Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Saga of Grettir the Strong
The Saga of Grettir the Strong

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Saga of Grettir the Strong
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.
His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.
It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.
The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.
Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.
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 Saga of Grettir the Strong

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.
Line 2
His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.
/hɪz neɪm tuː wɑːz rɪˈnaʊnd θruːˈaʊt ðə hoʊl ˈkʌntri ɑːn əˈkaʊnt ʌv hɪz ˈænsestri/
Line 3
It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.
Line 4
The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.
Line 5
Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

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.

ancestry noun US /ˈænsestri/

the descendants of one individual

From this reading “His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.”

assembled verb US /əˈsembəld/

past form of “assemble” — create by putting components or members together

From this reading “The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.”

dispute verb US /dɪsˈpjuːt/

take exception to

From this reading “It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.”

feud noun US /fjuːd/

a bitter quarrel between two parties

From this reading “The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.”

limbs noun US /lɪmz/

plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper

From this reading “DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.”

renowned adjective US /rɪˈnaʊnd/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading “His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.”

stayed verb US /steɪd/

past form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading “Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.”

throughout preposition US /θruːˈaʊt/

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading “His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.”

All words in this reading · 76

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 DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

accountnounUS /əˈkaʊnt/

a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

ancestrynounUS /ˈænsestri/

the descendants of one individual

From this reading His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

aroseverbUS /ərˈoʊz/

inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

assembledverbUS /əˈsembəld/

past form of “assemble” — create by putting components or members together

From this reading The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.

Aud

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

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.

DEEP-MINDED

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

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

disputeverbUS /dɪsˈpjuːt/

take exception to

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

endedadjectiveUS /ˈendəd/

having come or been brought to a conclusion

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

feudnounUS /fjuːd/

a bitter quarrel between two parties

From this reading The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

forcenounUS /fɔːrs/

a powerful effect or influence

From this reading The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.

Grettir

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

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

Grettisgeil

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

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

Haell

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

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.

Hvamm

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

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

Jarlakappi

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

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

killedverbUS /kɪld/

past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.

limbsnounUS /lɪmz/

plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

measurenounUS /ˈmeʒər/

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

Ofeig

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

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

Ofeig's

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

From this reading The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

Onund

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

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

renownedadjectiveUS /rɪˈnaʊnd/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.

rodeverbUS /roʊd/

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

sonsnounUS /sʌnz/

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

SouthnounUS /saʊθ/

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

stayedverbUS /steɪd/

past form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

Thorbjorn

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

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

throughoutprepositionUS /θruːˈaʊt/

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.

Treefoot

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

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.

valournoun

the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle)

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It happened that a dispute arose between Ofeig Grettir and one Thorbjorn called Jarlakappi, which ended in Ofeig being killed by Thorbjorn in Grettisgeil near Haell.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The feud was taken up by Ofeig's sons who assembled a large force of men.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading His name, too, was renowned throughout the whole country on account of his ancestry.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading DEEP-MINDED Onund was a man of such valour that few, even of those whose limbs were sound, could measure themselves against him.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Onund Treefoot was sent for, and in the spring he rode South to Hvamm, where he stayed with Aud the Deep-Minded.

Chapter 5 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong by Unknown holds 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 5 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong contain?

Chapter 5 holds 125 sentences of The Saga of Grettir the Strong, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong by Unknown exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 5 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Saga of Grettir the Strong

Common questions about reading The Saga of Grettir the Strong by Unknown on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Saga of Grettir the Strong?

Yes. All 4096 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #347 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Saga of Grettir the Strong is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #347, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Saga of Grettir the Strong take to read?

About 341 minutes of reading across 820 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Saga of Grettir the Strong section by section

How to work through The Saga of Grettir the Strong section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Saga of Grettir the Strong 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 Saga of Grettir the Strong

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Saga of Grettir the Strong, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Named
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Saga of Grettir the Strong; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Onund
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Saga of Grettir the Strong; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ofeig
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Saga of Grettir the Strong; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Clumsyfoot
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Saga of Grettir the Strong; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.