The Happy Prince, and Other Tales: 40 words to know before you read it
The 40 words Oscar Wilde uses again and again in The Happy Prince, and Other Tales that are outside the 4,000 most common in English. Learn them first and the opening chapters read much more easily. Each comes with its pronunciation and a sentence from the book.
wheelbarrow/ˈhwiɫˌbɛɹoʊ/19× in the book
I am going to bring them into the market and sell them to the Burgomaster’s daughter, and buy back my wheelbarrow with the money.’
thorn/ˈθɔɹn/12× in the book
You must sing to me with your breast against a thorn.
blossom/ˈbɫɑsəm/12× in the book
His hair is dark as the hyacinth-blossom, and his lips are red as the rose of his desire …
ruby/ˈɹubi/9× in the book
He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt.
weep/ˈwip/8× in the book
“Why are you weeping then?”
plank/ˈpɫæŋk/7× in the book
‘I can easily put it in repair, as I have a plank of wood in the house.’
till/ˈtɪɫ/7× in the book
Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow picked off, till the Happy Prince looked quite dull and grey.
mend/ˈmɛnd/6× in the book
… looking at it, ‘and I am afraid that after I have mended my barn-roof there won’t be any left for you to mend the wheelbarrow with; but …
delightful/dɪˈɫaɪtfəɫ/6× in the book
“This is a delightful spot,” he said, “we must ask the Hail on a visit.”
pluck/ˈpɫək/6× in the book
So the Swallow plucked out the Prince’s eye, and flew away to the student’s garret.
roar/ˈɹɔɹ/6× in the book
They have eyes like green beryls, and their roar is louder than the roar of the cataract.”
bride/ˈbɹaɪd/6× in the book
And a delicate flush of pink came into the leaves of the rose, like the flush in the face of the bridegroom when he kisses the lips of the bride.
sack/ˈsæk/6× in the book
“There was the Miller with a large sack of flour on his back.
honour/ˈɑnɝ/5× in the book
She is embroidering passion-flowers on a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queen’s maids-of-honour to wear at the next Court-ball.
marvellous/ˈmɑɹvəɫəs/5× in the book
“Dear little Swallow,” said the Prince, “you tell me of marvellous things, but more marvellous than anything is the suffering of men and of women.
scarlet/ˈskɑɹɫət/5× in the book
“He looks just like an angel,” said the Charity Children as they came out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks and their clean white pinafores.
lantern/ˈɫæntɝn/5× in the book
He passed over the river, and saw the lanterns hanging to the masts of the ships.
selfish/ˈsɛɫfɪʃ/5× in the book
She thinks merely of music, and everybody knows that the arts are selfish.
ditch/ˈdɪtʃ/5× in the book
But you must lend me your lantern, as the night is so dark that I am afraid I might fall into the ditch.’
jewel/ˈdʒuəɫ/5× in the book
Dear Prince, I must leave you, but I will never forget you, and next spring I will bring you back two beautiful jewels in place of those you have given away.
murmur/ˈmɝmɝ/5× in the book
he murmured, “will you let me kiss your hand?”
soar/ˈsɔɹ/5× in the book
Suddenly she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air.
barn/ˈbɑɹn/5× in the book
said the Miller; ‘why, that is just what I want for the roof of my barn.
sword/ˈsɔɹd/5× in the book
Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, will you not bring her the ruby out of my sword-hilt?
morrow/ˈmɑɹoʊ/4× in the book
“To-morrow my friends will fly up to the Second Cataract.
grey/ˈɡɹeɪ/4× in the book
He was dressed in grey, and his breath was like ice.
frost/ˈfɹɔst/4× in the book
Then the snow came, and after the snow came the frost.
bridegroom/ˈbɹaɪdˌɡɹum/4× in the book
It was a magnificent ceremony, and the bride and bridegroom walked hand in hand under a canopy of purple velvet embroidered with little pearls.
quack/ˈkwæk/4× in the book
“Quack, quack, quack,” she said.
selfishness/ˈsɛɫfɪʃnəs/4× in the book
The Reed used to like the rain, but that was merely her selfishness.”
violet/ˈvaɪəɫɪt/4× in the book
He is leaning over a desk covered with papers, and in a tumbler by his side there is a bunch of withered violets.
petal/ˈpɛtəɫ/4× in the book
And on the top-most spray of the Rose-tree there blossomed a marvellous rose, petal following petal, as song followed song.
cloak/ˈkɫoʊk/4× in the book
The Snow covered up the grass with her great white cloak, and the Frost painted all the trees silver.
fireworks/ˈfaɪɹˌwɝks/4× in the book
The last item on the programme was a grand display of fireworks, to be let off exactly at midnight.
spoil/ˈspɔɪɫ/4× in the book
She has let her matches fall in the gutter, and they are all spoiled.
cough/ˈkɑf/4× in the book
Suddenly, a sharp, dry cough was heard, and they all looked round.
magnificent/mæɡˈnɪfəsənt/4× in the book
It was certainly a magnificent display.
drown/ˈdɹaʊn/4× in the book
cried the old Water-rat; “they really deserve to be drowned.”
ladder/ˈɫædɝ/4× in the book
So he jumped off the ladder, and ran down the garden, and looked over the wall.
spray/ˈspɹeɪ/4× in the book
In the centre of the grass-plot was standing a beautiful Rose-tree, and when she saw it she flew over to it, and lit upon a spray.
Pronunciation: ipa-dict (MIT), from Wiktionary.
Read the book freeEvery sentence translated, natural audio, one-tap dictionary