half-chant

Updated: May 27, 2025

And far away, perhaps, in the quainter squares of the more primitive island villages in Burano or Chioggia before the Duomo, some reader lies at full length in the brilliant moonlight under the banner of San Marco, his "Boccaccio" open before him, repeating in a half-chant, monotonous and droning, some favorite tale from the well-worn pages to listeners who pause in groups in their evening stroll and linger until another story is begun; this time it is some strophe from the "Gerusalemme," to which a passing gondolier may chant the answering strain for this is the very poem of the people, echoing familiarly from lip to lip, and tales from the Tasso are not seldom wrought into the ebony carvings of their barks.

Mrs. Lawrence Turnbull - A Golden Book of Venice

'We will begin tomorrow, and a blessing on thee for showing old feet such a near road. A deep, sing-song Chinese half-chant closed the sentence. Even the priest was impressed, and the headman feared an evil spell: but none could look at the lama's simple, eager face and doubt him long. 'Seest thou my chela? he said, diving into his snuff-gourd with an important sniff.

Rudyard Kipling - Kim