Rump: Chapter 23–Epilogue

by Liesl Shurtliff
What's in a name? Young "Rump" embarks on an heroic quest — full of magic and perils — to discover his full name, its meaning, and ultimately his destiny in life.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–13, Chapters 14–17, Chapters 18–22, Chapter 23–Epilogue
15 words 12 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ensnare
    take or catch as if in a trap
    I thought of my mother, holding me at birth, whispering my name in my ear.
    Rumpel…
    Trapped. Tangled. Ensnared.
  2. piercing
    having or emitting a high-pitched tone or tones
    A piercing shriek exploded from the ground and filled the air so that it must have reached every ear within a mile.
  3. disheveled
    in disarray; extremely disorderly
    She was pale and thin, and her golden hair was loose and disheveled.
  4. scoff
    laugh at with contempt and derision
    Opal was trembling. “I’ll give you all the riches in The Kingdom. Anything you want. Please don’t take my baby.”
    The miller scoffed. “He gave you all the riches you have.”
  5. provident
    giving something useful for the future
    “But then she ran away to that blasted mountain. Thought she could hide there in all the gold, but I caught up to her—and a good thing too. Provident, even.
  6. outlandish
    noticeably or extremely unconventional or unusual
    “Frederick and Bruno were charged to keep an eye on you, and how delighted I was when my sons came and told me the outlandish story that you had a pile of gold in your cottage."
  7. predecessor
    one who goes before you in time
    "...And then we had the blunder with the king! Yes, he’s a bit more attentive than his predecessor when it comes to the gold being traded in his kingdom. I should have known.…”
  8. submissive
    inclined or willing to give in to orders or wishes of others
    “Opal,” I said after the miller started snoring. “Ungag Red.” Opal looked at me as if I had insulted her. I tried to sound more submissive and pleading.
    “Your Highness, please? Take off Red’s gag?”
  9. sympathy
    sharing the feelings of others, especially sorrow or anguish
    My sympathy for Opal was fading with the thickening of her skull.
  10. swaddle
    wrap very tightly in cloth, as a baby
    Archie slept soundly in the basket, caked in mud and swaddled tightly in blankets.
  11. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
    When I reached the tree, I gingerly removed the pixie nest and placed it in the side of Archie’s basket.
  12. turret
    a small tower extending above a building
    As we reached the castle, the sun rose fully in the sky, its rays bursting all around the towers and turrets.
  13. welt
    a raised mark on the skin
    Red was on the floor, still bound and gagged, and she had a large, fresh welt on her cheek.
  14. plummet
    drop sharply
    The pixies exploded all over the gold as Red and I plummeted through the floor.
  15. fateful
    having momentous consequences; of decisive importance
    I could feel the magic of it spreading over the mountain, sinking into the ground, and running right up through my feet, bursting with power and fateful glory.
    A name is a powerful thing.
Created on Sat Nov 29 14:28:33 EST 2025 (updated Mon Jan 05 11:49:54 EST 2026)

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