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The Saga of Grettir the Strong
The Saga of Grettir the Strong

Chapter XXIX · Chapter 29

Chapter 29 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong is here in full — 62 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Saga of Grettir the Strong
Context Illustration Reading 1/12 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.
"Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.
"I don't mean to be bound when I come into the fall," Grettir said.
"So my mind tells me."
Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.
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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 XXIX · Chapter 29

Chapter 29 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong is here in full — 62 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.
Line 2
"Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.
/wɪtʃ weɪ duː juː miːn tuː ɡoʊ æskt ðə priːst/
Line 3
"I don't mean to be bound when I come into the fall," Grettir said.
Line 4
"So my mind tells me."
/soʊ maɪ maɪnd telz miː/
Line 5
Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.
/ðen hiː priˈperd tuː ɡoʊ hiː hæd fjuː kloʊðz ɑːn ənd ˈoʊnli ə ʃɔːrt sɔːrd noʊ ˈʌðər ɑːrmz/

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.

fastened adjective US /ˈfæsənd/

firmly closed or secured

From this reading “Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.”

loop verb US /luːp/

move in loops

From this reading “Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.”

lowered adjective US /ˈloʊərd/

below the surround or below the normal position

From this reading “Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.”

prepared adjective US /priˈperd/

made ready or fit or suitable beforehand

From this reading “Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.”

priest noun US /priːst/

a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders

From this reading “"Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.”

rope noun US /roʊp/

a strong line

From this reading “Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.”

sword noun US /sɔːrd/

a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading “Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.”

tells noun US /telz/

plural of “tell” — a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer

From this reading “"So my mind tells me."”

All words in this reading · 54

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 Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

askedverbUS /æskt/

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

From this reading "Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading "I don't mean to be bound when I come into the fall," Grettir said.

boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/

confined by bonds

From this reading "I don't mean to be bound when I come into the fall," Grettir said.

clothesnounUS /kloʊðz/

clothing in general

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading "I don't mean to be bound when I come into the fall," Grettir said.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.

don't

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

From this reading "I don't mean to be bound when I come into the fall," Grettir said.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading "I don't mean to be bound when I come into the fall," Grettir said.

fastenedadjectiveUS /ˈfæsənd/

firmly closed or secured

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

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 Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading "Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.

Grettir

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

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I don't mean to be bound when I come into the fall," Grettir said.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

loopverbUS /luːp/

move in loops

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

loweredadjectiveUS /ˈloʊərd/

below the surround or below the normal position

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading "So my mind tells me."

meanverbUS /miːn/

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading "Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading "So my mind tells me."

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "So my mind tells me."

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

preparedadjectiveUS /priˈperd/

made ready or fit or suitable beforehand

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

priestnounUS /priːst/

a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders

From this reading "Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.

ropenounUS /roʊp/

a strong line

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "I don't mean to be bound when I come into the fall," Grettir said.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "So my mind tells me."

stonenounUS /stoʊn/

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

swordnounUS /sɔːrd/

a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

tellsnounUS /telz/

plural of “tell” — a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer

From this reading "So my mind tells me."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then he prepared to go; he had few clothes on and only a short sword; no other arms.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading Grettir now fastened a stone in a loop at the end of the rope, and lowered it from above into the water.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading "Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading "I don't mean to be bound when I come into the fall," Grettir said.

WhichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading "Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Which way do you mean to go?" asked the priest.

Chapter 29 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong by Unknown holds 62 sentences, grouped into 13 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 29 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong contain?

Chapter 29 holds 62 sentences of The Saga of Grettir the Strong, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 29 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong by Unknown exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 62 sentences, grouped into 13 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 29 of The Saga of Grettir the Strong?

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

Each of the 13 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 29 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 29 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

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  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.