A White Heron: Part I

by Sarah Orne Jewett
Young Sylvia lives with her grandmother and helps on the farm. A young man arrives hunting a white heron. Sylvia, enamored by the ornithologist, chooses to help him for pay rather than protect the rare bird; however, her choice brings other lessons.

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. dilatory
    wasting time
    A little girl was driving home her cow, a plodding, dilatory, provoking creature in her behavior, but a valued companion for all that.
  2. zest
    vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
    Sometimes in pleasant weather it was a consolation to look upon the cow’s pranks as an intelligent attempt to play hide and seek, and as the child had no playmates she lent herself to this amusement with a good deal of zest.
  3. wary
    marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
    Though this chase had been so long that the wary animal herself had given an unusual signal of her whereabouts, Sylvia had only laughed when she came upon Mistress Moolly at the swamp-side, and urged her affectionately homeward with a twig of birch leaves.
  4. inclined
    having a preference, disposition, or tendency
    The old cow was not inclined to wander farther, she even turned in the right direction for once as they left the pasture, and stepped along the road at a good pace.
  5. aggressive
    characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight
    Suddenly this little woods-girl is horror-stricken to hear a clear whistle not very far away. Not a bird’s-whistle, which would have a sort of friendliness, but a boy’s whistle, determined, and somewhat aggressive.
  6. persuasive
    intended or having the power to induce action or belief
    The enemy had discovered her, and called out in a very cheerful and persuasive tone, “Halloa, little girl, how far is it to the road?” and trembling Sylvia answered almost inaudibly, “A good ways.”
  7. trio
    three people considered as a unit
    Mrs. Tilley was standing in the doorway when the trio came into view.
  8. proffer
    present for acceptance or rejection
    “I’ll milk right off, and you make yourself at home. You can sleep on husks or feathers,” she proffered graciously.
  9. squalor
    sordid dirtiness
    It was a surprise to find so clean and comfortable a little dwelling in this New England wilderness. The young man had known the horrors of its most primitive housekeeping, and the dreary squalor of that level of society which does not rebel at the companionship of hens.
  10. affectionately
    in a warm, kind, and friendly way
    “Sylvy takes after him,” the grandmother continued affectionately, after a minute’s pause.
  11. demure
    suggestive of modesty or reserve
    “So Sylvy knows all about birds, does she?” he exclaimed, as he looked round at the little girl who sat, very demure but increasingly sleepy, in the moonlight.
  12. ornithologist
    a zoologist who studies feathered animals
    “Oh no, they’re stuffed and preserved, dozens and dozens of them,” said the ornithologist, “and I have shot or snared every one myself...."
  13. heron
    a gray or white wading bird with long neck and long legs
    “...I caught a glimpse of a white heron a few miles from here on Saturday, and I have followed it in this direction.”
  14. traverse
    journey across or pass over
    Some premonition of that great power stirred and swayed these young creatures who traversed the solemn woodlands with soft-footed silent care.
  15. elusive
    skillful at evading capture
    She grieved because the longed-for white heron was elusive, but she did not lead the guest, she only followed, and there was no such thing as speaking first.
Created on Fri Apr 03 21:17:07 EDT 2026 (updated Fri Aug 21 14:46:36 EDT 2026)

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