Chapter 1 of Stories from Wagner is here in full — 376 sentences across 76 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Stories from Wagner is here in full — 376 sentences across 76 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC. "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner." SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II. The War Maidens III. Siegfried the Fearless IV.
Chapter 1 of Stories from Wagner is here in full — 376 sentences across 76 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/75 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
English poet remembered as author of the Canterbury Tales (1340-1400)
From this reading “AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC.”
a word used in exclamations of confusion
From this reading “AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC.”
oblivious of dangers or perils or calmly resolute in facing them
From this reading “Siegfried the Fearless IV.”
printing from a plate with raised characters
From this reading “SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.”
plural of “maiden” — an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)
From this reading “The War Maidens III.”
the bank of a river
From this reading “SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.”
English poet (1554-1586)
From this reading “SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.”
(German mythology) mythical German warrior hero of the Nibelungenlied who takes possession of the accursed treasure of the Nibelungs by slaying the dragon that guards it and awakens Brynhild and is eventually killed
From this reading “Siegfried the Fearless IV.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “"He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC.
English poet remembered as author of the Canterbury Tales (1340-1400)
From this reading AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
a word used in exclamations of confusion
From this reading AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC.
the capital of Scotland; located in the Lothian Region on the south side of the Firth of Forth
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC.
oblivious of dangers or perils or calmly resolute in facing them
From this reading Siegfried the Fearless IV.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
an aggressive and violent young criminal
From this reading AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The War Maidens III.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Siegfried the Fearless IV.
printing from a plate with raised characters
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
plural of “maiden” — an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)
From this reading The War Maidens III.
the force of workers available
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
participate in games or sport
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
exert pressure or force to or upon
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
the bank of a river
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
small Old World songbird with a reddish breast
From this reading AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC.
English poet (1554-1586)
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
(German mythology) mythical German warrior hero of the Nibelungenlied who takes possession of the accursed treasure of the Nibelungs by slaying the dragon that guards it and awakens Brynhild and is eventually killed
From this reading Siegfried the Fearless IV.
term of address for a man
From this reading SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Letterpress: The Riverside Press Ltd., Edinburgh THE RING OF THE CURSE— I. The Rhine-Gold II.
plural of “story” — 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 AUTHOR OF "STORIES OF ROBIN HOOD" "STORIES FROM DICKENS" "STORIES FROM CHAUCER" ETC.
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 "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
an old word for “to”
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading The War Maidens III.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
in the company of; together with
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney-corner."
Chapter 1 of Stories from Wagner by J. Walker (Joseph Walker) McSpadden holds 376 sentences, grouped into 76 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.
Chapter 1 holds 376 sentences of Stories from Wagner, unabridged, divided into 76 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Stories from Wagner by J. Walker (Joseph Walker) McSpadden exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 376 sentences, grouped into 76 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.
Work through the 76 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 76 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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.
Common questions about reading Stories from Wagner by J. Walker (Joseph Walker) McSpadden on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4050 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #47139 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #47139, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 337 minutes of reading across 810 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Stories from Wagner section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 10 chapters of Stories from Wagner to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Stories from Wagner, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
