Chapter 4 of The Story of Siegfried is here in full — 395 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of The Story of Siegfried is here in full — 395 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried. “Give it to me!” cried Niblung. “Give it to me!” cried Schilbung. And both tried to snatch it from Siegfried’s hand. But the effort was too great for them.
Chapter 4 of The Story of Siegfried is here in full — 395 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/79 · 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.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading ““What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.”
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading ““Give it to me!” cried Niblung.”
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading “But the effort was too great for them.”
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading ““Give it to me!” cried Niblung.”
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading ““What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.”
(German mythology) mythical German warrior hero of the Nibelungenlied who takes possession of the accursed treasure of the Nibelungs by slaying the dragon that guards it and awakens Brynhild and is eventually killed
From this reading ““What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.”
to grasp hastily or eagerly
From this reading “And both tried to snatch it from Siegfried’s hand.”
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading “And both tried to snatch it from Siegfried’s hand.”
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 to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And both tried to snatch it from Siegfried’s hand.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.
the two together, not just one
From this reading And both tried to snatch it from Siegfried’s hand.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the effort was too great for them.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading “Give it to me!” cried Niblung.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading But the effort was too great for them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But the effort was too great for them.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading And both tried to snatch it from Siegfried’s hand.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading “Give it to me!” cried Niblung.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading But the effort was too great for them.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading And both tried to snatch it from Siegfried’s hand.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Give it to me!” cried Niblung.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Give it to me!” cried Niblung.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Give it to me!” cried Niblung.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading “What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Give it to me!” cried Schilbung.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading “What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.
(German mythology) mythical German warrior hero of the Nibelungenlied who takes possession of the accursed treasure of the Nibelungs by slaying the dragon that guards it and awakens Brynhild and is eventually killed
From this reading “What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And both tried to snatch it from Siegfried’s hand.
to grasp hastily or eagerly
From this reading And both tried to snatch it from Siegfried’s hand.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But the effort was too great for them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading But the effort was too great for them.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Give it to me!” cried Niblung.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading But the effort was too great for them.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading And both tried to snatch it from Siegfried’s hand.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But the effort was too great for them.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “What shall I do with this ring?” asked Siegfried.
Chapter 4 of The Story of Siegfried by James Baldwin holds 395 sentences, grouped into 79 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 4 holds 395 sentences of The Story of Siegfried, unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The Story of Siegfried by James Baldwin exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 395 sentences, grouped into 79 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 79 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 79 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 4 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 Story of Siegfried by James Baldwin on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3603 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6866 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #6866, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 300 minutes of reading across 721 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Story of Siegfried section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of The Story of Siegfried 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 Story of Siegfried, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
