diff --git a/examples/animate.pas b/examples/animate.pas
index 1ed379e..6bf834c 100644
--- a/examples/animate.pas
+++ b/examples/animate.pas
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@ var pic:PictData;
 procedure WaitVSync; external;
 
 function readAudioFile(fname:string):SndBufPtr;
-var i,size:integer;
-    c:char;
+var size:integer;
     buf:SndBufPtr;
     f:file;
 begin
@@ -44,13 +43,8 @@ begin
 	size := FileSize(f);
 	new(buf, size);
 
-	buf^ := '';
-	write('Reading ', size, ' bytes from ', fname);
-	for i := 1 to size do
-	begin
-		read(f,c);
-		AppendChar(buf^,c);
-	end;
+	ReadSample(f, buf);
+
 	writeln;
 	close(f);
 	readAudioFile := buf;	
diff --git a/lib/pcmaudio.inc b/lib/pcmaudio.inc
index dc1dbba..bda29a9 100644
--- a/lib/pcmaudio.inc
+++ b/lib/pcmaudio.inc
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 type SndBuf = string[32768];
 type SndBufPtr = ^SndBuf;
 
+procedure ReadSample(aFile:file;buf:SndBufPtr); external;
 procedure PlaySample(buf:SndBufPtr;sampleRate:integer); external;
 procedure SampleQStart(buf:SndBufPtr;loop:boolean;sampleRate:integer); external;
 procedure SampleQStop; external;
diff --git a/lib/pcmaudio.s b/lib/pcmaudio.s
index ebe812a..1c3fecf 100644
--- a/lib/pcmaudio.s
+++ b/lib/pcmaudio.s
@@ -302,3 +302,22 @@ SMPLQ_I_XT2:
 	DROP
 	LOADREG IR		; jump via interrupt return register
 	JUMP
+
+; args: file ptr, ptr to SndBuf (i.e. a String)
+READSAMPLE:
+	; buf ptr + 0: addr of cur size header field
+	; buf ptr + 4: addr of max size header field
+	; buf ptr + 8: start of raw data
+
+	; copy max size to current size header field of SndBuf
+	INC.S1.X2Y 4	; [ file ptr, buf ptr, buf ptr+4 ]
+	LOADI		; [ file ptr, buf ptr, max size ]
+	STOREI 8	; [ file ptr, buf ptr+8 ]
+	; put max size back on ToS
+	DUP		; [ file ptr, buf ptr+8, buf ptr+8]
+	DEC 4		; [ file ptr, buf ptr+8, buf ptr+4]
+	LOADI		; [ file ptr, buf ptr+8, max size ]
+
+	LOADCP READFS
+	CALL
+	RET