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

Chapter XIX · Chapter 19

Chapter 19 of The Ghost Kings is here in full — 216 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Ghost Kings
Context Illustration Reading 1/43 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.
This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.
I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.
It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.
Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.
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.

The Ghost Kings

Chapter XIX · Chapter 19

Chapter 19 of The Ghost Kings is here in full — 216 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/43 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.
Line 2
This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.
Line 3
I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.
Line 4
It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.
/ɪt wɑːz ðaʊ huː dɪdst wɜːrk əˈpɑːn ðæt oʊld ˈwʊmən ðaɪn ænt tuː kəˈmænd ðæt ðə waɪt wɪtʃ ʃʊd biː brɔːt ˈhɪðər ənd bɪˈkɔːz æz jet aɪ derd nɑːt ˌdɪsəˈbeɪ aɪ meɪd ə ˈterəbəl ˈdʒɜːrni tuː brɪŋ hɜːr/
Line 5
Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

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.

Bastard noun US /ˈbæstərd/

insulting terms of address for people who are stupid or irritating or ridiculous

From this reading ““This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.”

defy verb US /dɪˈfaɪ/

resist or confront with resistance

From this reading ““I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.”

didst auxiliary verb US /dɪdst/

an old form of “did”, used with “thou”

From this reading “It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.”

disobey verb US /ˌdɪsəˈbeɪ/

refuse to go along with; refuse to follow; be disobedient

From this reading “It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.”

Rachel noun US /ˈreɪtʃəl/

(Old Testament) the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin

From this reading “THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.”

savagely adverb US /ˈsævɪdʒli/

in a vicious manner

From this reading ““This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.”

translated verb US /trænzˈleɪtɪd/

past form of “translate” — restate (words) from one language into another language

From this reading ““This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.”

witch noun US /wɪtʃ/

a female sorcerer or magician

From this reading “It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.”

All words in this reading · 108

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 It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

addressingverbUS /əˈdresɪŋ/

-ing form of “address” — speak to

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

amazedadjectiveUS /əˈmeɪzd/

filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

auntnounUS /ænt/

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

badenounUS /beɪd/

a Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

BastardnounUS /ˈbæstərd/

insulting terms of address for people who are stupid or irritating or ridiculous

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

bringverbUS /brɪŋ/

take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

causest

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

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

commandnounUS /kəˈmænd/

an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

courtnounUS /kɔːrt/

an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

daredverbUS /derd/

past form of “dare” — take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

defyverbUS /dɪˈfaɪ/

resist or confront with resistance

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

deniedverbUS /dɪˈnaɪd/

inflected form of “deny” — declare untrue; contradict

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

didstauxiliary verbUS /dɪdst/

an old form of “did”, used with “thou”

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

Dingaan

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

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

disobeyverbUS /ˌdɪsəˈbeɪ/

refuse to go along with; refuse to follow; be disobedient

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

Eddonoun

edible starchy tuberous root of taro plants

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

fellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

fightingnounUS /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/

the act of fighting; any contest or struggle

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

futureadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtʃər/

yet to be or coming

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

gladlyadverbUS /ˈɡlædli/

in a willing manner

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

hitheradverbUS /ˈhɪðər/

an old word meaning “to this place”

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

Inkosazana

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

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

journeyverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrni/

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

liftedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪftəd/

held up in the air

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

minepronounUS /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

MOTHERnounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

mouthnounUS /maʊθ/

the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

Noie

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

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

pureadjectiveUS /pjʊr/

free of extraneous elements of any kind

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

RachelnounUS /ˈreɪtʃəl/

(Old Testament) the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

savagelyadverbUS /ˈsævɪdʒli/

in a vicious manner

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

speakverbUS /spiːk/

express in speech

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

SpiritnounUS /ˈspɪrət/

the vital principle or animating force within living things

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

staredverbUS /sterd/

past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

terribleadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

theepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

thinepronounUS /ðaɪn/

an old word for “yours”

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “I have felt thee fighting against me for long, and now thou causest this Inkosazana to defy me.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

translatedverbUS /trænzˈleɪtɪd/

past form of “translate” — restate (words) from one language into another language

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

TREESnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading “This is thy doing, Bastard,” he said savagely, addressing Noie, who had translated them.

witchnounUS /wɪtʃ/

a female sorcerer or magician

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading THE MOTHER OF THE TREES When Eddo understood these words he lifted his head and stared at Rachel amazed.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

YesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading It was thou who didst work upon that old woman, thine aunt, to command that the white witch should be brought hither, and because as yet I dared not disobey, I made a terrible journey to bring her.

yonderadjectiveUS /ˈjɑːndər/

distant but within sight (“yon” is dialectal)

From this reading Yes, and I did this gladly, for when my eyes fell upon her, there in the town of Dingaan, I saw that she was great and beautiful, but that her Spirit had gone, and I knew that I could make her mouth to speak my words, and her pure eyes to see things that are denied to mine, even the future as, when I bade her, she saw it yonder in the court of Dingaan.

Chapter 19 of The Ghost Kings by H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard holds 216 sentences, grouped into 44 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 19 of The Ghost Kings contain?

Chapter 19 holds 216 sentences of The Ghost Kings, unabridged, divided into 44 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 19 of The Ghost Kings by H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 216 sentences, grouped into 44 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 19 of The Ghost Kings?

Work through the 44 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 44 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 19 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 19 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 The Ghost Kings

Common questions about reading The Ghost Kings by H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Ghost Kings?

Yes. All 5800 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8184 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Ghost Kings is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #8184, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Ghost Kings take to read?

About 483 minutes of reading across 1160 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Ghost Kings section by section

How to work through The Ghost Kings section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 23 chapters of The Ghost Kings 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 The Ghost Kings

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Ghost Kings, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

River
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Ghost Kings; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Towards
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Ghost Kings; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rachel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Ghost Kings; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Headed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Ghost Kings; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.