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The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga)
The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga)

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga) is here in full — 33 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/6 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.
But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the Wise-wife.
Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.
Grimhild was a fierce-hearted woman.
Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.
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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 Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga)

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga) is here in full — 33 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/6 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.
Line 2
But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the Wise-wife.
Line 3
Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.
Line 4
Grimhild was a fierce-hearted woman.
Line 5
Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.

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.

bloomed verb US /bluːmd/

past form of “bloom” — produce or yield flowers

From this reading “Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.”

fairest adjective US /ˈferɪst/

superlative of “fair” — free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading “There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.”

mien noun US /miːn/

dignified manner or conduct

From this reading “Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.”

mightier adjective US /ˈmaɪtiər/

comparative of “mighty” — having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading “Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.”

prowess noun US /ˈpraʊəs/

a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation

From this reading “There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.”

realm noun US /relm/

a domain in which something is dominant

From this reading “There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.”

Rhine noun US /raɪn/

United States parapsychologist (1895-1980)

From this reading “There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.”

wedded adjective US /ˈwedɪd/

having been taken in marriage

From this reading “But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the Wise-wife.”

All words in this reading · 88

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 There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

Atli

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

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

bloomedverbUS /bluːmd/

past form of “bloom” — produce or yield flowers

From this reading Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

brothernounUS /ˈbrʌðər/

a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

Brynhildnoun

a Valkyrie or a queen in the Nibelungenlied who loved the hero Siegfried; when he deceived her she had him killed and then committed suicide

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

Budli

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

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the Wise-wife.

chieflyadverbUS /ˈtʃiːfli/

for the most part

From this reading Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

daughternounUS /ˈdɔːtər/

a female human offspring

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.

deednounUS /diːd/

a legal document signed and sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.

fairestadjectiveUS /ˈferɪst/

superlative of “fair” — free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

famenounUS /feɪm/

the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

fierceadjectiveUS /fɪrs/

marked by extreme and violent energy

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

fierce-hearted

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

From this reading Grimhild was a fierce-hearted woman.

Giuki

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

Giukings

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

From this reading Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.

goodliness

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

greatestadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtəst/

highest in quality

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

grimadjectiveUS /ɡrɪm/

not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

Grimhild

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

From this reading But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the Wise-wife.

growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/

(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

Gudrun

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

Gunnar

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

Guttorm

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

hight

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

Hogni

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

kingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

king'snounUS /kɪŋz/

possessive form of “king” — a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

maidensnounUS /ˈmeɪdənz/

plural of “maiden” — an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.

miennounUS /miːn/

dignified manner or conduct

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

mightieradjectiveUS /ˈmaɪtiər/

comparative of “mighty” — having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

mightyadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪti/

having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

namedverbUS /neɪmd/

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/

impressive in appearance

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

prowessnounUS /ˈpraʊəs/

a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

realmnounUS /relm/

a domain in which something is dominant

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

RhinenounUS /raɪn/

United States parapsychologist (1895-1980)

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

ruledadjectiveUS /ruːld/

subject to a ruling authority

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.

sonsnounUS /sʌnz/

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

southnounUS /saʊθ/

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those children, so far before the sons of men.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

thusadverbUS /ðʌs/

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

warriorsnounUS /ˈwɔːriərz/

plural of “warrior” — someone engaged in or experienced in warfare

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

warsnounUS /wɔːrz/

plural of “war” — the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

weddedadjectiveUS /ˈwedɪd/

having been taken in marriage

From this reading But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the Wise-wife.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

Wise-wife

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

From this reading But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the Wise-wife.

withaladverb

despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Grimhild was a fierce-hearted woman.

wroughtadjectiveUS /rɔːt/

shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)

From this reading There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.

Chapter 23 of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga) by Eiríkr Magnússon [Translator] holds 33 sentences, grouped into 7 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 23 of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga) contain?

Chapter 23 holds 33 sentences of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga), unabridged, divided into 7 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga) by Eiríkr Magnússon [Translator] exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 33 sentences, grouped into 7 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 23 of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga)?

Work through the 7 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 7 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 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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 Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga)

Common questions about reading The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga) by Eiríkr Magnússon [Translator] on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga)?

Yes. All 1472 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1152 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #1152, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga) take to read?

About 122 minutes of reading across 295 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga)

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Begins
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tells
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Named
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Called
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.