince Prigio by Andrew Lang holds 64 sentences, grouped into 13 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 12 of Prince Prigio contain?

Chapter 12 holds 64 sentences of Prince Prigio, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Prince Prigio by Andrew Lang exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 64 sentences, grouped into 13 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 Prince Prigio?

Work through the 13 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 13 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 Prince Prigio

Common questions about reading Prince Prigio by Andrew Lang on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Prince Prigio?

Yes. All 909 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20850 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Prince Prigio is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #20850, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Prince Prigio take to read?

About 75 minutes of reading across 182 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Prince Prigio section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of Prince Prigio 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 Prince Prigio

Words and structures a reader meets early in Prince Prigio, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Fairies
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prince Prigio; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Invited
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prince Prigio; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Court
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prince Prigio; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reigned
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prince Prigio; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.