Chapter 11 of The Blue Flower is here in full — 189 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XI
Chapter 11 of The Blue Flower is here in full — 189 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity! I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi. My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave. Save me from worse than death!” Artaban trembled.
Chapter 11 of The Blue Flower is here in full — 189 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/37 · 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.
plural of “debt” — the state of owing something (especially money)
From this reading “My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.”
(New Testament) the sages who visited Jesus and Mary and Joseph shortly after Jesus was born
From this reading “I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.”
A person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially with foreign countries.
From this reading “My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.”
being undiluted or unmixed with extraneous material
From this reading ““Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!”
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading “I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.”
a person who is owned by someone
From this reading “My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.”
disposed of to a purchaser
From this reading “My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.”
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading “Artaban trembled.”
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 I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
in addition
From this reading I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Artaban trembled.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
a female human offspring
From this reading I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Save me from worse than death!”
plural of “debt” — the state of owing something (especially money)
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Save me from worse than death!”
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 “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
(New Testament) the sages who visited Jesus and Mary and Joseph shortly after Jesus was born
From this reading I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
A person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially with foreign countries.
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
an ancient kingdom in Asia to the southeast of the Caspian Sea; it dominated southwestern Asia from about 250 BC to AD 226
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
being undiluted or unmixed with extraneous material
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
except for; apart from
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
past form of “seize” — take hold of; grab
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
a person who is owned by someone
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
disposed of to a purchaser
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
inflected form of “teach” — impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Save me from worse than death!”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Have pity on me,” she cried, “and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading Artaban trembled.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My father was a merchant of Parthia, but he is dead, and I am seized for his debts to be sold as a slave.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I also am a daughter of the true religion which is taught by the Magi.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading Save me from worse than death!”
Chapter 11 of The Blue Flower by Henry Van Dyke holds 189 sentences, grouped into 38 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.
Chapter 11 holds 189 sentences of The Blue Flower, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 11 of The Blue Flower by Henry Van Dyke exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 189 sentences, grouped into 38 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 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 38 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 11 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 The Blue Flower by Henry Van Dyke on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2955 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1603 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1603, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 246 minutes of reading across 591 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Blue Flower section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 16 chapters of The Blue Flower 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 The Blue Flower, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
